Dwight Yorke exclusive: Former Man United star on taking his first job in management

Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke, has been appointed the new coach of Australian A-League side Macarthur FC, based near Sydney. Yorke, 50, who also had a spell playing in Australia, will be leaving his home in Dubai after signing a two-year deal for his first job in management. The National spoke to the former Trinidad and Tobago international.

Playing is the best part of football, being a manager can be the second best part. That’s if I can transfer what I've learnt and get players to understand the application and dedication they need to get to the top.

I didn’t just decide to be a manager either, I’ve always been interested. It’s not my fault the opportunities haven’t been there. That makes me even more determined. I’m driven by the thought of failure, but this is a good opportunity.

Dwight Yorke playing golf at the Dubai Creek Club.

People close to me think I’m crazy to leave this and go into a pressure scenario as a manager, where you have to deliver despite not having full control. You have to rely on others, on instinct and knowledge. As a player you can inflict that on others directly and get a result.

But there’s a burning desire and I'm very passionate to do this. I probably don't express that enough to people and I think people saw me as that fun guy who played the game who got to the very top and was successful, but they don't see the other side of my work ethic and what I can bring to a team.

I’ve always been a person within a dressing room that moulds a team together. I don’t take all the credit for any success, but if you followed my journey as a player I have been relatively successful everywhere – including in Australia. I feel that I bring a calming influence as well as an experienced head