Liam Manning admits there are no immediate plans for Andy King to take on a coaching role at Bristol City as the veteran midfielder made his final career appearance having announced his retirement 24 hours earlier.
King was introduced for the final stages of City’s 4-0 defeat at Stoke, bringing the curtain down on a 17-year career which has seen him make 477 professional club appearances, earn 50 caps for Wales, and lift the Premier League title with Leicester City, along with the Championship and League One crowns.
The 35-year-old has been working towards his post-playing career for some time and has been a quasi-coach during his final two seasons at Ashton Gate, with Manning’s predecessor Nigel Pearson once branding him a “future Bristol City manager”.
Naturally, when he hangs up his boots, there have been hints that he might become a member of the BS3 coaching staff in some capacity, either at the academy or first team level. However, Manning has stated that King has not yet decided what his next moves in the game are.
“Not right now, as things stand,” Manning remarked. “I believe he will take a vacation and a break. He has been pursuing his coaching badges and will assess the situation.” Nothing is there right now, but you never rule out the possibility of him coming back to the club in the future.
The 1,875 travelling supporters, who had earlier been screaming “we want Andy King,” showered King with acclaim when he stepped onto the field, and many stayed on to wish him well after the final whistle.
With members of his immediate family also in attendance at the Bet365 Stadium, King appeared obviously distraught as he blew kisses to fans and cried.
Despite being signed by Pearson in 2021, King has continued to be a significant player under Manning, making use of his voice and expertise in the locker room because he is a well-liked member of the club.
Terrific, Manning described King as. “Kingy and I get along well. His career has been amazing when you consider all that he has accomplished. It would have been a pleasure to collaborate with him at his peak years.
“Even now, when you watch him up close in training, you can see his quality, alertness, intellect, feel for the ball, and running timing. He has so many remarkable qualities, which is how he was able to do what he did.
“His minutes aren’t particularly high, but when you consider how many players have developed and what he brings culturally, as well as how I’ve used him, he’s been a huge voice in the changing room.” He’s all in, and his post-game speech was excellent. He’s been amazing, and I want the best for him in his future professional endeavours.
“Although the crowd and fans were amazing, we’re saddened that we weren’t able to send him off with a great performance and a win. Hopefully, he will remember the reception he received at the end of the game, as it was a very memorable occasion for him.”
