sstackho Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Sport RICHARD EYES CANADA HIGH By PHIL GORDON 721 words 12 March 2011 The Sun THESUN 1 76 English © 2011 Times Newspapers Ltd. All rights reserved RICHARD HASTINGS may have swapped Scotland for Canada, but he's taken a little bit of Inverness with him. The former Caley Thistle star has just hung up his boots to open his own football academy in British Columbia. And he's imported a unique coaching method created by an Inverness man and used by Caley Thistle's youth teams to launch his The Other Foot Soccer School. But Hastings, who famously helped Caley knock Celtic out of the Scottish Cup at Parkhead in 2000 then made himself a national hero weeks later with the spectacular goal that slayed mighty Mexico during Canada's only-ever tournament win, admits his thoughts — and eyes — will be on Inverness tomorrow. Celebrity The man who spent 12 years of his career in two spells at the Caledonian Stadium will be getting up bright and early in his new home of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island to try and catch live coverage of Caley's Scottish Cup quarter-final showdown with Celtic. He said: "There is a pub in the town that shows Sky games so maybe I can persuade them to let me watch it there, even though it will be 7.30 in the morning." Hastings, 33, has already become something of a local celebrity since settling in the resort town of Nanaimo after winning 59 caps for Canada and opening up his football academy. He headed there with wife Rebecca, sixyear-old daughter Sienna and sons Cruz, 5, and Rio, 2, to open his academy after being released by Hamilton last summer. The Other Foot, endorsed by Aberdeen boss Craig Brown, concentrates on improving the player's weaker foot, with boys wearing one yellow sock on their good leg, while they can earn different coloured ones, just like karate belts, the stronger the other one becomes. Hastings said: "I read about it when I was in Inverness, so I sat down with the guy who created it, Ian McArthur, and saw it in action with the younger age groups at the Caley Thistle academy. "It was amazing to see what the kids could do after the work on their weaker foot and I felt there was also a business opportunity, so I opened an academy in Nanaimo. "My daughter Sienna and son Cruz both play football and I think there's a real market because Canadians are really into sport, even if the raw material in the early stages with youngsters might not be as good as Scotland." Celtic — and the Scottish Cup — feature prominently in Hastings' football memories of his highs and lows in Inverness. Epic He still smiles at the epic night when Caley went ballistic at Parkhead 11 years ago and humiliated John Barnes' team and cost the former Liverpool hero his job. But he was playing for Graz in Austria when they repeated the feat against Martin O'Neill's Hoops in March 2003 in the quarter-finals. And when he returned to Caley he was on the end of a Celtic knockout blow in 2007, when two late goals from Steven Pressley and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink won the tie for Celtic. Hastings added: "The night at Parkhead was the best moment of my club career. When it's not expected — and we were a First Division team then — it means even more. "February 2000 was a great month for me. I went off to the Gold Cup with Canada and scored the extra-time winner against Mexico in the quarter-finals. "They were ranked 10th in the world and we were 87th. I still get goosebumps about that. And we went on to win the trophy, which is our only honour. "But I remember losing that other quarterfinal to Celtic in Inverness four years ago. "We thought we were on our way to another piece of history, then they got two late goals, but you can never count a side like Celtic out. "I think games with Celtic bring the best out of Caley. Celtic don't really like going up to Inverness and I hope that's the case on Sunday." Free kick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soccerpro Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I don't think one can underestimate the importance of these academies in Canada for future development. It seems there are quality academies popping up all over this county. If they can help develop players in the same manner as academies like Roman Tulis', then it will provide a massive boost to the game in Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SthMelbRed Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I have a lot of family in Nanaimo and have spent a lot of time there. I've never heard it being referred to as a 'resort town,' though. I always thought of it as a sawmill town. (apologies for the non-football tangent) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youllneverwalkalone Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 ^I thought that was funny too. The British call Blackpool a resort town, so I guess it makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Good article and yes, Nanaimo is a resort town in the same way that Abbotsford is a nice quiet place to raise teenage boys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 Looks like Hastings was appointed head of the Ross County FC Youth Academy Programme this past June : http://www.rosscountyfootballclub.co.uk/academy/academy-team/ David C., jpg75, deschamp86 and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gator Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 Legend! nolando 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 If you’re only going to score one goal in over a decade of international football, make it the biggest goal in the history of the men’s team. Kent, romurra, gator and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordan Posted September 5, 2021 Share Posted September 5, 2021 Now the manager of Inverurie Loco Works FC . Presently 3rd in the Highland league. https://sportcareersagency.com/news/richard-hastings:-driving-inverurie-loco-works-fc--04-09-2021 Unnamed Trialist, johnyb and narduch 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie_the_parrot Posted September 5, 2021 Share Posted September 5, 2021 ^^^although that says professional management this a small club from a town of 15,000 or so that attracts around 300 or so fans to their home games on a good day so this is almost certainly a semi-professional post expected to be carried out alongside a 9 to 5 regular job. Having pointed that out hope it goes well for him. Buchta and SoccMan 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longlugan Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 On 9/5/2021 at 10:25 AM, Ozzie_the_parrot said: ^^^although that says professional management this a small club from a town of 15,000 or so that attracts around 300 or so fans to their home games on a good day so this is almost certainly a semi-professional post expected to be carried out alongside a 9 to 5 regular job. Having pointed that out hope it goes well for him. Why would you even point that out? Do you enjoy belittling everyone...or just those not involved in the MLS? Your priorities seem to be out of whack...again. johnyb, Buchta, Onelessstar and 2 others 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolando Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 On 9/5/2021 at 6:44 AM, jordan said: Now the manager of Inverurie Loco Works FC . Presently 3rd in the Highland league. https://sportcareersagency.com/news/richard-hastings:-driving-inverurie-loco-works-fc--04-09-2021 The best quote is clearly... Earned 59 caps for his country and played the night of Super Caley Go Ballistic Celtic Are Atrocious jordan, Greatest Cockney Rip Off and johnyb 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie_the_parrot Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 Was sent one of the original posters The Sun had printed with that headline for display at newsagents in Scotland. Should maybe check if it is worth any money now. Unnamed Trialist and johnyb 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shorty Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 Dum diddle iddle iddle um diddle eye… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 I read it like 5 times before I got the reference. That is a pretty great headline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe MacCarthy Posted September 7, 2021 Share Posted September 7, 2021 I just got it, tres drole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie_the_parrot Posted September 8, 2021 Share Posted September 8, 2021 In case anyone isn't familiar with Mary Poppins: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordan Posted December 11, 2021 Share Posted December 11, 2021 Old Pod I found when looking for game info on his son Cruz at Ross County Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treppy2 Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 Dragging this thread back from the dead because I haven't seen this posted yet: https://canadasoccer.com/news/canada-soccer-hall-of-fame-welcomes-richard-hastings-and-carmelina-moscato/ Also, go up a few posts to see one of the best football-related headlines ever, of which Hastings was a part of. dyslexic nam 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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