Vinny Perth: 'Whether I’m back in football in six months, six years or never again – I'm comfortable with what I have already achieved'

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With reporting from Oisin Langan

Former Dundalk boss Vinny Perth admits he is comfortable with what he has achieved as a manager despite his ongoing absence as a League of Ireland boss.

Perth, 46, has been out of a managerial position since leaving the Lilywhites in November 2021 after his second stint in charge of the club.

During his first spell in charge of Dundalk, he claimed a league title and EA Sports Cup and was a penalty shootout away from winning the FAI Cup final in 2019 – a honour that would have seen him win a treble 12 months after taking over from Stephen Kenny. 

And following the departures of Tim Clancy at St Patrick’s Athletic and Colin Healy at Cork City this week, his name has been linked with a return to the dugout.

But when asked about the possibility of a return by Oisin Langan on the extratime.com voice notes podcast last night, he launched a staunch defence of his credentials amid the current vacancies in the top-flight.

“Since I left Dundalk I have only applied for one job and I pulled out of it because of some of the rubbish you have to listen to, whether it’s ‘you only won the league because you had Stephen Kenny’s team or any of that…’,” he began.

“Nothing to do with the fact I arrived at the same time at Dundalk in 2012 with Stephen.... For me, I am comfortable where I am in my life.

“Football is my passion and one of them is my club in terms of where I grew up. But it is not anything I expect to happen any time soon and come back into the league.



“The challenge is that when I get linked to these jobs, some of the rubbish I have to listen to is difficult to take at times, but I believe in myself.”

Perth also pointed to the success of Roy Hodgson at Crystal Palace and Neil Warnock at Huddersfield Town – both in England – to the benefits of employing an experienced manager who has enjoyed success previously.

“Some manager has got to get to grips with some League of Ireland team and challenge this Rovers team because nobody is doing it well enough at the moment. That’s just my view,” he added.

“If you look at what it takes and if you look at Huddersfield Town staying up in the Championship in England with a really experienced manager – and Crystal Palace doing it in the Premier League.

“There is a reason why people go back to experienced people that have won league titles and trophies. They know how to do it and I do.



“Whether I’m back in football in six months, six years or never again – I’m comfortable with what I have already achieved.”

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