There's no subsitute for playing

Guy Whittingham enjoyed a meteoritic rise in the professional ranks after he left the army to join Portsmouth in 1989. During his spell at Pompey, he scored 88 goals in 160 appearances and in the 1992-93 season he netted a club record 46 league goals, 48 in all competitions, earning himself the nickname of 'Corporal Punishment' amongst the Fratton Park faithful. Whittingham, who also had spells at Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday, Wolves, Watford, Peterborough and Wycombe, is now a PFA regional coach in the south west and he spoke exclusively to givemefootball's Mark Shail.

HOW ARE YOU ENJOYING YOUR COACHING ROLE?
I'm enjoying it very much. Unlike playing, you don't get those feelings that come with winning or losing a game but it's still good to have a role within football. As a department we like to think that we set high standards, which are evident in our results, and we have built up a good relationship with the clubs that we deal with.

WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU OVERSEE?
The Level Two and Level Three coaching certificates for scholars, current professionals ands ex-professionals. For every league club in the LFE scheme it is now compulsory for all scholars to undertake their Level Two coaching certificate. I am operating in the south west and travel to places like Portsmouth, Aldershot, Cheltenham, Plymouth, Swansea and Bristol, so as you can imagine I spend a fair amount of time on the road.

HOW DOES COACHING COMPARE TO PLAYING?
It doesn't really compare because you don't have that same day-to-day involvement with a group of players as a manager. But one thing this job allows you to do is go to clubs and talk to players and coaches about different training methods and routines, and also their theories on things such as diet, recovery etc.

WHO WERE SOME OF COACHES WHO HAD AN INFLUENCE ON YOUR PLAYING CAREER?
At Aston Villa I learned a lot from Dave Sexton and also Brian Little when he came to the club. I probably learrned the most at Sheffield Wednesday under Peter Shreeves and David Pleat because it was there that I was transformed from a striker to a midfielder player and it made me think more about those two contrasting roles. I would also have to mention Chris Brady who was my coach for the Combined Services when I was in the army – he was the first person to give me what I would call proper, professional coaching.

WHAT WERE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF YOUR CAREER?
I would have to say that season when I scored all those goals for Portsmouth and also one or two of the European nights we had while I was at Villa. It's also nice to look back and think that I scored goals at places like Highbury, Anfield, St James’ Park and Old Trafford.

WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT NOT PLAYING?
I suppose it would be having the opportunity to play in games that mean so much to so many people – firstly yourself, then the team, the manager and the fans – that's something that you can't replicate. I still play in the odd charity match but it's not quite the same.

* Look out for more from Guy here on givemefootball as he goes on a spying mission in Portugal - and offers a few pointers.