Coaching Committee

Aims and Objectives

At Malahide United we see coaching as the future of the club. We believe that if we raise the level of coaching within the club, then we in turn will raise the standard of football. We encourage our coaches to attend workshops within the club and also through the FAI coaching courses so they can reach their full potential as coaches.

We have already seen the first fruits of our investment in coaching competing at the highest level. Providing football for over 1,200 boys and girls per week we are one of the largest clubs in the country. Each one of these players can achieve their full potential at the club competing at a level that will allow them develop. We can bring the best out of these players through our Nippers, Seasiders, Community or Emerging Talent Academy programmes.

We also bridge the gap from schoolboy to senior football. It is our ambition to produce players who have come through our coaching system to play for Malahide at the highest level. In the past, before we had a coaching structure and top class facilities, many Dublin based clubs would year on year take our best players. Thankfully those days are gone and it is common knowledge that Malahide United is the place to play a lifetime of football.

Pat Cleary – Director Of Coaching

In June 2007 Malahide United AFC appointed the highly experienced Pat Cleary as Director of Coaching. Pat is a holder of a UEFA A license, undertook his coaching badge at Lilleshall and also had stints at Loughborough University and Durham. He brings a wealth of talent to his new role on the Coast Road.

Chairman Don Butler, on behalf of the club which fields teams in the DDSL, NDSL, LSL and the DWSL welcomed Pat to his new role: "Pat has an impressive coaching CV and has a wealth of footballing knowledge. I know that Malahide United can only benefit from the work he will carry out on behalf of the club and there are exciting times ahead for everyone associated with the club. I'm delighted to welcome him to Malahide United and wish him every success as Director of Coaching."

Pat started his coaching career as a 15-year-old with Belvedere with legendary scout Noel McCabe and he has since seen service at Peterbrough United, the FAI Women’s international team, Dundalk, Sligo Rovers, Longford Town, Bohemians and Ards. He more recently helped set up some of the underage development structures at Belvedere.

With more and more of the clubs teams pushing up through the ranks to join the already established Premier teams, the clubs senior's this year captured the famed EBS Metropolitan Cup in the centenary running of the competition while current developments at Gannon Park will see the provision of a state of the art clubhouse with fitness rooms and juice bar to go alongside the first class dressing room facilities already in place. “Malahide United has so much potential and I’m extremely excited by the challenge ahead” said Pat. “We possess first class facilities and there are lots of excellent coaches with a lot of enthusiasm for the game already in place. I’m looking to harness that energy and develop it. The coaches I have met here all want to learn and add to their coaching abilities and that can only have a positive impact throughout the club from the Premier teams down to the community based boys and girls of the club.”

"The Nippers Academy on Saturday morning is one of the great success stories of the club and it has been very successful in providing raw material coming through into the playing side of the club and we'll be looking to maintain that productive exercise." Pat’s commitment to coaching saw him commute to England on a regular basis while undertaking his qualifications, but it also afforded him the opportunity to link up with the likes of Peterbrough United where he worked with Aidy Bothroyd and Don Ashwood and, as part of his brief travelled extensively throughout Europe - notably with the club’s youth teams.

He was also responsible for setting up a youth academy with St Kevin’s Boys while he also had a similar input into the establishing of links with WBA. Said Sean Gaine of the Coaching Committee: “We’re absolutely delighted to appoint a coach of Pat’s calibre and experience. It signals clear intent on the part of Malahide United that we have ambitions of the highest level for our players and coaching staff. We are a community club that can satisfy players of different abilities but we believe by improving our coaching we can improve all our players across the ability spectrum and still attract players of the highest standard too." Added Sean: “ The Republic of Ireland train here on a regular basis while recently we hosted a UEFA Pro License Course with the likes of Gerard Houllier and David Moyes lecturing. Many other professional clubs have availed of our facilities and that is a great testament that the club meets the most demanding of standards."

As part of the club‘s continued development a major drive to attract in quality players will get underway in July. Said Pat: “We have facilities and ambitions to cater for the best players in Ireland, of that there is no doubt. There are schools clubs out there who regularly have players travelling from the likes of Kerry and Donegal to play in Dublin. We have facilities far superior to these clubs, so it’s up to us as a club to show prospective talent that we have the right package to suit them on and off the park. "We are gearing up for sustained success but we’ve got to get the name out there and let ambitious players know that Malahide United has set the highest of standards and can offer potential talent a suitable platform to match their own goals. "

Some of our managers and coaches that attended Pat's first Coach The Coaches Sessions 27/06/07

Online Library

Club managers and coaches - please login and use the link on the Members Homepage to direct you to our extensive library of coaching documents - such as:

• Malahide United AFC Coaching Manual - by Age Group
• SAQ Coaching - Guidelines and Plan
• Malahide United AFC Nippers Coaching Guidelines

Volunteers

Malahide United AFC field 50 Schoolboy/girl teams every week during the winter and a further 5 girls teams during the summer.Our Nippers Academy on Saturday mornings caters for the 5 to 7 year olds and Seasiders Academy caters for the 8 to 10's. The Schoolboys and Schoolgirls sections and both the Nippers and Seasiders Academy are always looking for additional managers and coaches to join the club.

We will provide both FAI Introductory and Level 1 Coaching Courses to all new members. Whether you have a background in football or you just want to get involved we would like to hear from you.

For further information please contact: Sean Gaine on 086-8046054