The former Bermuda forward joined Evo-Stik League Northern Premier side New Mills as assistant manager this summer and is preparing his troops for Saturday’s visit to Armthorpe Welfare in the Preliminary Round of the Cup.
Despite plying his trade at the top end of the game in this country during his playing days, the 45-year-old had no qualms at starting his coaching career at non-league level.
Armthorpe Wells v New Mills
The Emirates FA Cup
Preliminary Round
3pm, Saturday 29 August 2015
Church Street, Armthorpe, Doncaster
Winners receive £1,925 from prize fund
“When you have a hunger and desire to be coaching and you have a chance to pass on your knowledge, this was an opportunity I was excited about,” Goater told TheFA.com.
“I’ve been involved in a bit of coaching with Doncaster last season, and I’ve been doing radio commentary for City’s home games, but the desire to get on the field with a squad was overwhelming and I just wanted to get out there.
“I had seen the manager at a couple of games at Stalybridge when I had been to watch them, and when he had the chance to come here he invited me along and I just thought, ‘Yeah, why not.’ I’m really excited for it.”
Back in his playing days for City, Goater’s ungainly style provided some light on a dark period for the club after their relegation to the third tier.
His goals helped them to back-to-back promotions to the Premier League, earning him a spot in the heart of the club’s fans forever.
Shaun Goater celebrates a goal for Manchester City
But despite all his glorious moments achieved in Manchester, there is still one goal Goater wants to achieve.
“I have never really had any great success in The FA Cup, but why can’t that moment come this season?”
“The great thing about the magic of the cup is you see non-league teams having runs all the time – and that will be words we will be passing on to the players, ‘Why can’t that be us?”
“The competition is great too with the financial rewards it offers the club.”
So what sort of style can we expect New Mills to be playing when they take the field on Saturday? Goater explains: “It has to be with a tempo – my preference is to get the ball on the ground and move it about with a good pace. I want to see players interchanging and taking responsibility to fill the gaps and roles when a player leaves a position.
Shaun Goater with New Mills boss Andy Fearn
“Also, the team must earn the right to play, certainly at this level. First of all teams will have players who are 6ft 2in and will test you physically, so you have to earn that right to play first and then have the confidence to get it down and play.”
He added: “The club were fortunate last season that they survived in the league, and I’m sure the chairman and the board would see it as a success if we could finish sixth or seventh bottom – but I certainly haven’t come here to be finishing at that sort of level.
“I’m at the stage where I’m still figuring out the players as I came only a week before the season, as is the manager who arrived two weeks before. But I’m excited, we are four games in now and I’m starting to understand them.”
