Ex-Preston and Motherwell man Chris Humphrey has opened up on his life in the real world and living in the fast lane of a management.
Aged just 31, the Jamaican is in his first management gig at Gretna 2008. Given that he was still playing EFL football in 2017, Humphrey admits he didn’t expect the opportunity to come as quickly as it has.
Humphrey is the new manager of Gretna. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
He told NTOF: “When I moved to East Kilbride, I did fancy management. I didn’t expect it to be this quick, but I knew that’s what I wanted to do next.
“I was doing my coaching badges and I was doing work with the Preston academy and I thought, yeah this is for me, I’m really enjoying this. I didn’t expect it to happen this quickly but its been a quick turnaround.
“You have the stresses of being on phone calls all the time and trying to fit in family and work. We’ve coped though and I’ve really enjoyed it.”
Humphrey and his love for teaching
No longer in full-time football, Humphrey has found a passion for teaching. He’s a teaching assistant at a behavioral school in Blackpool.
Humphrey is now a teaching assistant. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/EuroFootball/Getty Images)
Obviously it brings its different challenges and demands, but it’s something Humphrey has found a love for.
He said: “I’m really enjoying it. The way I’ve been brought up means I’ve always been humble, I’ve worked before football, so it wasn’t a problem going back.
“I’ve actually found something I love doing within the school I’m at. It’s very unlikely that you leave something you love and then go into something you also love.
Former Preston and Motherwell man Humphrey is loving his job outwith football. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“I was very fortunate to land on my feet with that. For me, the different changes have been fine. It comes with its different challenges definitely, but that’s the fun of it.
“No day is the same, that’s the best part of the job. Its been brilliant.”
Humphrey could probably still teach wingers in the SPFL a thing or two about how to become a brilliant wideman for their respective clubs. It’s great to hear though that he is enjoying his life so much after bowing out of full-time football, for the time being.