Matt McKay may be a vital member of Roar’s much-admired engine room but the 25-year-old is already looking ahead to a future in the dugout when his playing days are over.

While some players spend their spare time perfecting their managerial skills on a games console, McKay is doing it in the real world.

He is enjoying his new role as an assistant coach to the under 16s and 17s at the Queensland Academy of Sport.

He told au.fourfourtwo.com: “We’ve had one game so far and one win so that’s 100 per cent record. It’s going well.

“Seriously, it’s just great to be involved in something like this. I’m also doing my teaching degree at Uni and the two things sit well together.

“I think it can only help you to learn about the coaching side of things and give you different ways of looking at the game.

“Hopefully I’ve a long time yet as a player before I look to what’s next but this (coaching) is definitely something that I would consider if an opportunity arose.”

As to what kind of coach McKay will be, the statistics would suggest an attacking one. His first match saw his team win 4-3 so a ‘we’ll just score one more than you’ approach looks likely.

Away from his coaching duties McKay is looking forward to resuming training with Roar in the coming weeks and isn’t concerned by a lack of transfer activity at the club.

Farina, who told a Canberra audience attending a coaching seminar on Friday that he was ‘hopeful’ of securing two Brazilians for next year, has yet to unveil any big-name signings but McKay is encouraged by last year’s late flurry.

He said: “I’m sure he (Farina) will have seen things on his trip to Brazil and look at last year. It was quite late into pre-season when we signed Craig Moore and Danny Tiatto. I’m sure he’ll find the players we need.”