\n<\/p>\n
With blonde locks Iggy Pop would be proud of, MacPhee stands out when he rises from the dugout to choreograph a set-piece situation.<\/p>\n
His appearance was perhaps a reason why he was the subject of unfair criticism during his time in Scotland, particularly when he was Hearts caretaker manager and in the frame to take the full-time position in 2019.<\/p>\n
Michael O’Neill, who worked with MacPhee for six years during his time as Northern Ireland boss, feared such scrutiny and passionately defended his then assistant.<\/p>\n
“Austin brings a high level of knowledge on the opposition, a creative way to train and he’s creative in how he brings information to the players,” he said.<\/p>\n
MacPhee was a vital part of Northern Ireland’s historic Euro 2016 qualification under O’Neill. <\/p>\n
At that point, the coach was also working in Hearts’ backroom team while running a sports travel firm and a community football club.<\/p>\n
Two years before, he was scouting for Mexico at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.<\/p>\n
Clearly, this is no ordinary football career, if there is ever such a thing.<\/p>\n
A peculiar journey as a player took him from Forfar Athletic’s youth set-up to US college football with the Wilmington Seahawks, then on to Romania and finally Japan.<\/p>\n
His time as a coach has also been far from traditional, starting as manager of Cupar Hearts and guiding them to the Scottish Amateur Cup final.<\/p>\n
A year at Midtjylland – a club that has become a hotbed for set-piece experts – followed his spells in Scotland with Cowdenbeath, St Mirren and Hearts.<\/p>\n
Although MacPhee exited the Scottish domestic game, he would have a three-year stint with Steve Clarke’s national side, helping them qualify for Euro 2024.<\/p>\n
Clarke and MacPhee were involved in a pitchside argument during the finals in Germany. The head coach glossed over the incident by saying: “He’s got long blonde hair, but I’m not going to give him a cuddle.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n