Kenny Miller has explained how his surprise link up with Ronny Deila came about.
It seemed an unlikely combination with Miller previously facing off against Deila's Celtic teams whilst he was at Rangers. But the former Scotland striker revealed that he was itching to get back into senior coaching - and that's why it was a no brainer too say 'yes' when Deila asked him to be his assistant in Abu Dhabi.
The pair have taken charge of Al Wahda FC, a team that Miller reckons play in an area where football is on the rise, and he wants to use his expertise to bring success to the club.
"It only feels like yesterday that I was scoring goals for Rangers against Ronny Deila when he was Celtic gaffer," the 44-year-old joked.
"But now I’m in Abu Dhabi about to start a new coaching adventure as his assistant at Al Wahda FC.
"The call came out of the blue last week but it was an opportunity I was keen to pursue – and now I can’t wait to get started.
"I’ve been out of the game for a year after leaving Huddersfield Town but I’ve always been involved, due to my media work.
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"For the last 12 months, I’ve watched loads of games every week and tried constantly to learn.
"And the truth is, I’ve been itching to get back on to the training pitch.
"That’s why this was a chance I couldn’t let pass me by. Everyone knows football is really taking off in this part of the world.
"Ronny is a winner. He’s won leagues in just about every country he’s been in like Norway, Scotland, America and Belgium.
"So I think we have a similar mentality and Al Wahda are a good fit for us."
"They’re a forward-thinking club who want to be challenging for honours every season. That was key for us in taking on this job.
"We’re excited at what lies ahead. We’ve signed for a year and we’re going to see where it takes us.
"The hard work starts now. When I came over on Thursday, I came prepared to stay and get to work.
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"We’ll take the team to Serbia for pre-season training before the UAE Pro League kicks off.
"And we’re already trying to assess what we’ve got and talking about the players we would like to attract to the club.
"I’ve enjoyed my media work but I’m a coach who wants to be out there every day working with players. And now I can’t wait to get my boots back on. "
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