Coaches Corner | Dale Quartey

Dale is coach of the AA??

How did you get into coaching football?
I would like to say something profound but the honest answer is our coach was leaving and the boys asked me to do it. I had filled in the previous season when he was away and really enjoyed so thought why not.

What has the focus for your team been during the first few weeks of the season?
Our focus has been about fitness and getting to know each other. I am a strong believer that being mentally and physically strong will see you over the line in tough situations. This strength coupled with having a great team ethic are very important to me.

How many seasons have you been with the club?
This is my 4th season at Dunbar.

What excites you the most about Season 2015?
Having a whole bunch of new players and moulding them into a team. But equally, a lot of other clubs out there are gunning for Dunbar. They think we will be weaker and too stretched as we now also have representation in State League. But as a club I want to show them that this is the evolution of a great club to the next level.

What do you or would you want your players to say about you?
I want them to say at the end of the season, regardless of us wining trophies or not, that they have had a fun season and have made some mates for life!

Any standout coaches in your life who helped shape you?
I have played/captained/coached in a number of different sports so some of the coaches that I look at may be a bit of a surprise.

Sir Clive Woodward for what he did with the England Rugby World Cup winning team was unreal. Two years earlier, people were saying that he was a terrible coach and look what he did. Not just with England but also his part in the British Olympic team in 2012.

Sir Ian McGeechan/Shaun Edwards – again from the world of rugby. If you look at their records with the British and Irish Lions, Wales and Wasps, you will see some true leaders at work. These three men were meticulous in their preparation and this is something that I look to follow today.
Finally from football, Steve Coppell from his days with Crystal Palace in the late 80’s and early 90’s. I was also in Thailand last year with State League Coach, Will Cullen, and just listening to some of the stuff that he had to say was a real eye opener. He’s someone who had seen the game from so many different angles.