Shamrock Rovers add Sami Ristila to coaching ticket

Shamrock Rovers have announced that Sami Ristila has joined the club to work alongside interim manager Stephen Bradley. The 42-year-old former Finnish international will work with Bradley, who has been in charge of Rovers since Pat Fenlon’s departure in July.

Bradley doesn’t have a UEFA pro-licence which is required by the FAI to manage a Premier Division club on a permanent basis and so pro-licence holder Ristila has joined the management team until the end of this season. He will also play a role in the development of the Shamrock Rovers Academy in the coming months.

Ristila was manager of FC KooTeePee in the Finnish Second Division till June before he left the club he led for the last four seasons. He had guided the club to promotion into the Finnish top division before being relegated last season. Previous to that he managed Finnish side FC Haka from 2009 to 2012.

Speaking on his addition to the Rovers coaching ticket, Ristila said: “it is great for me to have this opportunity to give the benefit of my experience to the coaching staff at Shamrock Rovers and also to assist in the fantastic development of the club’s Academy.

“The model that the club is following is one that I am very familiar with and I know that I can help with that. It is also great to be back in the League of Ireland where I enjoyed much success in my playing days.”

Ristila will make a return to the League of Ireland where he played for a number of trophy laden seasons with Drogheda United, winning a league title, an FAI Cup and two Setanta Cups between 2005 and 2008.

“I remember from my time in the league that Rovers were seen as the biggest club, the one with the most successful history so to be working here now if a fantastic for me and my career.

“I look forward to meeting all of the staff, players and the fans in the coming days and to get stuck into work straight away on Friday for the match against St Pat’s.”

31-year-old Bradley, who is Arsenal’s chief scout in Ireland, played with Ristila at Drogheda United. Shane Robinson, who is Rovers’ head of Head of Player and Coach Development since 2014, also played alongside Ristila at Drogheda and was Ristila’s captain at Haka during Robinson’s two year spell playing in Finland.

Glenn Cronin, along with Stephen McPhail and Damien Duff, will continue as part of the Hoops coaching ticket. The two former Irish internationals joined the coaching staff when Bradley took over last month.

“I am delighted to have Sami join myself and the other coaches at the club,” said Bradley. “Having worked with Sami before, I know that he will be a strong addition to our staff and will play an important role as we push on in the final phase of the season.”