Kieran Shannon: When it comes to coaching kids, sometimes less is more

One of the reasons the kids want to play the sport, one of the reasons why an adult wants to stay in the sport, is being able to express themselves. Make decisions for themselves

GUIDING HAND: Evan Ferguson scored his first Premier League hat-trick at the weekend. His comments about his dad after the game went viral. Pic: Steven Paston/PA Wire

Over the weekend Evan Ferguson went viral. It wasn’t simply because he joined the Anfield icons of Owen and Fowler and the unfortunately recently deceased Chris Bart-Williams as someone who’d banged in a Premier League hat-trick while still 18 or younger. The tipping point was what he had to say about his Da.

Barry Ferguson had been among the 31,000 and more people who had in the Amex Stadium: any instructions he’d to offer his son lost in the din that Evan’s exploits had generated. Then again, had there only being tens of people at the game, you wouldn’t have heard boo or a cheer from him either, though he’s a coach now for a living. Even when Evan was back playing in the quiet fields, Barry had been quiet there too. Just being there was enough.