'It's brilliant being back in Scotland' - Falkirk assistant boss Kenny Miller reveals why he quit Australia to return to his homeland

Scotland legend Kenny Miller has revealed why he swapped an assistant coach role in Australia to return home with his family.
Kenny Miller is delighted to be back in Scotland after stint abroadKenny Miller is delighted to be back in Scotland after stint abroad
Kenny Miller is delighted to be back in Scotland after stint abroad

Falkirk assistant manager Miller, 42, who scored 18 times in 69 Scotland games between 2001 and 2013, recently left Western Sydney Wanderers and in December became Martin Rennie’s right hand man as the pair bid to get the Bairns into League 1 promotion contention.

“I was in Australia for 18 or 20 months,” Miller told the Falkirk Herald. “Once I’d gone out to Australia, Covid hit a month later. So it was a completely different picture we were looking at as a family.

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"I loved the work but it just got to a point where, with restrictions, with kids being out of school, I hadn’t seen family or friends for over a year, it was probably just best for us to start looking for something back here in Scotland.

"I’m delighted to be back . It’s been good, initially seeing people, getting about football clubs and doing a bit of work on games and things.

"And then the opportunity comes up to come into Falkirk with Martin and it’s been great, a brilliant month.

"I’m delighted to be back involved as well because I missed it for the two months I was out of it.

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“Two months out of 25 years so I was starting to get itchy feet.”

Miller – who turned out for 12 clubs including Rangers and Celtic during his playing career – encountered current Bairns gaffer Rennie for the first time a decade ago when the 46-year-old was his manager at Canadian outfit Vancouver Whitecaps.

"It was a good MLS experience there,” Miller said. “I was 18 months with Martin and then he left and moved on.

"I have known him for a long time and kept in touch over the years as well.

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"He got the Falkirk job, asked if I’d like to help and I jumped at the chance.

"Martin is very honest and decent, a good human being first and foremost. He has gone under the radar but he has been coaching a long time.

"I think his clarity of what he wants and how he wants his team to play are very good.

"It’s very clear what he wants from the players and what their roles and responsibilities are within his team.

"It’s been good for me to see that because it gives me an insight into how to work through the stages of what you want.”

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