Soccer: Top players to wear coach's hat as well

Waikato's Che Bunce. Photo / Getty Images

Coaching is hard enough without adding the burden of being a player-coach.

It doesn't often work, particularly at elite level, as players battle with the demands of performing on the park while leading the team off it.

Kenny Dalglish did it with Liverpool in 1985-86, winning the League and Cup double.

Ruud Gullit and Dennis Wise had reasonable success with Chelsea in 1997 (FA Cup) and Millwall in 2003 (the first non-Premiership team to make the FA Cup final since 1992).

More often than not, though, it ends in disappointment.

Both Neil Emblen and Che Bunce are prepared to give it a try. After all, the NZFC is by no means the elite level.

The two are among the best players in the NZFC and both now hope they can juggle that with being head coaches of their respective teams.

Emblen, the former New Zealand Knights defender whose 16 years as a professional included time in the English Premier League with Crystal Palace, takes over from Chris Milicich at Waitakere United.

Bunce is the former All Whites defender who played professionally in England, Iceland, Ireland, Denmark and New Zealand. He has the reins at Waikato United after the departure of Dave Edmondson.

It is a reflection of the lack of quality coaches in this country - there's a lack at every level - that two clubs have turned to player-coaches.

Emblen has arguably the more difficult job. Pressure and expectations come with the territory at a club which won the 2007-08 NZFC, as well as the 2007 and 2008 O-League titles.

There is the added burden of answering to a hands-on and often dogmatic chairman.

Emblen, though, feels ready. Even at 38, he's not ready to give up playing.

He is still good enough - he was shortlisted for last season's NZFC Player of the Year and has been Waitakere's Players' Player of the Year for the past two seasons - and will carry on until he feels he doesn't deserve a place or his body doesn't allow it.

"If I was looking to stop playing, I would just be the coach. But I know I can influence a result by being on the pitch. This way I can preach standards but I have to make sure I do these things myself.

"It's not going to be easy but it's nothing that I'm fearing. It's part-time football but I want to make it as professional as I can. I would really love to establish myself as a coach and be in line for international jobs if they came up. It's getting the respect from everyone around that I'm not just a good player but a good coach as well.

"I might not play that much. I am suspended for the first two O-League games so if the two lads take their chance, I might sit on the bench or in the stands. If they don't [take their chance], I will play."

Chances are, he will play. Waitakere are significantly different to the side which won the minor premiership last season as Danny Hay, Jonathan Perry (both retired), Jeff Campbell, Chris Bale and Daniel Koprivcic have left.

Emblen had hoped to continue as Milicich's assistant but couldn't resist an approach when the club indicated Milicich wouldn't be returning.

"I want to develop young players," says Emblen, head of Waitakere's youth development for the past two years.

"The last two years were different because we were going to the Club World Cup and we wanted to win everything. We still do but it's important we develop young players."

Emblen will have former Knights defender Darren Bazeley and Waitakere academy coach Carl Jorgensen working his corner.

Bunce has greater experience at his disposal. Former Knights assistant Kevin O'Leary is his No 2 and Allan Jones, who won three NZFC titles with Auckland City, is his mentor.

They are smart acquisitions and O'Leary will play a major role on game days so Bunce can concentrate on being a player. Jones will take sessions when needed.

Already Waikato look a well-organised side - they comfortably beat Waitakere 3-1 in a pre-season game last weekend - and Bunce won't have the lofty expectations Emblen will face.

"I have had an interest coaching for a few years," says Bunce, who earned his international coaching licence as a development officer for New Zealand Football. "It has been a matter of waiting my turn.

"I have been all around the world and had good coaches and bad. I have often kept notes in my head or written down what's worked and what hasn't. Later in my career, I thought I could handle being a coach.

"It's too early to say [how much of a future I have in coaching]. We will see how it goes. I need to find out how good I am. This will be a test.

"I haven't got the player and financial resources like the Auckland clubs - most of the clubs - but my goals are very simple and that's to make the top four [playoffs]."

Two-thirds of Bunce's side are local players, the rest are from Auckland. They include Dan Peat, Michael Gwyther, Shaun Van Rooyen and Mikael Munday.

Bunce has a full-time job as a sales representative for Coca Cola and spends virtually every waking moment outside of this planning and plotting.

He says he has an understanding wife. For now.