Paul Green on his Doncaster Rovers job promotion, academy pride + 'love' for developing players

McCann gathered his players and staff at half-time with the score goalless away at his old club Peterborough. In truth, it was a pretty lifeless affair. Bog standard end-of-season fodder, some may say. But a tactical tweak led by Green - filling in at the time after Barry Richardson's departure - had a big impact. Rovers would go on to win 3-1 with the change in approach contributing to a famous, Billy Sharp-inspired victory against the Posh.

"I was up in the gantry and when you're up there, you probably see a little bit more," Green tells the Free Press, after passing his audition to be named a permanent member of McCann's coaching staff.

"When you're further up, you can see the full picture and I just touched on that when we were out of possession that's maybe when we needed to press. I felt like we could be a bit more aggressive.

"The gaffer spoke to me and just asked if I'd deliver it to the team. So, the trust element there was there straight away, which is a massive thing for me. I delivered it and I felt like it changed the game. I felt like we controlled it a little bit more because as soon as you got the press right, we won it higher up and I think we got the first goal from it. So, I was absolutely chuffed to bits for the team."

McCann recently name-checked that particular episode when asked about Green's situation. The 43-year-old has clearly caught the eye in the short time he's been working closely alongside McCann and the rest of the senior coaching staff.

It's a tight-knit group that includes assistant Cliff Byrne, fellow club legend-turned-coach James Coppinger and goalkeeping coach Kyle Letheren.

"I think the balance is really there with this staff," Green says. "I think there's different kinds of coaches there. I'd say probably me and James are a bit more energetic to drive it, and I think probably Cliff and the gaffer are a bit more stern to make sure everything's right. So, I think the balance is really there."

Green, 43, is a legend among Rovers supporters for his playing career which saw him spend seven years at the club. That coincided with their rise from the Conference all the way up to the Championship, with his last game as a Rovers players 'that' Wembley win over Leeds in 2008.

He returned to the club in 2022 after former teammate Richie Wellens brought him in as a fitness coach. However, he readily admits he wasn't particularly sold on that initial role!

"I'd done all my PT levels but personally, when I did do it, it wasn't really my passion," he grins. "When I got through the door after probably three or four months, I just felt it wasn't right for me. So then I went into the coaching side of things and I loved it. I love developing players and helping players progress. And that's a big thing for my role, even moving up (to the first team)."

Green became the head coach of Rovers' under-18s in August 2024 and is credited with improving the academy in terms of not only results - including a good run in the FA Youth Cup last year - but also getting the players in position to be in McCann's thoughts for the first team.

"When I look back at when I did take the under-18s over to where I've left it now, I feel like there's a real progression," Green adds.

"We'd not been into the second round of the FA Youth Cup for three or four years but we did it last year. We also got a number of lads their first team debuts in the EFL Trophy which is kind of a testament to the team that we've had around them to develop these players.

"We've had younger players step up as well from the under-15s coming into the under-18s and doing really well. And when they have stepped up, that's because we've got people out on loan and the second years have been out on loan at good steps. So, I felt like the progression from when I first came into it to what it's like now is chalk and cheese."

Green says having a manager like McCann, who is fully on-board with improving the academy and incorporating it into the bigger picture, was vital to his previous role. And he's now looking forward to progressing on the journey in his new position. He added; "I've been working with the 18s for the last two years, so I understand what the gaffer wants in and out of possession. So, I'm really clear that we're really aligned. If you have a look at the 18s, that's how we want to play. They want to play like the first team.

"So, when they do get the opportunities, they understand about it in and out of possession. So, as a coach, moving up to the first team now, I understand what the gaffer wants in and out of possession and the standards that he sets day in and day out.

"I know for a fact the gaffer is an ambitious coach and the team around him are all ambitious and we all want to go higher."