Former Everton player and Limerick manager McDonald set to replace Meyler at Cork City

Neil McDonald is set to become Cork City's new assistant manager. Pic: Mike Egerton/PA Images.

Cork City manager Barry Robson isn’t expecting any ‘imminent’ recruits but it’s understood former Everton defender Neil McDonald is close to joining as his assistant.

McDonald is on the verge of a League of Ireland return, having managed Limerick in 2017, filling the vacancy left by David Meyler’s recent return to Hull City.

Robson hasn’t previously worked with McDonald but the 60-year-old was assistant to Simon Grayson in his last club managerial stint at Hartlepool United. Grayson has acted as an advisor to the Cork City board since January.

McDonald starred for Newcastle United, Everton and Oldham Athletic in his playing career.

After migrating into coaching, he became established as the regular assistant to Sam Allardyce, pairing up at Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United.

Most recently he took interim charge of National League outfit Barrow for the second half of last season.

It won’t quite be a full half season he lands into at City, for the title is effectively wrapped up with 14 games remaining.

Friday’s 1-0 win at Cobh Ramblers expanded the summit lead to 18 points, a buffer second-placed UCD were unable to trim on Saturday when losing 2-1 at Longford Town.

Robson, McDonald, Grayson and new director of football Liam Kearney are already preparing for next year’s Premier Division return but specifically busting a cycle of immediate relegation.

City’s 22-point winning margin at the end of their last promotion in 2024 isn’t a record Robson is interested in breaching. The Scot was enlisted for this season with the sole task of guiding the Leesiders back to the top-flight and keeping them there.

Robson has hailed the resilience of his tight squad, citing Friday’s cohort of inexperienced teens beside him on the bench as illustrative of their current plight.

It won’t impact on seeing out this season’s stroll but underlines the depth of recruitment required to be competitive in 2027.

“We need to get some players in but I can be fussy,” said the former Aberdeen manager. “I want us to recruit properly, to find players who’ll help us stabilise when we go up.

“My boys are running on empty. We’ve scored 43 goals in the 22 games, including nine wins in a row, but have been operating with 12 or 13 first-team players.

“We’re close to a couple but they’re not imminent. It’s never easy to recruit right in this window.” It’s believed that as well as targeting candidates in Ireland and UK, the likelihood is of some arrivals from further afield.

Seáni Maguire’s latest injury, which Robson believes was inflicted on a ropey Longford Town pitch three ago, has shades of last year’s problems. There’s no timeline on Maguire’s return.

“Seanie’s only played 30 minutes since and he’s a huge loss to us but Ruairi Keating and Hans Mpongo are keeping it going with the goals,” Robson added.

“I’m not interested in any record title margin, only that we keep winning to go up. Friday on Cobh’s tight, astro pitch was never going to be scintillating football but still another win towards our aim.”