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June 2005

It’s great to be home and see family and friends it is never quite long enough when you come for a few weeks in between assignments and there is a bit of work to be done in letting people know your back and looking for the next challenge.
My timing was good as the season here in England was coming to an end and hopefully there would be a few positions available. Naturally after arriving back I set about getting myself to a couple of games and Millwall was my first stop, I have a soft spot for them and always try and get to see them when I am in the country and on this particular day a home game against Burnley a dour 0-0 game. I was in the board room after the game chatting with the new Chairman Jeff Bernige when we heard the news that Dennis Wise had decided to step down. It was then that I decided to apply and had an informal chat re the now vacant position, I was as usual optimistic; the response form the Millwall fans to my application was fantastic and much appreciated.

I had planned a trip to Greece as a result of a great deal of interest from several clubs and members of the football fraternity there and decided to go over and see for myself about the possibilities of Greece being the next stop in my career. Firstly I will say the hospitality and warmth I received was incredible people who I had never met met were so kind and helpful that they made you feel so welcome, in all I spent about 8 days there and as I said met some lovely people and made a few good friends as well. There has been interest from two clubs both in the second division and only time will tell if it becomes more serious in terms of taking up a post there. I did manage to see two games while I was there both involving Olympiakos one of which was in the Greek Cup Final where Olympiakos ran out 3-0 winners in a very one sided game. The atmosphere there was incredible and they really get behind the team in more ways then one.
During the time I was in Greece Dunfermline Athletic of the Scottish Premier league had expressed an interest in talking to me and you can imagine my surprise after being in Greece for two days they had asked me to cut short my stay and fly into Edingbrough to meet the chairman and in his words come and meet the players and all the coaching staff as we would like you to see the set up and tell us if you could work here! A day later the plans had changed as not all the Directors were able to be there on the Thursday so I returned as scheduled and was then told that after a meeting with the financial people there was no budget to bring in a new manager and that was that! A great disappointment but it is a good sign that clubs in Britain are starting to see that I have a great deal to offer and it is only a matter of time before I get my break .

There are still a few things in the pipeline and I have a couple of interviews coming up later this month so am still hopeful of getting a position before the new season starts though not sure where ! I will also be off to do a three day course in my capacity as coach educator and get myself up to date in that field and am scheduled to direct a course for FIFA in August so will try and keep myself busy and prepared for what ever comes my way.

On a personal note Lucy is doing ok and not long to go before the new arrival is with us and the sleepless nights are upon us. I hope you all have a good summer and are ready for the new season which is just around the corner until next month all the very best.

Stephen