Charlie Mulgrew on Celtic lessons he wants to take into management after Brighton and Southampton crash course

It was the first time in his career that Charlie Mulgrew found himself questioning the manager’s tactics. Almost a decade ago he walked out the tunnel for a game – and wasn’t happy.

Something wasn’t right and it was gnawing away at him. Mulgrew has too much respect for his former bosses to reveal the match in question. But the one word he couldn’t get out of his head was ‘Why?’. And what player has the audacity to cast doubt over his gaffer’s instructions? So he stayed quiet. His team went on to suffer a damaging loss. And from that moment onwards, Mulgrew told himself never to be silent again.

That defeat sparked something in him. It ignited a burning ambition to become a coach himself. And having retired at 37, he’s still asking questions now. That’s why he spent two days shadowing Brendan Rodgers recently at Celtic’s Lennoxtown base. It’s why he was granted access all areas by manager Russell Martin at Southampton. It’s why he jumped at the chance to analyse Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi at the Seagulls’ training ground.

And it’s why he has already pencilled in visits to Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou and Unai Emery at Aston Villa. As well as coaching badges, he has completed a course in Leadership and Emotional Intelligence. After years of challenging managers on their approach, he now wants to be one.

And it all started that day at Hampden seven years ago. In an exclusive interview with MailSport , Mulgrew said: “I remember a game when I was around 29 or 30. I went into it frustrated by the tactics deployed by the manager. We were playing against a team who were renowned for their good football. So within myself I questioned why weren’t we pressing them high up the pitch.

“That was my frustration. It’s my earliest