Martin Paterson exclusive: The former Burnley striker on life across the pond at David Beckham's Inter Miami

The 32-year-old landed a dream role at the Major Soccer League’s newest franchise having impressed in a coaching capacity at Tampa Bay Rowdies, who are members of the USL’s second tier.

Paterson, who netted one of the most memorable goals in Burnley’s recent history when beating Reading stopper Marcus Hahnemann from distance at the Madejski Stadium, has been called upon by the club’s President to help blood the future generation for the Herons.

While one-time Uruguayan international Diego Alonso, formerly of Valencia and Atletico Madrid, takes charge of first team operations, the former Clarets striker has been assigned as the assistant boss of Inter Miami’s second string - Fort Lauderdale Club de Fútbol - which will ply its trade in USL League One.

The Northern Ireland international, who scored three times in 23 caps for his country, will work under USA Under-23s coach Jason Kreis, who scored 108 times in the MLS.

“I’m really busy, there’s a lot going on,” he said. “My role is interesting because I’m developing top end academy players and we have first team players who are also involved.

“We then have a core group of seven or eight players who are full-time with the second team.

“It’s a great role because I get exposure to three tiers of players. It’s difficult at times, but very interesting.

“It is new and they’re going to be a massive club over here, if they’re not already. Luckily I’m 32 and I’ve already had two years as an assistant manager in the USL Championship on my CV.

“I then got this role, which is great for me at my age, and now I’m looking to stamp my mark on the young players here. It’ll take time, but we’re tasked with producing players to go up into the first team.”

Paterson added: “I’m very excited and you can see how massive the club is with the stadium and the training ground, you can see where the club is heading with its professionalism and desire to become one of the best teams.

“The MLS is improving at such a rate of knots, it’s getting better and better every year and it’s going to be a real test for the football club in the MLS because it’s such a good standard now and we’re a new group.

“We’ve got new players coming together and it may take time, but the pressure is always there to get results due to the size of the football club and its ownership.

“I feel very privileged, it’s a great club and I’m sure that every man and his dog wants to be a part of it. I’m playing my part, but I’m just a spoke in the wheel.

“It’s taken a lot of hard work with the coaching, I haven’t just clicked my fingers and ended up at a massive club in a very exciting role.

“I’ve done my coaching badges. It’s a privilege, but I have done the studying and the hard yards to get to where I’m at.”

The UEFA A licence coach, who is working towards acquiring his UEFA Pro Licence badge, hasn’t struck up an unlikely friendship with the former Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year runner-up just yet.

However, Paterson does see the Champions League and six-time Premier League winner getting hands on with the day-to-day running of the club.

Beckham has been at the heart of the decision-making process since the wheels were set in motion six years ago.

“There are so many different tiers of people at the football club,” said Paterson. “It’s a massive club and we don’t have direct access to the owners. I’m sure their orders and footballing philosophies get dripped down to us, but we don’t have much contact with the owners.

“They go through all the technical directors, GMs, and they’re all the ones that I deal with. He’s one of the owners and he’s very hands on from what I can see.

“He’s always around the place, but when you’re in this industry it’s all work. You don’t have time to talk about anything other than the business in hand. I’ve seen him around, but we just get to work and do what we’re told. I’m far too busy and I’m sure he’s far too busy as well.

“There are great people in place at the football club and if I need answers they’ll tell me. It works just like any other football club really.

“It goes from the head coach down and then from the head coach upwards. It’s pretty full on at the football club at the moment so I haven’t had time to speak with any of the owners.”