FAI Medical Staff to change as Stephen Kenny era begins

The FAI have announced that a number of members of their long serving Medical Team have departed their roles as new Ireland manager Stephen Kenny prepares to bring in his own staff.

Ciaran Murray, a Senior Chartered Physiotherapist, has been part of the international setup since the beginning of Mick McCarthy’s first tenure as Republic of Ireland boss, concluding after 24 years with the Denmark match last November in the Aviva Stadium.

Clones native and Dundalk resident Ciaran witnessed everything from the highs of Robbie Keane’s goal against the Germans at the 2002 World Cup to the lows of the abortive 2012 Euros campaign in Poland with a few unusual incidents thrown in for good measure, not least the Richard Dunne homemade shirt episode in 2011 at Moscow’s Luzhniki’s Stadium.

Murray plans to go back to the stands and terraces, cheering on Ireland alongside osteopath Tony McCarthy and fellow chartered physiotherapists Colin Dunlevy and Padraig Doherty, when international football finally begins again after the COVID-19 lockdown.

“I’ve been trying to estimate how many Ireland games I have had the privilege of being involved with since my debut at the 1996 US Cup and it has to be close to 300 matches,” Murray, a 1985 Gaelic Football All-Star winner (at centre half back) told FAI.ie.

“Over those years I have worked with great players, great managers and great colleagues on the backroom teams and it has been a pleasure from start to finish. The biggest thing for me always was working with the players and ensuring with the rest of the staff that everything was done to enable the players to do their very best for Ireland.

“It’s been a wonderful journey with great memories that will last forever and I want to thank everyone who was there with me along the way, particularly my wife Mary, our two sons and our extended family. Without their support, I couldn’t have dedicated so much time to the Irish team and I thank them for that.

“Stephen Kenny is setting off on his own journey now with the senior Ireland squad and, as I said to him when we spoke, I wish him, his players and his staff the very best of luck. It has been my honour to work with the team since 1996 and I wish them all well now. I will be supporting them from the stands and hopefully, at the EURO finals in Dublin next year.”

Shamrock Rovers staffer Tony McCarthy’s tenure as the senior osteopath with the Republic of Ireland team dates back to Giovanni Trapattoni’s appointment as manager in 2008. McCarthy looked back fondly on his time working with the squad when he spoke to Fai.ie.

“I am still actively involved with so many sportspeople at my own practice in Dundalk and I look forward now to getting back to work there as soon as we can.

 “I am so grateful to have been offered the opportunity to work as a sports osteopath with the top Irish players and staff over the last 12 years since Dr Alan Byrne first invited me on board.

“It has been a privilege and an honour to look after great players like Robbie Keane, Damien Duff and Jon Walters initially and then Seamus Coleman, Robbie Brady and James McClean more recently, to name just some of the players I have worked with,” said McCarthy, who enjoyed a lengthy career as a professional player himself, seeing service in the League of Ireland (winning five titles with Shelbourne) and across channel.

“To witness their commitment and dedication to Ireland and to see how much it means to them to represent their country has been an eye-opener. Watching the efforts of everyone involved with the Irish team, on and off the field, is my greatest and proudest memory of my time with Ireland.”

“To have had the opportunity for my wife Anita and children Chloe and Caelen to see me working at two European Championship finals is something I will always cherish. I thank them for their support and Shamrock Rovers for enabling me to work with Ireland and with such a fantastic club.

“I have so many memories. I will never forget the round of applause the players got when they got onto the plane for the flight home from Moscow in 2011.

“I spoke to Stephen (Kenny) last week when he was kind enough to ring and let me know personally that he is bringing his own staff with him. As I said to him then, I will be supporting him all the way. Stephen is a top manager and a great guy and I will be shouting for Ireland in every game in the future.”

Chartered physiotherapist and Trinity College Dublin graduate Colin Dunlevy enjoyed a two decade involvement with the FAI and Irish teams (from under 15s upwards). His connection with the senior side spanned the reign of Martin O’Neill and the second spell in charge for Mick McCarthy.

Employed by the HSE at St Colmcille’s Hospital in Loughlinstown, Colin told FAI.ie: “The stand-out for me has been the professionalism of all the staff, the management and the players involved with all the Irish teams throughout my 20 years with the Association.”

In high demand as a speaker at conferences, Dunlevy further explained his philosophy. “Football is always about the end result and the performance but for the medical staff it is also about the treatment of the players, how we react to their injuries, how we ensure they are in the best physical shape when they go onto the pitch and how we deal with them if they are injured during a game.

“We have always had fun with Ireland teams over the years but our standards of medical care and attention were always the highest and I know that will continue with Stephen now and his staff. I have wished him the very best of luck personally and I would like to do publicly now as well as I look forward to becoming a fan again, a very proud fan.

“My 20 years with the FAI have defined me professionally and I have to thank my family Clare, Cassie, Ailbhe and Lochlann, the HSE and all my colleagues at St Colmcille’s for allowing me the time to work with the FAI as well. In the current circumstances, those hospital staff deserve all the recognition they are getting and I would like to thank them for their support.”

Originally from Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, chartered physiotherapist Padraig Doherty initially worked with underage Irish representative teams before graduating to the senior set-up in 2016. Employed by the HSE in Ballyfermot, Padraig has also extended good wishes to Stephen Kenny and squad in their EURO 2020 play-off and ensuing games.

“It has been a fabulous experience to be involved with the Ireland senior team and I will take many great memories from this time. It has been a pleasure to have worked with so many good people who have worked diligently and professionally together with the sole aim of delivering success for Irish football.”

I would like to thank the players, backroom staff and coaching staff for all the support and camaraderie over this time,” said Padraig who is currently based in Clane, Co. Kildare. “I would also like to thank my family for their support to enable me to make this commitment to the Senior Team. So thank you Niamh, Patrick, Maria and Conor.”

“The support of the HSE in enabling me to work with Irish football over the last 13 years is greatly appreciated. Finally, I would like to wish the players, Stephen Kenny and his coaching and backroom staff every success in the future."

FAI interim CEO Gary Owens paid tribute to Ciaran, Tony, Colin and Padraig: "On behalf of the FAI, I want to thank each of them for their great service to Irish football and I join with my colleagues in wishing them all the very best in their careers going forward."