Gordon Strachan might retire from football management when his current contract with Coventry City ends because he would rather be a coach.

The Sky Blues boss has admitted he doesn’t really enjoy the day-to-day pressures of football management in an interview with a newspaper in Hong Kong.

And when his five-year contract ends he said he would consider walking away from the world of management to concentrate on his real love of coaching youngsters.

He said his immediate aim with City is to guide them to a UEFA cup spot – an achievement that went astray last season because of the poor away form.

Strachan, who is in Hong Kong to play in a sevens tournament that also included former boss Phil Neal, said it was almost impossible to relax at the helm of a Premier League club.

He said:

"It never gets away from you. You have to work all the time.

“Tonight, I have to get to work at midnight to check on things. I have to speak to the club chairman, players and people.

“The idea of coming to Hong Kong was to get away from it, but you really can't because there is so much to do.”

He added:

“I would much rather be coaching because that's what I really like to do. I don't like being a manager.

“For 16 years I have learnt from people and I want to give something back. I'm not doing what I really like doing, but ironically, I have signed a new five-year contract with Coventry.

“Do I miss playing football? No, I don't. I do play with the older men and with kids. I still enjoy football but I don't get paid for that anymore."'

He said improving the away record was a top priority:

"We didn't have one single away win last season. If we had won three games, we would have finished in the top seven. But it wasn't to be.

“Its like playing golf when you're putting. The balls were lipping the holes all the time. We didn't really trust ourselves and we need more confidence in the future.

"Outside of that Coventry had the best home record after Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea.

"Attendances are up 40 per cent from the season before. We are going to have a new stadium in 18 months and the youth system is working.''

"Right now, my goal for next season is to try to get Coventry to Europe. If we get all our players fit, we can do it. We can be challenging for a UEFA Cup spot."

What will Strachan do once he finishes his contract with Coventry? He told his interviewer:

"I'll probably retire and just coach youngsters all over the world. I'm going to enjoy myself for a change."
   

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