Barry Robson has revealed he sought inspiration away from football to prepare for his welcome return to the game as Raith Rovers manager.
The new Stark’s Park boss was this week announced as successor to Neill Collins to end 11 months out of work following January’s sacking by Aberdeen.
The 46-year-old used his downtime to reflect on what went right and wrong from his 12-month spell in charge at Pittodrie.
And he is thrilled to have been offered the chance of a return to the dugout at a club he insists ‘felt right’.
“It’s good to be back on the training pitch – it’s been a wee while,” said the former Dundee United midfielder meeting the media for the first time.
“[The break] was a bit enjoyable. It was good to sit back and restock, have a look at a few things, how we did things, how we can improve things, all that sort of thing.
“So it was good for that.
“But I’m raring to get going again – I’ve been raring to go for a while again and I’m glad that I’m going again.
“It’s brilliant to be back in, at a great club.”
‘Felt right’
Asked if he had other chances to return to work before Rovers, he added: “I’ve spoken to a few people, but this was the one that felt right.”
Having immersed himself in football for the best part of three decades, Robson satisfied his inquisitive mind when he was away from the game.
Influences came in many forms but ‘The Last Dance’, the TV series on basketball legend Michael Jordan, was a particular favourite.
“I’ve watched The Last Dance a lot,” he explained. “You can see the technical side of it [basketball], the triangles and all that.
“All that sort of thing can apply a wee bit in football. Just watching other things, reading other books, things like that.
“I love listening to podcasts. It’s one of my favourite things to do wherever I am, whether I’m walking or driving. I love learning.
“You get some great leaders in basketball, baseball, different sports. I spent a lot of time doing that as well.
“I enjoy some of the military stuff as well. Walking the dog a couple of hours a day, I would listen to these sort of things.
“So hopefully I can take some of those leadership skills from some of the high achievers in the world.”
‘An open mind’
He continued: “Even coming in here with the staff, I wanted to see what they do, what could I learn from you? How do you do this? How do you do that?
“You’ve always got to keep an open mind.
“You can’t have a closed mind. That’s when trouble starts. You’re always trying to look for that edge, something that gives you that one per cent and makes you better.
“That’s what I’m trying to do at all times, at everything I do.”
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