The Steve Staunton Football Academy launches in the UK

Dundalk’s favourite footballing son Steve Staunton hasn’t been in the spotlight too much lately but earlier this week he opened a new football academy in the UK

The former Republic of Ireland international and manager has joined forces with PTC Education to open a brand new football academy based in Staffordshire.

The academy, the Steve Staunton Football Academy, will offer youngsters aged 16-18 the chance to complete a BTEC Level 3 Sports qualification whilst developing their football skills under the guidance of Steve and his coaching staff.

The Steve Staunton Football Academy will be based at Lichfield Football Club with learners provided with exceptional learning facilities and equipment. The academy will have an onsite educator with learners provided with over 15 hours per week education time and over 10 hours of football, including competitive fixtures on a weekly basis in the English Colleges Football League.

Former Liverpool and Aston Villa star Staunton said: “I’m excited to be launching this academy with PTC Education and offering young people the chance to achieve academically and progress potentially onto University. The emphasis from me and my coaching staff will be to give these youngsters quality coaching and development, to give them every chance of playing football at a high level”.

PTC Education Director Adam Nixon added: “We are delighted to have Steve Staunton joining forces with us. He has a fantastic pedigree in football and someone of his calibre helping to develop youngsters both physically and academically is a great opportunity.”

“We have already had a learner, Andy Rinomhota, from our Steve Claridge Football Foundation based in Portsmouth sign a professional contract with Reading FC, and so the evidence is there to show that our academies are improving our learners from a football perspective,” added Nixon.

The academy will be hosting a taster event at Lichfield Football Club on Thursday 29^th October at 10am with Steve Staunton and his coaching staff.

For further details visit www.ptcgroup.co.uk

Steve Staunton the World Cup record breaker

We might not be there but that doesn’t mean that World Cup fever isn’t set to grip the nation ahead of tonight’s opening game between Brazil and Croatia at 9pm.

Between betting, busters and just sheer general interest, we’ll all have our say on the tournament over the next few weeks.

The big question remains whether Dundalk’s very own Steve Staunton will have his record broken.

The former Liverpool and Aston Villa star – who played at Italia 90, USA 94 and Japan and South Korea in 2002 – has drawn more World Cup games than any player in the history of the tournament with eight.

The stat was revealed by the good folks over at Balls.ie, who also revealed that Robbie Keane (3) has scored as many World Cup goals as Cristiano Ronaldo (2), Lionel Messi (1) and Wayne Rooney (0) combined and that Ireland hold the record for the highest ever finish at a World Cup despite not winning a match (1990).

For the day that’s in it

Moyes out, Stan in at Old Trafford?

Staunton set for Man Utd coaching role

Steve Staunton

Dundalk’s Steve Staunton could be in line for a return to coaching with Manchester United.

The former Liverpool and Aston Villa star is being lined up for a job on David Moyes’ coaching staff for next season. It is anticipated that the former Ireland manager will take the place of Ryan Giggs on the staff at Old Trafford, with the veteran midfielder set to walk away from the game at the end of the season after an alleged dispute with Moyes.

Staunton has been out of the game since losing his scouting role at Sunderland following the appointment of Paolo Di Canio as manager last year.

While spells with Ireland and Darlington didn’t yield the results he would have wanted, he is still a hugely respected figure in the game having been part of the last Liverpool side to win the league title in 1990 and having captained his country in the 2002 World Cup.

Moyes knows Staunton from his spell at Everton, with the pair having become close having met off the field in Liverpool.

Local comedian puts together comic sketch on Man Utd

Football fans the length and breadth of the country have been enjoying Manchester United’s fall from grace this season and now local comedian Alan Gernon has got in on the act by putting together a short sketch poking fun at the Old Trafford club.

The video starts in late March, with David Moyes being removed as manager and replaced by the unheralded ‘Seamus Cascarino’, who tries to recruit Steve Staunton as his assistant.

What ensues is a mess but some would say it can be no worse than what is really happening at the Premier League champions at the moment.

Alan, from Louth Village, has previously contributed sketches to a range of programmes, including MNS.

Staunton anxious for a return to management

Dundalk-born former Liverpool and Aston Villa defender Steve Staunton is anxious for a return to management.

The former Republic of Ireland captain managed his country from January 2006 to October 2007, which was followed by a brief and unsuccessful stint in charge of Darlington.

However, the experience of those two roles hasn’t dampened his appetite for a job in management as he told BT Sport’s Life’s A Pitch last night that a managerial career still appeals to him.

“I would love to. I’m mad enough to do it,” he said.

Staunton also said it was good to see Roy Keane back involved with Ireland and said he hoped it worked out for him and Martin O’Neill.

Kenny confident he can add another Irish international from Dundalk to his CV

Stephen Kenny with Ireland boss Martin O’Neill at yesterday’s Dundalk FC-Dundalk IT partnership launch in Dublin

Stephen Kenny believes he can produce an Irish senior international at Dundalk.

A local hasn’t lined out for Ireland since Stephen Staunton made his debut in 1988 but Kenny has a proven track record of turning League of Ireland stars into Ireland internationals.

Amongst those who have gone on to represent their country having played under Kenny were the likes of James McClean, Connor Sammon, David Forde and Glen Crowe.

Paddy McCourt, who is expected to be at Oriel Park on Friday night for Barnsley’s visit, also went on to represent Northern Ireland having made his name playing under Kenny while at Derry City. Other Northern Ireland reps who played under the current Lilywhites boss were Niall McGinn and Daniel Lafferty, with Ger Doherty having made the squad despite not winning a cap. Eamon Zayed also went on to play for Libya.

Speaking at the launch of Dundalk FC’s new partnership with Dundalk IT in Dublin yesterday, Kenny said a Dundalk player could follow suit in the not-too-distant future if they believed in themselves.

“Derry hadn’t many internationals for a long period but I was at Derry for four years and we had eight players who became full internationals. I think with the proper infrastructure players can get opportunities to progress and do well.

“I managed Glen Crowe when he was picked, the first since Pat Byrne, in that period. Nobody thought he could.

“The likes of David Forde, who is there now, was really driven and would talk regularly about his desire to become an international even then. Players have to absolutely think like this.

“When I got to Dundalk, I said one of the problems is that Steve Staunton is the last Dundalk international which isn’t great.

“Its a bad indictment as it’s a football town. It would be different if it was a hurling stronghold but it’s not. With the proper infrastructure players can get opportunities to progress and do well.

“I’d be disappointed with the group I have now if I didn’t get an international out of the group. I’m not saying they’ll play for Dundalk and Ireland in the one year but what I will say I would be genuinely disappointed [if one didn’t reach senior international level].”

Staunton pledges support for charity cycle

Staunton in his cycling gear

Steve Staunton has shown his charitable side by signing up for a 900 mile cycle in August 2015.

The cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats via Birmingham in just seven days is aimed at raising money for seven charities.

A number of other former footballers are getting involved in the event, including former Aston Villa and Celtic star Stillian Petrov.

Ex Dundalk player Dunne tipped for Galway job

 

Tommy Dunne

Former Dundalk player Tommy Dunne is expected to take over the reins of the newly-formed Galway FC in the coming days.

The ex-Cork City boss played with the Lilywhites from 1991 to 1993, making 37 appearances and scoring once.

A cousin of Irish international Richard Dunne, the 41-year-old’s appointment is expected shortly.

More than 35 people had expressed an interest in the job, with former Irish boss Steve Staunton amongst those believed to have applied.

The newly-formed western outfit are applying for an Airtricity League licence for next season and will hope to compete in the First Division.

Staunton misses out on return to management

 

This week’s Galway City Tribune carries an article claiming that Steve Staunton has missed out on a return to football management with a new Galway-based football team.

If true, it’s some fall from grace for a man who once managed his country.