You all know the stereotype of the footballer destined to become a coach. Always questioning the boss's decisions, hatching his own tactical plans and directing the game on the field.
So, as Andy Murray takes his seat on court this morning for Novak Djokovic's first-round match at the Australian Open, is the same thing happening in tennis?
Was Murray always a coach in waiting and how will his life as a player influence his second career?
Mail Sport spoke to two of the Scot's former coaches, one at the beginning and another at the end of his career.
Mark Petchey was Murray's first professional coach in 2005, overseeing his debut at Wimbledon and his first final at tour level. Jamie Delgado joined the team as an assistant coach in Murray's 2016 annus mirabilis, when he reached world No. 1. Delgado took over the top job in 2017, guiding Murray through hip surgery and his return to the tour.
“A lot of players take what their coaches tell them as a good word and just accept it. Andy wasn't like that,” says Delgado, who is here in Melbourne as coach of No. 10 seed Grigor Dimitrov. 'He always wanted to know the “why” behind things.
Andy Murray will take a seat on court for Novak Djokovic's first match on Monday
The British great has taken on the role of coach for his old rival and friend Djokovic.
Djokovic faces Nishesh Basavareddy (above) in his first match at the Australian Open
'Some players come to practice sessions or weeks, show up and do what the coach says. We would have to tell Andy in advance, explain what we wanted to work on and why. If you felt like you needed to work on your forehand or hit the ball harder, for example, I would have to give you video evidence and statistics to explain it.'
It's one thing to be so rigorous as a twenty-something Grand Slam champion, but Petchey reveals that 18-year-old Murray was no different.
“You'd like to understand the reasons for things,” says Petchey, now an expert and commentator. “He would do his own research, whether it was a racket change, a string change, a tactical or technical question.”
Murray also challenged his coaches after and, notoriously, during games. As an example, a former member of his team recently shared the following anecdote: At the start of a match, the team told Murray that his opponent had a strong preference for wide serve on break points. Murray earned his first break point of the match and, boom, the serve came straight down the tee and Murray's arms went up as he complained to his box.
Delgado recognizes that dynamic. “Andy will find him as a coach,” he says. “When you talk about trends, it's never 100 percent and, yes, there will be frustration when it doesn't work, but I like to think that most of the time we got it right.”
The Wimbledon champion was certainly a demanding employer, but both Delgado and Petchey insist they wouldn't have it any other way; that working with Murray made them better versions of themselves.
'Is the journey easier if you didn't have a player like that? Maybe, but at the highest level you want to be pushed,” says the 47-year-old. 'He challenged me, made me double-check, triple-check that the sessions we are doing are specific to what he needs. He helped me in my career as a coach.
Petchey agrees. “It's a healthy relationship with a player,” he says. 'It's a collaboration at the end of the day, a partnership. When I left Andy he was a much better coach than when I came in.
Jamie Delgado (left) shed light on how Murray always had to “know the 'why' behind things”
Mark Petchey, Murray's first professional coach, reveals the Scot has always been like this
If Murray was practiced at breaking down his coaches' arguments, then he was even more adept at tearing down his opponents on the court. That tactical mastery, which appears to have been largely innate, should translate well to training.
“He was very involved in the tactics of the game,” Delgado says. 'Naturally, I had an eye for it from an early age. Even when I practiced with a player, I always, from a strategic point of view, took a couple of things from practices.
“That's the talent of a coach, those are the qualities of a coach that you need, especially with someone like Novak, who is already a great player, but the little things can make a big difference.” “If you suggest something tactical to Novak, it may only win him three extra points in the match, but at this level that is huge.”
The day before we spoke, Delgado had gone to lunch with Murray and reports: 'He seemed to be enjoying himself, said practice had gone well, some long days.
'He was asking about Nishesh Basavareddy (Djokovic's first-round opponent) and he said he had practiced with him a couple of years ago and knew him. But he will also have been watching a lot of videos.”
So were you always clear that Murray would eventually take the short route from the court to the training box? “Yes,” Delgado says immediately. 'Whether he wanted to do it or not was another thing, but could he be a great coach? Of course.'
Petchey says: 'I always thought he would be the coach. He loves tennis too much. It's an addiction for those types of players. It has to fill the void, right? He's filling it with golf and pursuing it to perfection, but I always felt like he would go back to tennis.
“I thought it would be 18 to 24 months, but having the opportunity to work with Novak is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and he took it.”
Petchey insists that when his time with Murray ended he was a much better coach.
Double Wimbledon champion Murray's tactical mastery will translate well to training
Delgado visited Murray before the Australian Open and says he is enjoying the career change
Murray admits he has found it demanding to switch roles just four months into his retirement, and Delgado can relate.
In fact, he had a stint as a player and coach before becoming a full-time mentor to his then doubles partner, Gilles Muller, and agrees that the change is a challenge.
“I think the most important thing is that feeling that you are there for someone else,” Delgado says.
'Andy throughout his career had his team there for him, everything is geared towards him. What time he eats, practices, what time we fly, everything is best for him.
“Now that changes completely, now everything is for the best for Novak and that's a pretty big mental change.”
'I think that's the biggest challenge. In terms of actual tennis, I think he has it covered.”