Jim Crawford excited by potential of Ireland U21s

Ireland’s new U21 manager, Jim Crawford, believes that the future for Irish football is bright, as he hopes to complete the work of Stephen Kenny by helping his team secure what would be our first-ever qualification for the Euro Finals in that age group.

Jim Crawford says he is looking forward to implementing all he has learned as assistant coach to Stephen Kenny as he replaces the new senior manager at the helm of Ireland’s U21s side.

“I’ve learned a lot from him, what he brings to the manager’s role in regards to creating an environment for players to go and express themselves,” Crawford said. “Everyone knows he’s about possession-based football and players being creative on the ball and, really, you need the right environment to have that as your output. And all this is underpinned with a culture of excellence – the staff he brings in, the demands he gives the staff, the high standards that he expects. It’s something I’ve definitely taken on board and I look forward to implementing everything I’ve learned from Stephen.”