Diarmuid O’Carroll hopes to follow in the footsteps of his coaching hero Tommy Burns.
As a teenager O’Carroll worked under Burns while at the Celtic youth academy and says he regularly asks him what the Hoops hero would do in tough situations as he works with the ‘Well youth.
He said: “I came through the Celtic system from 16 to 21, so Tommy Burns is the person I look up to in everything I do and I try to replicate him.
“I had fantastic coaches with Willie McStay, Kenny McDowall, guys who have gone on and done fantastic.
“You try to be the person you needed when you were a 16-year-old or a 17-year-old.
“You want to pass on the message. As good as these players are, sometimes there is a message they don’t understand or it could have been harsher than it is now.
“Some people need a rocket, but some people need and arm around the shoulder.
“That’s the thing with this role. I want to get to know everyone and build confidence in the individual player.”
The 32-year-old went on: “I joke with people, but I always think what would Tommy do in this situation.
“How would he approach it. He had a blend of humour and did everything with a smile, but he could hammer you as well if he needed to. He picked the right moment, but you knew he was there for your benefit and the benefit of the club.
“If I could emulate the success he had as a coach I would be doing okay.”
