Daryl McMahon flying the flag for Irish-born managers in England

Daryl McMahon is making waves in East London as his Dagenham side are riding high in England’s National League. Dubliner McMahon is something an outlier in England — a Republic of Ireland-born manager, writes Alan Smith

Daryl McMahon, manager of Dagenham & Redbridge celebrates after the Vanarama National League match between Barnet and Dagenham and Redbridge at The Hive in Barnet earlier this season. Picture: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Sitting in the bar of the modest training ground Dagenham & Redbridge share with an amateur rugby club on the fringe of East London, Daryl McMahon is trying to put a finger on why he is the only Republic of Ireland-born manager in English football’s top five divisions. “It’s strange,” the 37-year-old says. “You’d like there to be more of us. But no one has sustained it at the top for a period of time. Why?”

Mick McCarthy, Barnsley born, is the only former Ireland international in the top four divisions, at Cardiff City, after Chris Hughton, who grew up not far from the area McMahon has called home since moving to England more than two decades ago, was dismissed by Nottingham Forest last month.