Byrne swops playing for coaching

ROLE REVERSAL . . . Cliff Byrne gets a helping hand from Matt Smith after the FA Cup win at Nottingham Forest.

CLIFF Byrne has made a personal sacrifice to help Athletic in its time of need.

The 30-year-old defender has stepped back from playing since chairman Simon Corney asked him to help caretaker manager Tony Philliskirk and assistant Paul Gerrard.

Philliskirk has praised the impact made behind the scenes by Dubliner 'Cliffy' — an unused substitute in the MK Dons victory last week, since the departure of Paul Dickov.

But while relishing taking a first step into a world he plans to explore after retiring, Byrne isn't ready to stop playing just yet.

"It’s a bit of a sacrifice on my part,” he said. “But everybody is doing what’s required of them. It culminated in a terrific 3-1 win on Saturday, so we want to build on that.

Byrne is halfway through work on his UEFA 'A' Licence coaching qualification, due to be completed in the summer. For now, he is relishing the task of working with the squad and gaining experience.

For this weekend, he says, Athletic have a plan — and won't make life comfortable for the Toffees.

"After the result against Liverpool, this is another huge test for us," he said.

"We are under no illusions as to how difficult it is going to be. But this is what we are in football for.

"You sit and watch the Premier League week-in, week-out, and wonder what it would be like to be up there. We get as close to it as we can again when we face Everton.”