Foot.ie Talks To... Damien Richardson
How far is an EL club is from qualifying for the group stages of the UEFA cup or CL?
Not far at all. If all parties concerned nurture the culture of full time football in a professional manner, I can see qualification occurring in the next three years. The aforementioned professional manner would need to include a serious sign of intent to dismantle the ethos of self-interest that still binds the testicles of Irish professional football.
Pat Fenlon recently suggested getting someone who has been involved in the league in to run the league, citing Rico as an ideal candidate. Would you like the job Damien?
It is an amazing fact, but there are too few football people involved in football. What that means is that the vast majority of professional footballers, who would have spent many years developing an innate instinct for the game, rarely get involved in the administration of the game. And it also has to be stated that those administering the game would appear to welcome and prefer this anomaly. It is my honest opinion that the time is right to encourage intelligent and articulate ex-players to become part of officialdom. It just makes sense. And I would be willing to participate in any plan that would benefit the game we all love.
As we seem to be going no where under the current regieme, Should the league break away from the FAI and set up on it's own ?
I would not entirely agree that we are going nowhere. Welcome strides have been taken and the eL is showing the benefits. At one time I would have backed a breakaway but in the present climate I would now prefer to wait and see. That is not procrastination on my part but rather a willingness to allow John Delaney and the FAI an opportunity to organise themselves before hopefully impressing all with their plan for the future. However, setting up a good administration team is as difficult as setting up a good football team. It takes talent, time and patience. And although the past record is decidedly unimpressive, I believe that the present time is perhaps the most conducive ever for progress.
Considering the vast majority complain about the standard of refereeing, would you agree that an inititive should be set up to encourage ex players to take up refereeing once they stop playing and offer a "quick" route to top league officiating if they prove themselves competant in lower leagues?
During the three years I have been away from management I have studied many aspects of the game. I have, probably the first time, begun to understand the enormous challenges and difficulties that lie at the heart of the game of football. Refereeing is undoubtedly one of the great challenges. The undeniable truth that desire and passion cloud the judgement of even the most fair-minded individual decrees that referees’ are in a no-win situation on most occasions. The answer to your question is yes. Just as in Q 2, I would like to see more ex-players involved. They would however, have to prove themselves in many ways. For example, their affection, or animosity, for previous clubs may be a stumbling block to this proposal. Again I would like to see some consideration afforded to this train of thought.
Why did the tash go?
The realisation that the “Tash” made me far too handsome for my own good offered me only two viable options. I could retain the facial ornamentation, and the adorability it provoked amongst the female species, or. I could remove the hysteria-inducing objet d’art and allow the younger generation an unimpeded tryst with the fairer sex. As a spiritually mature individual I have long since divested myself of ego and the consequence of this state of almost permanent inner peace obviously meant that the “Tash” belonged to a different era in my life. I hope my sincerity does full justice to the profundity of your inquiry.
Is Noel King an idiot in real life or does he just put it on for tv?
Noel King is indeed an idiot. But he is such a good actor I was convinced he covered the fact well. But Kinger is honest. He will proffer an opinion and accept the full ramifications of the consequences (of course he will not fully understand the implication of ramifications, if you know what I mean). Noel and I disagree most of the time and argue sometimes. But there is never a falling out. If only he could get his flamboyant neckwear to defy gravity and cover his fractured features he would do very well on TV. As you may have guessed I like working with Noel. I must be even more spiritual than I thought.
Do you intend managing again?
I think so. But it depends on the challenge. These are exciting days in the eL. I have been a firm advocate of full-time, Summer football in a 10-team League format. It’s the story of my life that when that triumvirate comes together being I am out of the game. I miss the buzz of the dressingroom and the action on the training ground. In truth I probably miss the coaching more than anything. But life is full and I have no complaints.
Who is the best player you ever had?
I have been most fortunate in working with many talented players. In Cork there was Dave Barry. Pat Morley, John Caulfield, Tommy Gaynor amongst many others. If the Chairman at Cork City had accepted my proposals during the mid 90’s I am sure City would have achieved much success such was the depth of talent. At Shelbourne I had Mick Neville, Gary Howlett and Stephen Geoghegan again amongst such talent that led to 3 successive FAI Cup Finals and 4th,3th and 2nd League positions and would have led to much more. At Shamrock Rovers I had many superb players who, like myself suffered much from the well-publicised problems that unfortunately are still ongoing.
But if I had to select the best it would be Pat Skully, as the most professional player. Skully’s powers of concentration were immense and his demands on himself and those around him were legendary. Tony Sheridan was the most talented individual I have ever worked with. He could do things with the ball that were quite extraordinary and he possessed a great understanding of the game. The most under rated player was John O’Rourke. The Cobh born player was brilliant in both boxes at Shelbourne, scoring and preventing goals with very little fuss or attention.
Best/worst results & clubs you were involved with?
Worst was the 6-4 loss to Bohs after being 4-1 ahead at half time with Rovers. Santry Stadium was such a small pitch it was impossible to close a game down. I hated that place. Best result was oddly enough also a defeat. Cork City lost 2-1 to Galatasaray in Istanbul. The whole occasion was quite amazing. When Gala went two up the home fans produced great profusions of noise and colour. Buy when Dave Barry scored our late goal the silence was almost explosive in its intensity. Best club was Shelbourne for sheer professionalism and ambition. Rovers as I mentioned, were a mere shadow of their former greatness. Cork City were good on the park and lethargic off it.
Will an eL player be capped again anytime soon?
Glen Crowe and Jason Byrne are the best strikers in the land. If they cannot gain re-entry it may take another few years before someone else makes it.
Your fav ground?
In Ireland Milltown, the old home of Rovers, was special. Flower Lodge in Cork had a lovely playing surface while Tolka Park has a terrific atmosphere if you had 6 or 7000 people there. In England Hillsborough, the home of Sheffield Wednesday is a natural amphitheatre and creates an atmosphere that has to be experienced to be fully understood. But the best without doubt was Galatasaray’s Ali Sami Yen Stadium. When we got there an hour and a half before kick off the place was packed, the atmosphere positively hostile and the beating drums warlike. The noise on entering the pitch reached a crescendo but when they scored the first goal it sounded like an earthquake had hit Istanbul. I said at the time that it was worth conceding just to experience the outpouring of sheer joy on such a massive scale.
Why werent there more Cork players on the various eL teams of the year?
Managers have different philosophies on football. I believe in building a team on the merits of each individual player. I attempt to maximise the potential of each individual and let the team evolve from that base. I think Pat Dolan makes the team his priority from the very beginning. Consequently his emphasis is on the team over the individual. This can make for a good team but individual players can lose their identity by merging into the team personality. It is a matter of opinion which philosophy is best. But my opinion is that people like George O’Callaghan , John O’Flynn and Billy Woods and others would gain more success and national recognition by fulfilling their individual potential on the way to creating a successful team.
damien richardson the legend
Rico is a pure legend!!!!
his programme notes when he was at rovers were priceless.
the best one of all had to be when he opened his notes with "its always the same sometimes", this became a hoops song for the rest of that season.
tried his best to get rovers full time and in tallaght and we would take him back tomorrow!!!
Foot.ie Talks to ...Damien Richardson
Yes Bob Breen is a good suggestion.
Here is some background info on Bob.
He was commercial manager of Slough Town before joining Waterford United as General Manager. He was there during the Mike Flanagan years. He was subsequently appointed Commercial manager at Dalymount Park for a brief spell before taking on his present post.
That might give ye some material for questions and keep up the good work
