'He had such an impact on me' - Former Crusaders ace applying lessons learned from Stephen Baxter into leadership role at International Olympic Committee
The success of Stephen Baxter’s almost two-decade reign at Crusaders can be measured in medals – four Irish Cups and three Premiership titles undoubtedly amongst the highlights – but the truth is his impact goes beyond just numbers and statistics.
After nearly 1,000 matches in charge of the North Belfast outfit, Baxter’s reign came to an end following Wednesday’s dramatic UEFA Conference League qualifying penalty shootout defeat against Caernarfon Town and he’ll now hand the reins over to Declan Caddell, who will look to build on the solid foundations his former boss has helped lay.
Hundreds of players have passed through Seaview’s changing room doors over the last 19 years as Crusaders once again became an Irish League force under Baxter and all will be able to tell their own stories of playing for one of the country’s most influential managers.
French goalkeeper Yohann Lacroix arrived at the Crues in January 2013, joining after spells in Greece and Singapore, and although he spent only two years in Northern Ireland, he has carried key lessons learned from Baxter into his current role at the International Olympic Committee.
Lacroix has enjoyed tremendous professional success since studying at the Ulster Business School and is now Senior Manager of Media Rights, playing an important part in delivering the Olympic Games, which will be staged in Paris later this month, to a worldwide audience.
His Monday mornings can often start by browsing the BBC Sport NI website to check the Irish League’s latest results and Lacroix has been following the news of Baxter’s departure closely, saying the 58-year-old helped teach him what a good leader looks like.
"Stephen Baxter had such an impact on me,” he said. "I follow the Irish League very closely and am still reading a lot about the Crues...usually on a Monday I'll watch the highlights on BBC Sport NI!
"I knew Stephen was stepping down and I've been reading a lot about it. He has had an amazing career and he was such a great, charismatic manager. He was calm, knew what to do and I learnt a lot from him as well.
"I'm a manager now in a different arena and it requires different skill sets, but his behaviours, charisma and the way he leads I took a lot from. I enjoyed working with him - I've never had the chance to tell him, but I have a lot of respect for him and he was really respectful.
"He made my experience very enjoyable when I was in Belfast. I'm looking forward to seeing what he will do next."
New manager Caddell spent his whole career playing under Baxter, making over 500 appearances across two spells after briefly coming out of retirement in 2022, and Lacroix is confident he has what it takes to succeed in the dugout.
"I'm sure Declan will have an impact on the team,” he added. “It's not an easy one for him, but I wish him all the best...he has all the qualities and I'm sure Stephen has helped him prepare.
"He will need time for sure. Following a big manager like Stephen Baxter isn't an easy task but it's a great challenge for Declan."