Former Northern Ireland international shot-stopper Jonny Tuffey is setting the standards at Crusaders Strikers after his appointment as the club’s new boss.

Tuffey stepped into the hot seat on a temporary basis in August last season after previous incumbent Spike Hill stepped down and guided the side to a top three finish and two cup finals.

The 35-year-old has been in top form this season for Stephen Baxter’s Crues, whom he helped propel to this season’s Irish Cup final, and he is looking to replicate that with the Strikers.

Tuffey explained: “I have been very fortunate in what I have achieved across my career and I have wanted to give back to the game.

“Staying in the game in a coaching or management capacity was always something in the back of my mind.”

Counting Coventry City, Patrick Thistle and Linfield among his former clubs, Tuffey will lean on his wife Danielle McDowell-Tuffey – a veteran of the Strikers who knows the squad inside-out, and will have a player-coach role this campaign.

Tuffey’s coaching started by working closely with Maddy Harvey-Clifford, whom he helped develop from an academy prospect into one of the league’s stars and a call-up to the Northern Ireland senior squad.

“Maddy is the best goalkeeper in this country – there is no debate on that front for me,” Tuffey continued.

“The level she has reached and what she has achieved is down to her hard work, having the right coaching is important but without that work rate and without that right attitude and application, that would not have mattered.

“It was not always easy for her but she dug in and went the extra mile to continue her improvement and that is now paying off for her.

“She has rolled up her sleeves and worked so hard – I have no doubt whatsoever that she will develop into a top goalkeeper who plays across the water and is Northern Ireland’s number one.”

The Strikers are established as one of the Danske Bank Women’s Premiership leading clubs but must compete with Belfast rivals Glentoran and Cliftonville – two squads packed with Northern Ireland international.

The Crues have no shortage of talent of their own – goalkeeper Harvey-Clifford, veteran international defender Julie Nelson and hot-shot striker Emily Wilson – and will be looking to build on last year’s top-three campaign.

“I have my own ideas and philosophy of how to play but coming in during the season, it was a case of trying to keep continuity with what we had been doing,” added Tuffey.

“Now we have had a full pre-season for me and my staff to put our ideas across to the players of how we want to setup and how we want to play.

“Glentoran and Cliftonville have squads full of senior internationals so our aim this season is to find a level of consistency that we can be competitive throughout the league campaign.

“We enjoyed two successful cup runs last season too – we really wanted to win at least one of those and we were really unfortunate in the County Antrim final.

“The aim is always to push on from the previous campaign but we need to ensure we can compete at that top level across a season.”

Tuffey’s wife Danielle has spent over two decades in the first-team squad at Seaview and will play a key role in his coaching staff this campaign.

“Nobody knows this group of girls better than Danielle which is obviously a massive help in terms of how we can get the messages across,” the shot-stopper added.

“Me and Danielle have similar ideas of how the team should be played but we do have disagreements too – which is healthy as it challenges us to find common ground and better solutions.

“The staff have all bought into what I want and the training sessions in pre-season have been excellent – the togetherness and work-rate is second to none.

“There is a real close bond in this group of players and that can help push you on when you get challenges.”

Tuffey’s first match in the dugout for the Crues in a permanent role will be next Wednesday’s Danske Bank Women’s Premiership opener against Derry City at Seaview.