Oak Leaf’s Tyrone power
New Derry manager Brian McIver at the Owenbeg Derry headquarters on Friday. Picture Margaret McLaughlin ? plesae by-line
Isn’t it great to see that the Oak Leaf neighbours have finally cottoned on to the fact that the Tyrone way is the right way???
Derry county board has pinned its faith in a Tyrone man to revive their ailing fortunes, Brian McIver’s appointment receiving widespread support.
The Ballinderry resident, whom many anticipated might get the Red Hands job when it was last vacant almost ten years ago, says he is determined to restore GAA pride to Oak Leafs.
“I’m really looking forward to getting started. It’s a daunting enough challenge, but I thrive on such things and I will give it my very best shot” assured McIver, former Donegal manager and most recently in the Down backroom staff under James McCartan.
There’s always been a bit of debate about whether he’s a Derry man or if he has his roots over the bridge in Tyrone, so I invited the man himself to clarify the point.
“I’m definitely a Tyrone man. My father an Ardboe man, I played a wee bit of football for Ballinderry at youth level and then went on to play for Ardboe” confirmed McIver.
One of his key backroom staff also hails from this side of Ballinderry Bridge, Paddy Tally’s impressive CV including a significant contribution in Tyrone’s first All-Ireland triumph as part of Mickey Harte’s set-up which succeeded Eugene McKenna and Art McRory after they had won the National League, McIver one of the other candidates.
“I first encountered Paddy’s expertise when we coached together with St.Marys and worked closely alongside James McCartan.”
The third member of the trio appointed is a man well-known to Tyrone folk, Paddy Crozier having been at the helm in Omagh a couple of years ago.
“Paddy has a tremendous knowledge of club football, not just in Derry but throughout Ulster and, being a former manager of the county team, he has a wealth of experience at top level also” said McIver, who was inspired to throw his hat in the ring in the quest to succeed John Brennan in the Oak Leaf hotseat through his involvement with the underage set-up.
“Helping my son Paul (Dromore boss) with Derry Minors whet my appetite to get back to management and I’m delighted to have been appointed, especially with the backroom staff I have assembled.
“But there’s no point in me rushing into anything as we want to give clubs a chance to get all their business completed.We will wait until they have finished and then organise trials
“There’s no overnight quick-fix approach to a job like this. I believe it will take anything from three to five years. But that does not mean Derry are going to have to put up with me for that sort of length of time” explained a man whose arrival will add extra spice to matches with the derby rivals.
Most Red Hands will join with me in wihsing them well, albeit not necessarily in fixtures with the popular McIver’s native county.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Dungannon
Thursday 23 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 4 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 4 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
