Soccer

'I've learned so much more about the game as I've got older' - Linfield's Andy Waterworth

Linfield's Andy Waterworth seems to be getting better with age
Linfield's Andy Waterworth seems to be getting better with age Linfield's Andy Waterworth seems to be getting better with age

Danske Bank Irish Premiership

IT seems like Andy Waterworth has been around forever in the Irish Premiership. At 34, the Crossgar native is showing no signs of slowing down.

On Saturday, he bagged four goals in Linfield’s 6-0 wipe-out of Warrenpoint that keeps the defending champions four points ahead of nearest rivals Larne.

He imagined he’d have dipped his toe into managerial waters at this stage but he can’t pull himself away from the playing field.

He’s now scored 11 goals in 13 games and remains an essential cog at Linfield as they head to cross-city rivals Cliftonville tonight in the hope of stretching their lead at the top.

“To be honest, I’ve found the older I’ve got I feel a lot more secure in myself and I tend to make better decisions,” said Waterworth.

“I think when you get older you get wiser. I think it was Oscar Wilde who said ‘Youth is wasted on the young.’ I do believe that.

“I got by through pace and instinct for most of my career and it didn’t require a lot of reading or understanding of the game. I took everything for granted.

“If I’d understood the game more I could’ve been better and done more in the game.”

After learning his trade at local Amateur League side Kilmore Rec in the early 'Noughties', Waterworth has since gone on to win league honours with Glentoran and Linfield while also sampling the full-time game with Scottish outfit Hamilton Academicals.

A full-time IFA coach, Waterworth added: “I understand my role better. In our game on Saturday I knew I needed to stretch the game as much as possible, actually stay off-side to create enough space for other people to play.

“If I had been selfish, I would have been more involved in the build-up, so I stayed really, really high knowing that the better players in the central areas needed more space to play. I was out of the game more but the team and I got our just rewards. I just feel I understand the game more.

“I was very fortunate the goals I got at the weekend and all the accolades but I didn’t deserve that praise. You look at Kirk Miller and his crossing ability week in and week out. And Jordan Stewart is just an absolute genius.

Always keen to improve Waterworth insists there can be no such thing in Ireland as over-coaching and believes there are oceans of room for young players to improve.

“My body obviously doesn’t recover as quickly as it used to, I’m not as fast as I was and I probably carry a bit more weight. I think I’m just embracing being that wee bit older and I feel good.

“Some people think you can be over-coached. I don’t think you can be over-coached, especially in Ireland, because we don’t have that coaching framework in place..

“I went my whole life until I was 19 without being coached. Not one piece of information was I given, and there are a lot of kids here who are having to learn for themselves.

“It was probably Tiernan Lynch at Glentoran who was the first person to sit me down and look at my game. The words he said to me were: ‘Andy, you’re not judged on what you’re doing outside the box; you’re judged on what you do in the box and the amount of goals you score. You are a centre forward and you need to score more goals.’

“David Healy and Ross Oliver do that with me now at Linfield. If you’re able to watch your game back or your coaching session back and you’re able to have a discussion about it, you can learn so much from it.

“For example, there are games I watch myself back and my body language is shocking sometimes, really, really poor. So the next time in a game I’m going to look more enthusiastic. The game is the teacher.”

Waterworth will turn 35 in April but doesn’t feel retirement is anywhere close.

“I feel fantastic. I thought I may have been coaching or managing at this stage but I just can't draw myself away from playing.”

After his weekend exploits Waterworth can expect some close attention against mid-table Cliftonville tonight whose trip to Ballymena United fell victim to the weather.

“I’ve never been a great tackler and I’ve never been one for bullying central defenders,” he said.

“I grew up playing in the Amateur League and playing Gaelic football and if somebody is heavy handed with you, you feel you’re getting to them. I’d imagine after five minutes Liam Bagnall will come straight over tomorrow night and kick me! He’s from the same part of the world as I’m from. But that's part and parcel of the game that you just get used to.”