Advertisement
Colin Bell: took over in wake of dispute between players and FAI. Matteo Ciambelli/INPHO

Blow for Ireland women's side as manager Colin Bell makes surprise exit

The coach will take up a job with Huddersfield Town.

COLIN BELL, WHOโ€™S managed Irelandโ€™s womenโ€™s national team for the past two years, is leaving the position to take up a coaching role with Huddersfield Town.

Bell will start work immediately as an assistant to Jan Siewert, who oversaw the Terriersโ€™ relegation from the Premier League.

The news is a big setback for Irelandโ€™s WNT, who finished third behind Norway and the Netherlands in their World Cup qualification group. 

โ€œColin has done a fantastic job in his time with Ireland and I want to thank him for that,โ€ says FAI High Performance Director, Ruud Dokter. โ€œHe has introduced new players to international football and brought our team to a new place.

โ€œThe World Cup qualifying campaign saw him bed in his ideas very quickly and the players responded with high level performances. His passion, commitment and desire to develop womenโ€™s football in Ireland was exemplary and I wish him well at Huddersfield. The challenge now for the new management and the players is to qualify for the European Championships.โ€

Ireland begin their Euro 2021 qualification campaign in September. 

โ€œColin did extremely well with the Womenโ€™s National Team and while we didnโ€™t want to see him go, I wish him the very best in his new role and for the future,โ€ added FAI General Manager for Football Services and Partnerships, Noel Mooney.

โ€œWe will now commence the process of finding a top-class head coach to replace Colin ahead of the European Championship qualifying games which kick-off in the autumn.โ€

Jan Siewert explained that former Dynamo Dresden coach, Bell, helped him earlier in his career. 

โ€œIโ€™m so happy to be able to welcome Colin to Huddersfield today,โ€ Siewert said.  โ€œHe has a fantastic reputation in Germany as a top-quality coach, that heโ€™s really earned. Heโ€™s been a head coach, a supporting coach and the head of Academies at very high levels and can offer us so much. 

โ€œWe first met when he was at TuS Koblenz and he was a big help to me early in my coaching career. Weโ€™ve kept in touch ever since and Iโ€™m delighted he has accepted the offer to come and help us here at Huddersfield Town.โ€  

Close
13 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel