Kevin MacDonald (footballer)

Kevin Duncan MacDonald ( born November 22, 1960 in Inverness ) is a former Scottish footballer and current coach. As equally combative as technically gifted central midfielder, he first made ​​a name for himself at Leicester City in English football, and moved to the mid- 1980s as a potential successor to the migrated to Italy Graeme Souness for Liverpool FC. There he won the 1986 the "Double" from the English Championship and FA Cup, but had then to fight under very injury. After the end of his playing career, he moved into coaching specialist and currently works for Aston Villa.

Sports career

Playing career

Leicester City (1980-1984)

Little pointed first to a leap into professional football back, because instead of a prominent youth academy played the young Kevin MacDonald still at the age of 19 years on a part- time basis in the small Scottish Highland League and worked in parallel in the public service. However, the talent of the rugged central midfielder spoke quickly at renowned clubs around and when the English first division side Leicester City submitted a lucrative offer, the target person did not hesitate. The physically demanding school in unterklassigen Scottish football had an impact directly and positively MacDonald was the strains in professional football grew right away so that it came shortly after his commitment before the end of 1980 with his debut inserts. On his first league start in the home stadium against FC Middlesbrough penalty he scored also scored his first goal for the club. Despite a total of 20 league games in the season 1980/81 MacDonald ended the first year with a disappointing relegation to the second division, which was corrected two years later with the re-emergence. These reached the club in the season 1981/82 the semi-finals in the FA Cup, but what MacDonald had no great influence, as coach Jock Wallace had decided to occupy the center with Andy Peake and Ian Wilson in the cup matches. When Gordon Milne then had followed Wallace in August 1982, carried this MacDonald immediately to the new team captain. Finally, as the " boss" in the midfield he made in English football with duel strength and endurance finally a good name and helped to the promotion battle in the last almost ten official matches of the 1982/83 season for the injured Larry May as a central defender from.

MacDonald confirmed in the 1983/84 season in the English top division that benefits from the previous year and because the financial -strapped club had to rely on a money saving tip, the problem is reduced quickly to the question of whether he or the coveted striker Gary Lineker are sold should. As one panelist the striker Lineker as irreplaceable in the struggle for the upcoming league, made ​​the " foxes " in November 1984 MacDonald, who also was " willing to change " pull. It was found with the reigning champions Liverpool FC zahlungskräfiger an interested party, who raised the transfer fee of £ 400,000.

Liverpool FC (1984-1989)

When Liverpool MacDonald should replace the migrated to Italy Graeme Souness. This coach Joe Fagan had set up the task, a midfield without the former key players, as viewed so difficult that he had already committed an actor same imprint with John Wark. MacDonald had as in Leicester only a little adjustment difficulties and was immediately a fixture in the team that reached the final of the European Champions Cup, received tragic a disaster of Heysel in the football history - but not he himself stood in the 0-1 defeat on the court.

In the subsequent 1985/86 season he did initially difficult under the new manager Kenny Dalglish, then worked but after the turn more and more the role of the master player. In the last five season games he stood each in the starting lineup, which also has a place in the team for the FA Cup final earned him next to winning the English Cup against local rivals Everton, which was won 3-1. Shortly after this great success, he had to endure severe sporting setback when he broke on September 20th 1986 against FC Southampton leg. The injury required two operations and a break of nearly a year. When he finally returned to the team, coach Dalglish had undertaken with Steve McMahon high-profile replacement. The way back was blocked by him and after two short Leihperioden at former club Leicester City and the Scottish Glasgow Rangers, he joined in July 1989 free transfer to Erstligakonkurrenten Coventry City.

Last stations (1989-1993)

After the first two substitutions early September 1989 MacDonald was against Chelsea for the first time as a " backup striker " for Cyrille Regis in the starting of Coventry City and was then usually found under coach John Sillett in the middle. In his second year he came under the new ( player ) coach Terry Butcher but only rarely for the course and instead he collected in March 1991 at the fourth division Cardiff City in eight league games in the midfield a little match practice. After two more years with the also active in the fourth- highest division Walsall FC, where he once again reach seven goals in 53 league games, he ended his active career and joined the coaching staff of Leicester City.

Coaching career

It was not long until MacDonald in the spotlight of the Premier League appeared. After the departure of Brian Little and before the commitment of Brian McGhee, he oversaw the professional team of Leicester City between late November and mid- December 1994 on an interim basis.

Since 2003 he works for Aston Villa and is currently coach of the reserve team. When Steve Staunton took over the Irish national team in January 2006, he appointed MacDonald to his Kotrainer. This combined henceforth the function with its persisting tasks at Aston Villa until discharge from Staunton in October 2007.

Than five days before the start of the 2010/11 season Aston Villas boss Martin O'Neill surprisingly resigned from his post, MacDonald followed him on an interim basis after time, until a Frenchman Gérard Houllier was presented as a permanent solution, a month later, and MacDonald to the " second term " returned.

Title / Awards

  • English Championship ( 1): 1986
  • English Cup ( 1): 1986
  • Charity Shield (1): 1986 ( shared )
Leicester City F.C. Coventry City F.C. Cardiff City F.C. Walsall F.C. Aston Villa F.C. 1985–86 in English football 1985–86 FA Cup Middlesbrough F.C. 1983–84 in English football 1984–85 European Cup Southampton F.C.
473749
de