Richard Dunne 'open-minded' to potential LOI management career
ACADEMY: Former Republic of Ireland international Richard Dunne at the launch of the EA SPORTS LOI Academy development programme held at FAI Headquarters in Abbotstown, Dublin. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Richard Dunne insists that he would be ‘open-minded’ to beginning his senior management career in the League of Ireland.
Dunne, 43, was recently linked with the previously vacant Bohemians job before being pipped to the post by Declan Devine.
But having cut his teeth into coaching at underage level and attained his Uefa Pro License via the IFA in Belfast last year, he is keen to get on the senior coaching ladder.
“I am open-minded to it,” he said. “There has been a huge shift in the visibility of the League of Ireland and with the academies.
“Everything is just getting better. The opportunity for me to manage or coach in the Premier League is just not going to happen.
“You might get an opportunity at a League Two team but why not share that knowledge back here? It is more valuable to the team you are at and the future generations.”
But it is also the exploits of his former international teammate Damien Duff which has possibly opened doors for players of Dunne’s generation to jump into senior management.
Duff took charge of Shelbourne in November 2021 and steered them to a comfortable 7th placed Premier Division finish last year, while also reaching an FAI Cup final.
And Dunne has watched his ex-international comrade with interest.
“Everyone has to make their own decisions but I think Damien has certainly opened the door a little bit,” he explained.
“I think as well, maybe for the clubs they might look at ex-players and think, ‘ah he just wants a job’.
“But there is a genuine interest in coaching and a genuine desire to do something more than just being a retired footballer.
“I think Damien has been a brilliant leading candidate for ex-footballers. If we are to go looking for a job, we are not doing it as an ego thing. It is a career choice.”
Yet, he admits that beginning his managerial career in Ireland is something that excites him with the opportunities of achieving success.
“England is great and the Premier League is brilliant, but you go down the leagues and it’s just another league,” he stressed.
“I’d rather be in the Premier League in Ireland than be in League Two in England, in terms of having the opportunity to go and manage in Europe and fight for league titles.
“It’s more interesting to me than trying to battle your way through the lower leagues.
“With the League of Ireland, with the way the academy system is going, you are going to get a lot more talented players with potential and dreams and hopes of trying to improve.”
Of those players coming through, Dunne will be hoping to work with players like the next Evan Ferguson within the League of Ireland if he gets the chance to do so.
Ferguson rose through the ranks at Bohemians and St Kevin’s Boys before moving across the Irish Sea to join Brighton at 16.
And Dunne hailed Ferguson’s rapid Premier League ascent.
“I’m really, really excited for him,” he said. “I did one session for Evan when I was with the Ireland Under-16s. He got called up for one of the games and it was the first time I saw him.
“Even then you were looking at him going ‘jaysus’. He seemed to have everything.
“You go back to where he learned all of that and being able to play first team football over here has obviously benefited him. He’s settled straight into Premier League football.
“Without putting loads of pressure on him, you don’t want to, but we’ve been crying out for a centre-forward for a long time. He may be the one we can start to believe in.
“He has a long way to go but sometimes you see centre-forwards and you think ‘he’s missing this, this and that’.
“Evan is very grounded as he’s going and it’s great. I’m really, really pleased for him.”
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