FORMER Cherries striker Matt Tubbs is already plotting a future beyond playing football – in the unlikely surrounds of Verwood Town.

Verwood-raised Tubbs has started out on the coaching pathway and is helping Adie Arnold's side get a head start on their efforts to win an instant return to the Sydenhams Wessex Premier.

Indeed, Tubbs had an eye on making the transition into the dugout as far back as the days when he was part of the Cherries team winning promotion out of League One in 2013.

The 32-year-old, who recently signed a two-year deal with ambitious National South team Havant & Waterlooville, is on the cusp of acquiring his UEFA B coaching licence and plans to study for the UEFA A qualification next year.

And Verwood, who endured a miserable 2016-17, winning only five games as they were relegated to Wessex One, wasted no time enlisting Tubbs to help their promotion bid.

Such is boss Arnold's desire to make a flying start in August he had his troops back in for pre-season training last week.

Tubbs told the Daily Echo: "I have been through quite a few pre-seasons in my time and I have been quite intelligent with it.

"I have written down what I have done, so I would have the information in case I wanted to go down that coaching route.

"I almost have a catalogue of runs, training sessions and drills I have accumulated over the years, so I can use all of that now.

"The first thing I said to the lads at Verwood was, ‘it is not going to be easy’.

"Adie wants the players to be super-fit but the lads handled the session brilliantly, no one moaned. They were really good to me and did everything I asked them to do.

"But I don’t think they really liked me afterwards – it was a tough session!"

Tubbs, who spent time on loan with Cherries from Salisbury in 2008, joined the club permanently in 2012 following two prolific years with Crawley Town.

He scored six goals as Eddie Howe's side finished second to Doncaster Rovers to win promotion to the Championship, before temporary spells with Rotherham, Crawley and AFC Wimbledon.

More recently he has been operating in the National League with Forest Green, Woking, Sutton and Eastleigh.

The Mudeford-based forward is now discovering all about the extra demands on the other side of the playing and coaching divide.

"It is so different to being a player," said Tubbs, who is also poised for a coaching role at Brockenhurst College, where Weymouth head coach Tom Prodomo is employed.

"You have to be there early to set up, pick up all the cones afterwards, make sure everything is planned in detail and that you get your timings right.

"You have to start somewhere and I am thankful to Adie for giving me the opportunity to work with him. And if comes off with Tom at Brockenhurst as well, it will all be a brilliant learning curve for me.

"I know football will not last forever and I need to set myself up with the best possible opportunities for when my career is over.

"Doing my badges now means that when I do come to retire I will be organised and in a good place."

Tubbs's move to Havant & Waterlooville sees him come back under the charge of Lee Bradbury, the manager who took him to Cherries five years ago.

"I have always wanted to play football," continued Tubbs. "The chance to work with Lee Bradbury again made it a simple decision to move there.

"It is a club moving in the right direction. They have just been promoted and, you see it all the time, that tends to build momentum into the following season.

"I am looking forward to getting started."