Five Ex-Ireland Internationals Join Underage Coaching Setup

The FAI have announced that former Irish international players: Damien Duff, Kenny Cunningham, Mark Kinsella, Keith Andrews and Stephen McPhail have joined the country’s underage coaching set-up.

They will work in alliance with FAI High Performance Director Ruud Dokter and the managers of Ireland’s underage teams, helping to coach and develop the next generation of Irish footballers through the Player Development programme.

Dokter himself signed a contract with Irish football’s governing body in March, extending his stay with the federation until 2020.

The Dutchman welcomed the new coaches’ arrival, describing it as being “very positive” for the development of Irish football.

Dokter added: “We're delighted they will work with us. They will bring great experience to underage football, and in-turn, they will gain from the FAI as they continue to develop their own coaching careers.

"We have previously had arrangements like this with Mark Kinsella helping our Under 16 boys and Kenny Cunningham working with the Under 15 boys' side, so this commitment is something that we have been considering for some time.

"This is a very positive thing for Irish football and also Irish coaching because it allows current members of staff to learn from these experienced former players and vice versa. We look forward to having them contribute to our Player Development Pathway."

FAI CEO John Delaney also expressed his delight at the arrival of the cluster of former Irish internationals, saying “the FAI has always sought to progress talent, whether that is our own coaching staff, or in this case to involve former players, who have played at the very top level.

"I'm delighted to have these big names on board, and I look forward to watching them develop their own coaching talents as well as observing the development of the players who they will work with."

The five coaches all came through the Irish underage ranks and their experience of coming through the set-up will surely stand them in good stead as they aim to pass on their footballing knowledge to their budding apprentices.

Between the quintet, they’ve amassed with a total of 265 senior international caps meaning that their pedigree is vast.

Damien Duff was part of the Ireland side who reached the World Cup in Saipan 14 years ago and he recently retired from playing football following his stint at Shamrock Rovers, having plied his trade at clubs such as Chelsea, Newcastle United and Fulham during his long career in England.

Former Ireland captain Kenny Cunningham retired from playing duties in 2007, with Sunderland being his last club. He gained his FIFA Pro license in 2011 and has been involved with the Irish u15’s in the past.

Mark Kinsella was the man at the helm of Drogheda United when they were relegated from the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division in 2015.  Although he remains a coach at the Boyne siders, Kinsella will juggle the two roles as he continues to build his coaching career.

Former Blackburn Rovers, MK Dons and Watford midfielder Keith Andrews was a mainstay of Giovanni Trapattoni’s Irish side in the early part of the decade. His committed and full-blooded style of play will surely earn him instant respect from the players he will coach.

Current Shamrock Rovers skipper Stephen McPhail is the only member of the five who is still playing first-team football. The former Cardiff City midfielder has been ravaged by injuries and illness throughout his career, and this will be his first official step into coaching.

Indeed, McPhail will be looking to emulate the success he had with Irish underage teams in the late nineties with the current generation of youngsters.

Duff will work with Colin O'Brien's U15 team, McPhail will be with Paul Osam's U16s, Andrews links up with the U17s, Cunningham will be in with Tom Mohan's U19s, while Kinsella will be part of Noel King's U21s.