'This club needs to have an identity': Cork City boss Nash on Meyler appointment

Meyler's first game in the dugout will be the first match after the international break, also at home, against Bohemians on June 13.

FUTURE VISION: Cork City manager Ger Nash during the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division match between Galway United and Cork City. Pic: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile

David Meyler has never worked with Ger Nash and the duo had diverging playing careers but the pair of thirty-somethings are tasked with avoiding a third relegation in five years for Cork City.

Ten points off safety, Damien Duff’s Shelbourne stand in City’s way of a managerial home bounce at Turner’s Cross on Friday night when the Premier Division season reaches the midway point.

Nash’s first official match at the helm in his first senior managerial job last Friday resulted in a 2-1 defeat at Galway United, a fourth successive defeat for the Rebels.

He’d been in negotiations with a couple of candidates to flank him and succeeded in luring the Irish international back to his hometown club in their time of need.

Meyler was working at his former club Hull City as an U18 coach before deciding to answer the call. His first game in the dugout will be the first match after the international break, also at home, against Bohemians on June 13.

“Look, we’re both all-in on this,” 38-year-old Nash said about the role of Meyler, two years his junior, relocating from England.

“This isn’t a hobby, this isn’t a part-time gig, this is both of us devoting our lives to hopefully bringing Cork City back to where we believe it should be.

“That’s what our motivation is. We’re both going to be here, you’ll see us at the training ground every day and that’s what we’re going to do. Time will tell if we can get that right.” 

Unlike Nash, who was the first-choice centre-back alongside Paul McShane through the Ireland underage ranks, Meyler was a late bloomer. His potential at City in 2008 led to Roy Keane forking out £250,000 to sign him for Sunderland.

Like his new colleague, his career was finished by injury, but not until he'd reached 30 years of age with 25 Ireland caps.

“Some of the aspects that work are if you look at our careers, they are polar opposites,” explained Nash.

“He played at the highest level; my career ended as a teenager. I have got significant experience as a coach and have spent a lot of time on that side of the fence and in that environment. David is slightly different. For me, it is a good balance for the two of us in terms of that aspect.

“What I really do believe in is bringing people to the club who want Cork to be successful in the long term, not just a short-term fix.

“They want to be here and for Cork to be successful for a long time. This club needs to have an identity, not just in the coaching staff but also the playing staff, which represents the area. 

"Even the people I have spoken to since I have taken this job have said that the Cork identity was really evident in the club during the years when it was successful.

“I think it is a unique aspect of the people down here in terms of that passion. I would like to recreate that and bring more people back to it.”

Duff stirred up the rivalry - warning his Shels title holders to embrace the occasion. “This might be new to a couple of our lads, but outside of that, it’s Cork vs Dublin, Turner’s Cross jammed, Shels vs Cork City.

“It’s been like that for many, many years, history in this fixture. I doubt our lads will be surprised. We’ve warned them about what’s coming. We know there’s fire coming: they have a new manager, a proud city. They won’t lie down and accept it. It’s up to us to be at our best.”