New Management Team for Under 21 Set Up

I've mentioned this in a different thread earlier today, surprised nobody else has brought up the name of Liam Brady.

An ideal candidate. He's experienced in dealing with young players at the Arsenal Academy. Has a great working relationship with Trap so Brady would know exactly what the Senior manager would be looking for in terms of players and tactics so the U21 team/tactics could finally act as real support to the Senior squad as U21 players promoted to the senior team would have plenty of experience with Traps tactical style. As opposed to just being abused from a height by Givens.

People might say that Brady would never take on the U21 job due to his commitments with Arsenal but he has ambitions to succeed Trap in a few years time in the big job. The U21 role would be great experience for him, better even than the role he had in the senior team. With any luck a handful of the current U21s would be able to progress into the senior team in three, four years, if Brady did come to be in charge of the Senior team a lot of players would be familiar with his management style.

In an ideal scenario i'd like to see Kenny Cunningham involved as well in an assistant role to Brady. He's eager to get into management and working with Brady would be an ideal start for him. If Brady was to move up that would leave Cunningham to continue on in the U21 role. Unlikely I know, but as I said, that would be my ideal scenario.

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Originally Posted by Razors left peg

surely he would have his eyes on bigger things, cant imagine Denis o Brien will be offering a couple of million a year for the under 21 job

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Originally Posted by superfrank

Isn't he the manager at Preston now?

FWIW, the FAI should suck it up and ask Kerr to come back.

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oh yeah, I know
more wishful thinking than anything else.
up and coming young manager
proven record with underachieving players
looking for a higher profile job

John Sheridan is a good call, he had Oldham playing some good stuff while he was there, and tries to play the game correctly. Kenny Cunnigham as a start out would have a lot of credibility too. I saw an interview with Aldo where he said the Ireland job was the only one he'd go into management for after Tranmere, but that the time had passed and I'd agree with that.

I'd also agree with the assertion that Brady has eyes on the big prize after Gio, and while I don't think he needs to do the U21's to get it, that wouldn't be any harm for him to do it for a campaign.

Once it's someone competent, who'll develop players while trying to instill a winning mentality playing positive football will do for me. I don't care if he's Irish or Mongol.

Why not have Fenlon do it part-time alongside the Bohs job - only involves a couple of games a year and he clearly knows a lot about the game.

What about Mark Kinsella. He has been coaching for a few years now, and is highly rated.

Steve Heighway ?

Peter Taylor ?

Have to go foreign lads. No point in continuing with the technically inferior Irish and English. Brady wouldn't leave Arsenal to take the job, so it has to be a Dutchman, Italian, Spaniard, whatever. Someone who can develop players the way they need to be for the international game.

Someone mentioned Sean O'Driscoll on anonther site to do it part time

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Originally Posted by Deckydee

Steve Heighway ?

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That is a great shout, Academy Director at Liverpool for a long time with a long line of graduates who made the grade from Fowler to Gerrard.
Not sure what he's up to now though, I thought he left Liverpool a few years ago.

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Originally Posted by mark12345

Have to go foreign lads. No point in continuing with the technically inferior Irish and English. Brady wouldn't leave Arsenal to take the job, so it has to be a Dutchman, Italian, Spaniard, whatever. Someone who can develop players the way they need to be for the international game.

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What coaching can they do in the 2/3 days they're with the team before the 8/9 internationals in a year? Absolutely nothing

They receive their coaching at club level

Why oh Why do we always knock our own!!!

Why is everybody talking about English based managers - What has Brady - great respect for him as a player - ever done?

What is wrong with Martin Russell - anybody see how UCD play football and how he has managed to get them to the Premier Division

What about John Devine - either one would be brilliant

Remember the best 2 managers we have had were Sean Mc Caffrey and Brian Kerr are both Irish

But with a Dutchman in charge it is unlikely that we will see an Irishman getting the job

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Originally Posted by mark12345

Have to go foreign lads. No point in continuing with the technically inferior Irish and English. Brady wouldn't leave Arsenal to take the job, so it has to be a Dutchman, Italian, Spaniard, whatever. Someone who can develop players the way they need to be for the international game.

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I don't believe in this 'we have to go foreign' mantra. Some of the best managers in the Premiership, which is arguably the best league in the world, are Irish, Scottish, Welsh and English. I'd love to see an Irishman get the job and I'm sure there are quite a few who are up to the job, but I wouldn't complain if we got a foreign coach. As long as the fortunes of the U21 team improve and the senior team benefits from it, I don't really care where they come from.

Can't see anyone who is already in a job wanting to do it. What about John Aldridge? Did a good job at Tranmere and not in the game at the moment.

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Originally Posted by Dodge

What coaching can they do in the 2/3 days they're with the team before the 8/9 internationals in a year? Absolutely nothing

They receive their coaching at club level

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Totally agree with Dodge on this one, with players only spending a few days with the U21 squad the manager can't be expected to develop a player technically, and this is up to clubs to do. What it does give the player is experience at international level, and a chance to experience different tactics/training techniques which would benefit a player. A good Irish manager would be just as capable of doing this than any European that would be interested in the post.

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Why is everybody talking about English based managers - What has Brady - great respect for him as a player - ever done?

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Over 10 years working with the Arsenal Academy, developing players like Ashley Cole, David Bentley. A working knowledge of the senior set-up and how Trap likes to play. Plus a serious desire to be senior manager in the near future.

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Originally Posted by sixesandsevens

Over 10 years working with the Arsenal Academy, developing players like Ashley Cole, David Bentley. A working knowledge of the senior set-up and how Trap likes to play. Plus a serious desire to be senior manager in the near future.

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Not to mention the sterling work he did with Celtic and Brighton

I thought the general consensus on Brady was that he didn't have designs on management.

Good news at least. Givens was way too long in the job. Not sure who I'd pick for the job but I think anyone will be a positive step. A bit for fresh air is what's needed and I don't care where the coach is from so long as it results in some progression for the U-21's.

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I thought the general consensus on Brady was that he didn't have designs on management.

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Brady's openly stated in the past that he would love to manage the Irish team.

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Originally Posted by bennocelt

Not to mention the sterling work he did with Celtic and Brighton

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most Celtic fans agree he tried to play good football, but couldn't do it with the players he had. Mowbray was pretty much the same. Had excellent ideas about how to play the game, but wasn't willing to budge on them to play hoofball

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Over 10 years working with the Arsenal Academy, developing players like Ashley Cole, David Bentley. A working knowledge of the senior set-up and how Trap likes to play. Plus a serious desire to be senior manager in the near future.

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With an open cheque book TWO players in ten years - Even Don Givens has done better than that!!!!