Gary Dicker believes he has called time on his playing career at the right moment, after it was confirmed that he has taken up the role of joint-coach of Albion under-18s.
“You don’t get opportunities that come up like this very often,” the 35-year-old said. “I had a conversation with [academy manager] John Morling in December and I had to make a hard choice. I was loving what I was doing with the under-23s, but I couldn’t turn down the role I am now doing, especially having not been back at the club too long.
“I was delighted to accept. It’s been a good transition, a lot of footballers talk about going from a player to a coach as a scary one but for me it wasn’t. The role I was in previously with in the under-23s [as over-age player-coach] allowed me to wind down from playing and I got used to not having to have the mindset of a player every day.
“Physically I feel fine, mentally I knew I was ready to make the change. I have known for a long time that I wanted to move into coaching after I finished playing, so I was ready for it. To be at a club like this early in my coaching career is a great thing. It’s ahead of where I expected to be at this point.”
The former midfielder is certain he has chosen the right club to begin his new chapter in the game.
“It's the most forward thinking and successful club off the pitch in terms of progressing players through the academy, as well as the progression staff make. I can’t speak highly enough of the people I have worked with so far across the academy and the first team.
“There’s no ‘us and them’ between the first team side and the academy, which you do get at football clubs. It’s inclusive. The opportunities that the under-23s get with the first team show it’s a club that gives people a chance, but you’ve got to be good enough as well. There’s so much to learn and top people to learn from.”
Dicker announced his retirement earlier this week but hasn’t had any calls to convince him to return to playing.
“I had a few calls in the summer before it was confirmed I was coming back here, but nobody has called me this week! I’ve got used to being a coach rather than a player. My two girls don’t have any interest in football so they don’t care what I do.
“I now get different types of phone calls from when I was a player. Over the next few years I will get used to it, but the hardest thing is probably not being classed as a footballer anymore, it’s all you’ve been in your career. It will feel strange for my family back in Ireland as they won’t be coming over to watch me play anymore, but maybe they will come to watch me take a game.”
The former midfielder calls time on a career that saw him turn out for likes of Stockport County and Kilmarnock, as well as enjoying two spells with Albion.
His first came on loan to Albion in March 2009, which was turned into a permanent deal the following summer.
He would play in every league match as Albion were promoted to the Championship in 2011, before departing for Rochdale in 2013.