Steven Reilly’s philosophy as a coach is practise as you preach, but he found that difficult while he was getting sent off playing for Athletic last year.

The Yoker boss said that it was hard to tell the players during team talks to be calm and collected last year as a player-manager, especially when he picked up bookings or got sent for an early bath.

And the manager said it is for the team’s benefit that he is now focused solely on the coaching aspect of the game, rather than juggling that with playing.

He said: “It’s a bit easier now as I can just concentrate on the team and the players and the training. I was having to do both last season, which I found difficult, but we were a wee bit light at the back in terms of experience so I felt I had to be signed as a player.

“Especially with the discipline factor. When I’m getting booked or sent off and then trying to tell the boys to calm down, it just doesn’t work. There were a couple of times last season, when we played Pollok in the Scottish Cup and I got sent off when we were right in the game. That was it for me, basically.

“I’m trying to tell the boys to be disciplined and get through the game and then I can’t do it so, no, I’ve hung up the boots. It’s hard to do but I’m just turning 35 in August and I feel it’s for the benefit of the team and myself to concentrate on the management side of things.”

Coaching has always been something that Reilly has looked into. After damaging his cruciate ligament at Queens Park, the tough-tackling defender first retired when he was 28 to coach the U17s side.

He added: “ I managed to get myself playing again so that put that on the back burner for a little bit.

“But that gave me a taste of what I wanted to do on the coaching side of things so I always knew I was going to go into it.

“I’ll take things a bit further, take my coaching licence in the next summer and then take it from there.”

And while his assistant Graeme George keeps telling him to play, Reilly’s taken a break from joining in with the players at pre-season.

Asked whether he would consider putting his boots on again, he said: “I’m still contemplating it but I haven’t done any pre-season so far. I actually joined in the last Saturday and I was miles behind.

“Graeme, he keeps telling me to get signed and get registered but no, if I don’t register then that means I won’t be tempted to fling myself in.

“It’s difficult because you want to play as long as you can, but I feel that this is where my future lies – in management.

“I’m not going to play any longer at a higher level given the age I’m at – at 35."