Darragh Sheridan on RTE Radio 1
I know most of you are either listening to Ray Darcy or some other station, so this is to let you know Galway native and ex Galway United player Darragh Sheridan did a short slot with Ryan Tubridy on RTE Radio 1 this morning about the trauma of “not making it” as a professional footballer in England.
He seemed to be in shock at the appalling standard of facilities and coaching in the domestic game on his return home.
He outlined what he saw as his shame at coming home with his ‘tail-between-his-legs’ and how he eventually got a contract at Bray (at the time they were Premier League, we were First Division) where he felt he wasn’t getting opportunities. And then he bit the bullet by joining his home town club.
He told of how for the first three months back in Galway, he stayed away from the main shopping areas and night clubs rather than confront his so-called failure across the water. Eventually in a night club somebody came straight up to him and labelled him a failure and a nothing footballer. Darragh told the Tubridy audience that following a frank exchange of views, he pointed out to his accuser that he didn’t seem to have achieved much either.
He had major praise for Don O’Riordan (one of the best managers I came across in the game), but said it was further education that was his salvation. Without it he would have nothing. He urged parents of would-be professional footballers not to leave Ireland before completing the Leaving Certificate and said 99.9% of guys don’t make it as professional footballers and further education is their key to finding a meaningful place for themselves afterwards.
Darragh’s parents were great supporters of the club for a good twenty years or more, but I haven’t seen them too much in recent times.
