Football: Angell needs to control emotions, says Bobby Gould

Bay United coach Brett Angell is often frustrated with match officials in the national premiership soccer campaign. Photo/file

There's no disputing Hawke's Bay United coach Brett Angell is a tireless worker, according to retired English soccer stalwart Bobby Gould.

"I know he's got frustrated, with things said [to officials] and he was sent off from the dugout, as you might say, but we all get involved in that," says Gould who is on his annual haj over Christmas in Hastings.

The 71-year-old says he's no stranger to Football Association disciplinary action over similar outbursts in the English top-flight as player and manager.

"You have to control your emotions, no matter who you are," he says, realising ex-EPL striker Angell also is passionate and has a burning desire to do well for the Thirsty Whale-sponsored team through immense pressure from a foreign muster.

"He might just need someone alongside him to say, 'Aay, just pull the reins back a little bit — just relax'."

When son Jonathan Gould was at the helm of the team, he says, a lot more home-grown players came through the franchise pipeline.

"The philosophy of Jonathan was — and I was one of his coaches — was that we wanted to bring in the younger element of Hawke's Bay United to come all the way through.

"How many of them come through now?"

A former Coventry City and Celtic goalkeeper, Jonathan first arrived in Napier in the summer of 1986-87 to coach Bay United in what is now the now ISPS Handa Premiership.

"People don't know the story but he [Jonathan] came out with a lad called Brian McAllister and a trip like that overseas I'm sure helped him in his career-playing days and he's now a goalkeeping coach at West Bromwich Albion," Gould snr says of his son, who was Phoenix goalkeeping coach during Ernie Merrick's reign.

McAllister is a former Wimbledon and Scottish international defender who helped the Napier City Rovers Club clinch the former national league crown in 1989.

Gould says Bay United captain/co-assistant coach Bill Robertson has been an outstanding success no matter where he has been.

Robertson, who became a father this year, returned to the Bay franchise after a stellar stint as captain and assistant coach with Team Wellington, including claiming back-to-back premiership crowns.

"He's been superb — his approach to the game, as an individual. Perhaps when he finishes playing he'll understand what he wants wherever he goes to work so he's been a fine example," says Gould.