Des Ryan’s Irish team building young Gunners

Having been given the chance to build a central plank of the Arsenal Academy, it’s no wonder Des Ryan looks back fondly on his achievements 30 months down the line.

The strength and conditioning programme the Galway native implemented has been done with a team largely drawn from Ireland — with former rugby internationals, GAA coaches, and the recently crowned UK Strength and Conditioning Association Youth Coach of the Year among their ranks.

The programme itself was further inspired by the IRFU’s model, which was developed throughout the previous decade.