WATCH: Legend Coyle on becoming Irish League's top manager and being picked up for interview with Linfield's Board in a gold Roller
EXCLUSIVE: History-making Blues and Glentoran boss guests on Cool FM Facebook Show
Last updated 11th Oct 2018
The local game’s most successful manager – the legendary Roy Coyle – reveals today (Thursday) how he simply “cannot handle defeat.”
"I was just competitive, no matter what it was,” he said.
“I even used to cheat when playing draughts with my son, just to win. It's just something in me, I don't know what it is. I just cannot handle defeat."
Coyle, now director of football at Glentoran, had an illustrious playing and management career.
He spent more than 30 years as an Irish League boss, most notably first with Linfield in 1975 and Glentoran between 1997 and 2006.
Along the way he led his teams to no fewer than 51 trophies.
The 72-year-old was speaking exclusively to Cool FM as a guest on our BetMcLean ‘Legends Special’ show – NOW available to view on our Facebook page (link below) or via podcast.
He also recalls the unforgettable moment Linfield came calling.
“I came over to do the interview – the Late John Lunn, the jeweller who collected me at the airport in a gold Rolls Royce,” he says.
“I thought that was impressive for a start – so I went to his house and met the Linfield board and as they say the rest is history.”
Coyle says the most important trophy he ever won was his first with Linfield back in the 1976/77 season.
"I've no evidence but I certainly believe that had I not won that County Antrim Shield in 76/77 there would have been rumblings in the boardroom that maybe this lad isn't the right man to take us forward. So that's the one trophy I always reflect on,” he says.
He also has advice for young managers in the game.
"I don't think you can be liked,” he said.
“You have to make decisions when you've got a squad of players you can only start with eleven. So the guys in the stands, or playing for the reserves - of course they're not happy. But if they respect your decision, that's all you can ask for."
But he warned the game could be extremely unforgiving.
"This game is all about results, and if you don't get results, you'll lose your job, simple as that,” he said.
“But I never got carried away with winning. I got more upset about losing."