Extratime with Collie O'Neill
Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
On Thursday, May 27, Dermot Keely stepped down from his position as manager at Shelbourne. Despite their fall from the top of League of Ireland football, Shels remain one of the bigger clubs in the country, Tolka Park remains one of the iconic grounds in the league, and manager at the club remains one of the higher prestige positions in LOI football.
Collie O’Neill had played dutiful assistant to Keely for a number of years and, liked by the players and the terraces, it was to everyone’s pleasure that he was given the role of interim manager while club chairman Joe Casey sought the services of Alan Mathews.
In the space of seven weeks – and seven games – Collie’s Shelbourne went unbeaten, winning 11 of 15 points in the league and winning in both the Leinster Senior Cup and the FAI Ford Cup.
And ever the unassuming man, Collie had nothing but fond memories of his short spell as manager at Shelbourne when talking exclusively to extratime.
“I didn’t expect the success. I knew we had a good squad with good players – I thought we had just had very little luck. It was just a case of getting the players together and encouraging them to play as I knew they could,” he said.
Collie started off with a morale boosting 2-0 victory away at Salthill Devon, the ideal fixture to start your managerial career he agreed. This was followed by the same result against Dublin Bus in the third round of the FAI Ford Cup.
“Once we beat Salthill Devon and Dublin Bus I knew the lads were feeling better. They weren’t scared to get on the ball and play a bit. I was delighted with the two wins – for the players mainly. They had been staying behind in training, working to make things better. They are great lads.”
”In fact it was the players who recommended me to Joe Casey. Dermot had quit and the club needed someone to do the job for a while until they could get Alan Mathews, who was their main target. So the lads recommended to Joe that they would like me to do it, which was great.”
Shels followed up the two victories with a disappointing score draw at home to Longford – in what was the only genuine blip on Collie’s record – and a score draw in Ballybofey against Finn Harps in front of Dermot Keely.
“We still didn’t know Alan was taking the job for definite. Joe told me that Alan was the primary target but he wouldn’t commit so it was a case of all of us putting our heads down and doing the job as best we could.”
“The Longford game came after the two good wins. We drew 1-1 which wasn’t great. It was disappointing that draw because I felt we had done enough to win the game. But at 1-0 up you are never safe and we let one in.”
“Dermot was out at the Finn Harps game then. He had a quiet word with me but to be honest he was trying to stay away as best he could as he thought it would disrupt the players but he was always on the end of the phone to offer advice, especially on how to deal with players as on my first night at training since taking the reins I sent 4 players to play with the “A” side as I didn’t think their commitment was up to scratch. ,” said Collie of his predecessor
After a good win against Sporting Fingal in the Leinster Senior Cup, the next game was an entertaining 6-3 victory over Athlone Town at Tolka Park in the league. Trailing 2-1 at half time and being convincingly out-played, Shels turned it around after Collie’s halftime team talk and went on to tear apart Athlone for the final 45 minutes.
“Then the Athlone game, we won well. The first half, Athlone’s shape caused us plenty of problems. But in the second half we sorted it and killed them. I think the fitness showed there too.”
“Alan had been confirmed just before the Athlone game actually. Joe told me and said he’d like to tell the players after the match. But, given the way we won it, he said he’d rather not say it at the time and let us enjoy it.”
However despite Joe Casey’s decency to allow the players and their manager the moment they deserved, Collie told the players himself shortly after the game.
“Because of all the rumours, I told the lads myself in training . I knew I would still have the Cork game. Which we won and that was a good way to go,” said Collie of his farewell gift to the fans, a well won 1-0 victory over Cork City Foras Co-op, in Turners Cross.
Collie was not kept on by Mathews when he took the job officially on July 12, however many are convinced he will return to the game quite soon following his successful run with Shels.
“No I have no role there now, nothing. I spoke to Alan the Saturday after the Cork win. He offered me what we call a B.B.C role – I would be collecting up the bibs, balls and cones during training. It was unpaid as he had no money to pay me so I decided to turn it down. I had myself braced for it and I have no problems with it, that’s the way football works and I wish Alan, Barry and the team all the best for the future.”
“I’d be happy to get myself back in the league now. I was offered a chance to take the job on offer in Drogheda but it was a manager in nothing but name so I didn’t.”
“It’s hard to try and sum up everything that’s happened in the last few weeks. I have loved it and enjoyed every single minute of it. I’d love to be involved with Shels again but so be it. I was very happy with what I did.”
Collie O’Neill had played dutiful assistant to Keely for a number of years and, liked by the players and the terraces, it was to everyone’s pleasure that he was given the role of interim manager while club chairman Joe Casey sought the services of Alan Mathews.
In the space of seven weeks – and seven games – Collie’s Shelbourne went unbeaten, winning 11 of 15 points in the league and winning in both the Leinster Senior Cup and the FAI Ford Cup.
And ever the unassuming man, Collie had nothing but fond memories of his short spell as manager at Shelbourne when talking exclusively to extratime.
“I didn’t expect the success. I knew we had a good squad with good players – I thought we had just had very little luck. It was just a case of getting the players together and encouraging them to play as I knew they could,” he said.
Collie started off with a morale boosting 2-0 victory away at Salthill Devon, the ideal fixture to start your managerial career he agreed. This was followed by the same result against Dublin Bus in the third round of the FAI Ford Cup.
“Once we beat Salthill Devon and Dublin Bus I knew the lads were feeling better. They weren’t scared to get on the ball and play a bit. I was delighted with the two wins – for the players mainly. They had been staying behind in training, working to make things better. They are great lads.”
”In fact it was the players who recommended me to Joe Casey. Dermot had quit and the club needed someone to do the job for a while until they could get Alan Mathews, who was their main target. So the lads recommended to Joe that they would like me to do it, which was great.”
Shels followed up the two victories with a disappointing score draw at home to Longford – in what was the only genuine blip on Collie’s record – and a score draw in Ballybofey against Finn Harps in front of Dermot Keely.
“We still didn’t know Alan was taking the job for definite. Joe told me that Alan was the primary target but he wouldn’t commit so it was a case of all of us putting our heads down and doing the job as best we could.”
“The Longford game came after the two good wins. We drew 1-1 which wasn’t great. It was disappointing that draw because I felt we had done enough to win the game. But at 1-0 up you are never safe and we let one in.”
“Dermot was out at the Finn Harps game then. He had a quiet word with me but to be honest he was trying to stay away as best he could as he thought it would disrupt the players but he was always on the end of the phone to offer advice, especially on how to deal with players as on my first night at training since taking the reins I sent 4 players to play with the “A” side as I didn’t think their commitment was up to scratch. ,” said Collie of his predecessor
After a good win against Sporting Fingal in the Leinster Senior Cup, the next game was an entertaining 6-3 victory over Athlone Town at Tolka Park in the league. Trailing 2-1 at half time and being convincingly out-played, Shels turned it around after Collie’s halftime team talk and went on to tear apart Athlone for the final 45 minutes.
“Then the Athlone game, we won well. The first half, Athlone’s shape caused us plenty of problems. But in the second half we sorted it and killed them. I think the fitness showed there too.”
“Alan had been confirmed just before the Athlone game actually. Joe told me and said he’d like to tell the players after the match. But, given the way we won it, he said he’d rather not say it at the time and let us enjoy it.”
However despite Joe Casey’s decency to allow the players and their manager the moment they deserved, Collie told the players himself shortly after the game.
“Because of all the rumours, I told the lads myself in training . I knew I would still have the Cork game. Which we won and that was a good way to go,” said Collie of his farewell gift to the fans, a well won 1-0 victory over Cork City Foras Co-op, in Turners Cross.
Collie was not kept on by Mathews when he took the job officially on July 12, however many are convinced he will return to the game quite soon following his successful run with Shels.
“No I have no role there now, nothing. I spoke to Alan the Saturday after the Cork win. He offered me what we call a B.B.C role – I would be collecting up the bibs, balls and cones during training. It was unpaid as he had no money to pay me so I decided to turn it down. I had myself braced for it and I have no problems with it, that’s the way football works and I wish Alan, Barry and the team all the best for the future.”
“I’d be happy to get myself back in the league now. I was offered a chance to take the job on offer in Drogheda but it was a manager in nothing but name so I didn’t.”
“It’s hard to try and sum up everything that’s happened in the last few weeks. I have loved it and enjoyed every single minute of it. I’d love to be involved with Shels again but so be it. I was very happy with what I did.”
About Gordon Hunt
Gordon Hunt is one of extratime's Dublin based reporters. Having worked with the site since it's inception, Gordon's name is carved into the foundations of extratime's tower block. View Full Profile