I asked every Scottish club for job and was blanked by all of them says Bruce Rioch

Sep 14 2008 Scott Mcdermott

BRUCE RIOCH sat at home a desperate man. The Scotland legend was in the midst of an agonising 13-month exile from football.

He had left Torquay - his first job in management - in 1984 and didn't know where to turn next.

So he sat and wrote to every Scottish club PLEADING for a job. Any job.

All the big names got a letter, East Stirling, Alloa and Stranraer. He was clearly prepared to start again at the bottom.

But nothing came back from his adopted homeland. Instead he was forced to go to FC Seattle before Middlesbrough finally took a chance on him.

As he sits in a lounge at the Aalborg Stadion there's a wry smile on Rioch's face when he thinks back to that day 24 years ago.

Now? At 61 he's preparing for arguably his biggest challenge yet.

Trying to outmuscle Manchester United, Celtic and Villarreal in the Champions League.

After a fantastic career as a player and boss, Rioch has rarely been as excited.

But he's a changed man.

He's no longer the sergeant major type who is obsessed with the pressures of his job. Like Sir Alex Ferguson and Walter Smith, Rioch has mellowed and, in his own words, doesn't "give a f***" any more.

He's going to savour his visit to Celtic Park on Wednesday as well as Aalborg's trips to Old Trafford and El Madrigal.

But he'll never forget that long an lonely spell out of the game.

Bruce said: "When I left Torquay I applied to every club in Scotland. You name them - East Stirling, Stirling Albion, Alloa, Stranraer. I wrote to them all.

"Nothing came back and I had to go to America before Middlesbrough came in for me.

"I was offered the chance to go for a job in Scotland a year ago but they didn't have enough resources.

"You miss it when you're out. It's an adrenalin buzz and it's great to work with players.

"I've got better at it because with age you get calmer and less aggressive. I've only had two jobs since 1963 - player and coach. But I feel better equipped now to go into a big job like Arsenal than I did when I went there in 1995.

"It still appeals to me. That's where the competition really is - at the top end. But it doesn't bother mewhether it's a big Championship club, a Scottish club or if I need to go to Spain or France."

Rioch isn't as intimidating as he was when he wore a Scottish jersey with distinction in the 1970s.

But the Aalborg boss - who returned to Denmark in June after leaving Odense 15 months earlier - still has presence.

That's why you wouldn't rule out his unfancied side against the likes of Celtic and United.

But when the draw was made? He was like a hyperactive kid dying to get out for playtime and couldn't wait to lock horns with Sir Alex and Gordon Strachan.

Bruce said: "One of the groups was looking great with Real Madrid and Juventus then I saw Celtic and Manchester United together.

"I was thinking: 'This can't happen - we can't be that lucky.' "So it was brilliant. When I went to pick up our coach the next day he said we shouldn't talk about the draw with the players. But I told him: 'You must be f***ing joking!' "It's pretty unique to have three Scottish managers in one group.

We're insufferable, aren't we?

"Celtic are a massively great club. At Odense I took a cutting out of a magazine where Berti Auld was talking about Jock Stein.

"I pinned it up on the dressing room wall and the players loved it.

It said: 'We come in and the boss makes us work from Monday to Friday - then on Saturday he gives us the day off to play football.

"That was absolutely brilliant as it put football into perspective.

"If Celtic had Premiership TV money imagine how big they would be. They would be awesome.

"I went to Parkhead with Arsenal in 1995 to open their new stand. So I've been there but my players haven't. The same goes for Old Trafford.

"It's going to be incredible for them, a lifetime's dream. Just five months ago I wouldn't have thought this would happen for me as well."

Rioch admits he's not the same manager he was in the 90s at Millwall, Bolton, Arsenal and Norwich. The loss of a mother and brother has given him a new outlook on life and son Gregor can testify how much he has changed.

Bruce said: "Gregor was a manager with Koge, a small Danish club, and phoned with a problem.

"A keeper wrote something about him whichwas totally untrue but made the papers. So he rang me at Odense and asked: 'How do I deal with this?' "I told him I would call the lad in, sit him down, get a big pot of tea and talk.

"Gregor said: 'F***'s sake Dad, what would you have done at 40?'

"I said: 'Yeah, you're right.' So a week later he phoned me after solving the problem. Gregor sold the guy to Tromso - right up beside the North Pole!

"Sowe do change. I can be firm but I'm a different manager. I'm better and wiser."

In fact, the only thing Rioch is worried about in Europe is getting his family tickets.

He said: "I need a few favours from Gordon and Sir Alex.

"But I can't help them when they come here - our ground only holds 11,000.

"Gregor has already booked his train and hotel in Glasgow.

"He lives in Manchester so he can drive up the road to Old Trafford and he has booked a flight to Villarreal too.

"My other son Bruce will get tickets too. But we don't have enough to go round.

"My grandkids are ecstatic because they are United fans.

" Just four months ago I bought a house and was about to move to the West Country.

"Now I'm in the Champions League so it's incredible."