Irish Managers

[Bluebeard]

And of the 20 Premiership managers:

6 England
3 Scotland, Italy
2 Ireland, Spain
1 Norn Iron, Israel, France, Wales

Of those, the managers who have won major trophies in England (League, FA Cup, League Cup) are from:
Scotland (Fergusson), France (Wenger), Spain (Benitez. No really!), Norn Iron (O'Neill), England ('Arry)

[Charlie Darwin]

How about figuring out how Scottish & Norn Irish managers seem to be so unusually successful?
Scottish I'll give you, but Northern Irish? Martin O'Neill is the only top manager from that country.

[elroy]

Sean O'Driscoll apparently interviewing for the Burnley job!!

favourite with the bookies now apparently

[twoenz]

favourite with the bookies now apparently

He's up against Brian Laws, which isn't stellar competition.

Described as "one of the most forward thinking coaches" in the league.

[Qwerty]

Scottish I'll give you, but Northern Irish? Martin O'Neill is the only top manager from that country.

True but NI have produced quite a few OK managers in recent times who have managed in PL or CL - Danny Wilson, Sammy McIlroy, Nigel Worthington, Lawrie Sanchez, Ian Dowie, Brendan Rodgers, Jim Magilton.

[Deckydee]

Good article - It suits this thread:

http://www.irishecho.com/newspaper/story.cfm?id=20071

Beyond Trapattoni, some talent lurks

Over the past few weeks there have been persistent newspaper reports that Giovanni Trapattoni was going to be lured away from the Ireland job by the Turks. The Italian denied any interest and, in any case, the Turks would have to seriously improve their pay scale to snap up the Irish boss.
As recently as 2008, the previous incumbent, Fatih Terim, was drawing down an annual salary of just over €600,000. That would be much, much less than Trapattoni got for guiding Ireland to the world Cup play-offs and the handball debacle heard, and seen, around the world.

The funny thing is that had Trapattoni walked, the FAI would never have had a better field of candidates from which to choose his replacement.

This much was hammered home again by recent events in England. When Gary Megson was dismissed by Bolton Wanderers, Owen Coyle was immediately identified as the most obvious replacement given his history at the club as a player, and his stature as one of the brightest managers out there.

Whatever happens from this point on, Coyle will always be remembered as the man who guided Burnley to the Premiership while playing an attractive brand of football. Some feat that.

That Coyle should be on any future list of potential Ireland managers goes without saying. He may only have had the briefest flirtation with international football, coming on as a sub for Jack Charlton's side in a 1994 friendly against Holland in Tilburg, but he's more Irish than many who have worn the green shirt over the years.

He grew up in a part of the Glasgow Gorbals that was so populated by expatriates from across the water that it was known affectionately as "Little Donegal." It's a brave man who would question the Irish credentials of somebody from that neighborhood.

From an Irish point of view, Burnley's subsequent casting around for a replacement for Coyle also highlighted the burgeoning claims of another Irish manager, Sean O'Driscoll. Yet one more without much of an international playing pedigree, three caps during the Eoin Hand era of the early eighties, O'Driscoll has slowly carved out a reputation as one of the best managers in the lower divisions and, but for an issue with compensation (shades of Pat Fenlon), would now be in the Premier League as the boss at Turf Moor.

If it is only a matter of time before O'Driscoll's performance in charge of Doncaster Rovers - where he endeavors to play the game the right way despite a limited budget, earns him a call-up to the highest level of the English game - he should also make it onto the shortlist for when the Irish manager's position becomes vacant.

He might not be the most fashionable candidate, but his undistinguished playing career and lack of box office name recognition shouldn't hinder his chances unduly.

The exaggerated media attention on the merits of Coyle and O'Driscoll only serve to highlight the current proliferation of Irish managers. Coyle, Mick McCarthy and Martin O'Neill are flying the flag in the Premier League. A division below that, there's O'Driscoll, Roy Keane and Chris Hughton.

Farther down the food chain, John Sheridan is in charge at Chesterfield and the unfortunate Steve Staunton is struggling to re-establish his coaching ambitions at beleaguered Darlington.

Obviously, nobody is saying all of these characters should figure in the shake-up to succeed Trapattoni, but some of them should be under serious consideration. While Keane appears to have pulled back from the brink at Portman Road and re-established the view that he may yet become a serious manager at the highest level, it's nigh on impossible to see him ever taking charge of Ireland.

How could he go and work for an association about which he has professed nothing but contempt on such a regular basis? He doesn't need the money and surely wouldn't want the hassle that the job entails.

If Keane is, like Brian Kerr, persona non grata at the FAI, at least until the end of the John Delaney regime, the real pity about McCarthy is that he is far more qualified to manage Ireland now than he was when given the job back in 1996.

Then, he was a neophyte struggling at Millwall and was consequently forced to make rookie mistakes in the unforgiving international arena. Now, he's been around the block, got teams promoted twice on shoe-string budgets, and would be far better suited to negotiating a qualifying campaign at this stage of his career.

Martin O'Neill is a difficult one to figure out. Nobody questions whether he is up to the job but would he want to manage the Republic having played for Northern Ireland? He does have a little more to prove at club level anyway where, the traditional exaggeration about everything to do with Celtic apart, he hasn't quite achieved as much as his reputation suggests.

Then there's the rising star of Hughton. Having been involved as an assistant in the Kerr era, he has since gone on to take over one of the most troubled and strangest football clubs in the islands that are Britain and Ireland. And made a real good job of it so far too.

If he does guide Newcastle United back into the top flight and manage to keep them there, Hughton should be a front-runner for the Ireland job two years from now. He's got the playing pedigree, the lengthy coaching apprenticeship at Spurs, and now experience of managing in a place where expectations tend to far exceed reality.

By the time Trapattoni does step away, one or two of these names may have faded from view. This is management after all and these jobs come with no guarantees.

However, the very presence of so many Irish managers suggests the FAI will have real options when picking out a successor. The only worry is that they will do the lazy thing and look no farther than the current assistants Marco Tardelli and Liam Brady. They were two of the greatest midfielders of their time but not, by any stretch, two of the better managers.

[Charlie Darwin]

Hughton should be a front-runner for the Ireland job two years from now. He's got the playing pedigree, the lengthy coaching apprenticeship at Spurs, and now experience of managing in a place where expectations tend to far exceed reality.
Sounds better suited to the England job, to be honest.

[leedslad]

Jim Gannon back in the hot seat with Peterboro

[yapster]

I think Hughton could make a good manager for Ireland.

[Charlie Darwin]

O'Driscoll reportedly sacked by Nottingham Forest, hours after beating Leeds 4-2 and lying 8th in the table.

[Stuttgart88]

Confirmed. Very odd.

[Charlie Darwin]

I assume we can rule out Forest from the promotion race then.

[Stuttgart88]

There was a statement on BBC from the Forest owners (some Kuwaiti family) saying how it was a forward looking move, geared towards being in the EPL. They were trying to say SO'D was a good manager for this level but not what they need to fulfill their grand vision. Shades of Pardew replacing Hughton at Newcastle perhaps, but there was talk of Forest having unpaid wages recently and I think this is an interesting story developing.

Surely not another case of "fit & proper persons" ownership tests not being, eh, fit for purpose?

I think I said here during the summer that it was scandalous that a club like Forest needed Kuwaiti ownership to compete, a symptom of English football's chronic dysfunctionality. Whatever the outcome of this story I stand by that post.

[Charlie Darwin]

Sometimes English football makes Irish football look functional.

[BonnieShels]

I was only saying to my dad this evening how O'Driscoll was doing and how mad it was that Doncaster figured he wasn't good enough for them after getting them promoted to the Championship and yet he was doing the business with Forest.

Fingers crossed he gets a decent job soon.

[SkStu]

Call him up, Delaney!

[DannyInvincible]

'Roy Keane in the mix for Nottingham Forest return as club sack manager Sean O’Driscoll': http://thescore.thejournal.ie/roy-keane-forest-731709-Dec2012/?utm_source=shortlink


ROY KEANE IS in line to return to management with former club Nottingham Forest, according to reports in England.

Forest moved to within touching distance of the play-off places in English football’s second tier yesterday thanks to a 4-2 victory over Leeds at the City Ground, but it wasn’t enough to save Sean O’Driscoll’s job.

O’Driscoll, who joined Forest in pre-season, had taken his side to eighth in the table, yet he still paid the price for failing to immediately fulfill the ambitions of joint owners Fawaz Al Hasawi and Abdulaziz Al Hasawi.

Before beating Leeds, Forest had slipped away from the top six after winning just one of their previous six matches. That wasn’t good enough for Forest’s owners, who are determined to restore the club to its former glory.

Keane was in the stands to watch the win over Leeds and this morning and today the Corkman has been installed as the frontrunner to succeed O’Driscoll. The former Ireland skipper moved from Cobh Rambers to Brian Clough’s Forest in the early 90s before his record transfer to Old Trafford.

Chairman Fawaz Al Hasawi said: “We have a responsibility to look to the future for this great club because we have huge ambitions for it.

“We feel we have developed a really strong squad of players but are still searching for consistency in terms of team performance, underlined by the fact that we have not won more than two games in succession in the Championship this season.

“We are looking to bring in an ambitious manager with Premier League experience.”

[BonnieShels]

according to Sky Alex McLeish is favourite for the job. As a kinda Forest fan this fills me with dread.

[nigel-harps1954]

according to Sky Alex McLeish is favourite for the job. As a kinda Forest fan this fills me with dread.

He's already got the job.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2253897/Alex-McLeish-appointed-Nottingham-Forest-manager.html

[BonnieShels]

Just saw that.

Eugh.

Instant dislike for the team I've liked since discovering soccer.

Just like when Rafa took over at Inter.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/english/2012/1227/360523-forest-appoint-mcleish-as-new-boss/

[bennocelt]

So this is a forward move!!! Wow

[BonnieShels]

So this is a forward move!!! Wow

It's absolutely mind boggling.

[Charlie Darwin]

Mick Mc 1-0 up away to his old club Wolves. Andy Reid's just equalised for Alec McLeish at home to Crystal Palace.

[Charlie Darwin]

Sean O'Driscoll is an early favourite to take over at Wolves following Stale Solbakken's sacking: http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/wolves/news/wolves-sack-manager-solbakken_62581.html

[tetsujin1979]

What are the odds Mick McCarthy will be linked with the post? O'Driscoll would be a good appointment, obviously there's no compensation involved

[Charlie Darwin]

I was just thinking they missed their chance with Mick. Their handling of him has to go down as one of the all-time worst decisions by a team facing the drop.

[BonnieShels]

Sean O'Driscoll is an early favourite to take over at Wolves following Stale Solbakken's sacking: http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/wolves/news/wolves-sack-manager-solbakken_62581.html

Good move on Wolves part if true.

[Charlie Darwin]

Dean Saunders it is then: http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soccer/2013/0106/1224328489502.html

[BonnieShels]

Dean Saunders it is then: http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soccer/2013/0106/1224328489502.html
Read that on BBC last night. Couldn't believe it.

Sean back to Doncaster?

[CraftyToePoke]

John Sheridan in at Plymouth

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20927038

[Charlie Darwin]

Read that on BBC last night. Couldn't believe it.

Sean back to Doncaster?
It would be a step down if he went. By all accounts they might have scraped promotion under Saunders but they're not building a squad that could survive.

[BonnieShels]

It would be a step down if he went. By all accounts they might have scraped promotion under Saunders but they're not building a squad that could survive.

A complete step down but when you get replaced by McLeish and then your old replacement gazumps a job you would walk into what should a man do?

[DannyInvincible]

Sean O'Driscoll has been appointed new manager of Bristol City: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21010274

[BonnieShels]

Just saw him interviewed on SSN. Best of luck. Tough job. He'll get them out of it.

[CraftyToePoke]

That's a tough task, six points from safety but with a game in hand. It looks to be three form four of Peterborough, Barnsley, Wednesday and Bristol down the bottom to me, I think Ipswich, Birmingham, Wolves & Bolton should have enough resource / stature to keep out of the dogfight. Maybe Huddersfield will be dragged in.

If he keeps them in that division, fair play to him, he will deserve all the plaudits he gets.

[BonnieShels]

That's a tough task, six points from safety but with a game in hand. It looks to be three form four of Peterborough, Barnsley, Wednesday and Bristol down the bottom to me, I think Ipswich, Birmingham, Wolves & Bolton should have enough resource / stature to keep out of the dogfight. Maybe Huddersfield will be dragged in.

If he keeps them in that division, fair play to him, he will deserve all the plaudits he gets.

I'm trying the blind optimism angle.

I like Sean a lot. Always comes across really well and very level.

[Charlie Darwin]

Feature on Sean O'Driscoll ahead of his first return to the City Ground on Saturday: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21383094

[shakermaker1982]

Bristol City are at home, tough game for Forest. I was at SO'D last game at the City Ground...Forest fans did appreciate his work. Pity the crazy owners had other ideas.

[Charlie Darwin]

Coyle sacked by Wigan: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/wigan-sack-manager-owen-coyle-2874263#.Upu-ugDh9Is.facebook

Second Irish manager in a week after O'Driscoll.

[DeLorean]

It was always going to be a tough job after Martinez, the highs of the FA Cup win, the exodus that comes with relegation and trying to manage Thursday night football with an already congested Championship calendar. Steve McClaren even sighted Wigan's European match the other night as an extra incentive for Derby to get into them early on. He had experience from his Middlesbrough days of how difficult it can be to perform after European football on the Thursday.

I heard an interview with Mike Phelan recently, saying he was very interested to get into management and he was basically saying he would take anything, as long as he feels the structure and ambitions of the club are right. This would seem ideal for him location wise as well.

[Charlie Darwin]

Sean O'Driscoll set to become assistant at Liverpool: http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jun/29/liverpool-sean-odriscoll-assistant-manager?CMP=share_btn_tw

[BonnieShels]

Sean O'Driscoll set to become assistant at Liverpool: http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jun/29/liverpool-sean-odriscoll-assistant-manager?CMP=share_btn_tw

Didn't even realise he had been with the England U19s.

Fair dues for getting that job. Here's to Liverpool being relatively successful next season.

[OwlsFan]

John Sheridan continues to perform miracles at Oldham. Pretty much down and out when he was appointed but he has now lifted them out of the relegation zone for the first time. A lot more work to do yet but he, Mick McCarthy and Chris Hughton continue to fly the green flag with great success.

[backstothewall]

Brian McDermott has 2 Irish parents, considers himself Irish, and supports Sligo Rovers apparently. That's more than enough for the passport office. Does he make our list?

Also Gary Waddock. And Graham Kavanagh had a stint with Carlisle.

[OwlsFan]

Brian McDermott has 2 Irish parents, considers himself Irish, and supports Sligo Rovers apparently. That's more than enough for the passport office. Does he make our list?

Also Gary Waddock. And Graham Kavanagh had a stint with Carlisle.

Only two fly the tricolour https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_Football_League_managers

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Does anyone know the reason for this?

Since the PL era began there have been countless Scottish born managers in the Premier League and all down the divisions.

Despite the similarities in population and # of pros within England, Ireland has produced a dearth of managers in the four divisions.

What ones there have been haven't sustained much of a career.

I can think of Roy Keane, David O'Leary, Graham Kavanagh, Joe Dunne, Steve Staunton.

This leads to a shortage of suitable candidates for the national team job.

The prospects within the domestic game don't inspire much confidence either with managers continuing to be out-thought in European competition.

Obviously, there are diasporic managers such as Mick McCarthy, Chris Hughton and Sean O'Driscoll but even they pale in comparison to the plethora of Scottish managers.

And there have been several NI born managers such as Neil Lennon, Brendan Rodgers and Michael O'Neill but they are (ex) NI internationals and I don't believe they feel the same pull to Irish national team or its candidacy.

Thoughts?

[OwlsFan]

http://foot.ie/threads/130375-Irish-Managers?highlight=managers

[tetsujin1979]

Threads merged

[Paddy Garcia]

Does anyone know the reason for this?

Since the PL era began there have been countless Scottish born managers in the Premier League and all down the divisions.

Despite the similarities in population and # of pros within England, Ireland has produced a dearth of managers in the four divisions.

What ones there have been haven't sustained much of a career.

I can think of Roy Keane, David O'Leary, Graham Kavanagh, Joe Dunne, Steve Staunton.

This leads to a shortage of suitable candidates for the national team job.

The prospects within the domestic game don't inspire much confidence either with managers continuing to be out-thought in European competition.

Obviously, there are diasporic managers such as Mick McCarthy, Chris Hughton and Sean O'Driscoll but even they pale in comparison to the plethora of Scottish managers.

And there have been several NI born managers such as Neil Lennon, Brendan Rodgers and Michael O'Neill but they are (ex) NI internationals and I don't believe they feel the same pull to Irish national team or its candidacy.

Thoughts?

I did not realise Staunton had any experience in management.

[RiffRaff]

Leicester assistant manager Steve Walsh is the centre of a tug of war with Everton at the moment, who have targeted him because of his success in finding some of the team that won the league. But I only realised today that he is a brother of Mickey Walsh, ex Blackpool, Everton and QPR.