DERRY MIDFIELDER BRENDAN Rogers says he is relieved that the long search for a new manager is over as they prepare for life under Tyrone native Paddy Tally.
A coach with Kerry since 2022, Tally was appointed last week, four months after the departure of Mickey Harte who held the position for just one season.
Tally was previously part of the Derry management team during Brian McIver’s term between 2013 and 2015. That period coincided with Rogers’ debut season with Derry and he’s excited about the prospect of working with Tally again.
“He’s such a clued in manager, it’s very exciting to have someone like that. He’s probably learned a lot since the last time he’s been over us so I’m definitely excited to see what he has to bring.
“We trusted the whole executive process that they would find the right guy. The players can just play. We knew that they wouldn’t just run and get anybody, they would get the right fit for the team. To get the top, top managers, they are very difficult to get and very difficult to nail down because they are in such demand.”
Several candidates were linked with the vacancy prior to Tally’s appointment, including former manager Rory Gallagher. Gallagher stepped down from the role in May 2023 following domestic abuse allegations made by his estranged wife, Nicola Gallagher.
Amid speculation in recent months that Gallagher could be in line for a Derry return, his solicitor publicly reiterated that he has “firmly and steadfastly denied his guilt” and “refuted all the allegations”.
“I would say a lot of the players who played under him would have quite an affection for what he’s done for us,” Rogers said. “He brought us from Division 4 up and won us a couple of Ulster titles. There’s something to be said for the impression he’s left on us.
“In terms of who gets selected as manager, that’s out of our control. Would he coach us very well again? Absolutely. He’s one of the best IQs in football that I’ve ever experienced. But look, the executive do their thing. They have Derry’s interests at heart so we’ll row behind whatever decision they make and they opted to go for Paddy Tally.”
Derry appeared to be one of the frontrunners for the Sam Maguire this season, as they ended the league campaign as Division 1 champions. Their extra-time victory over Dublin in the final strengthened their claim for All-Ireland glory.
A clip from that game has resurfaced following Brian Fenton’s decision to retire from inter-county football. The footage shows Fenton and Rogers engaging in some light jostling, which Rogers remembers fondly.
“You’re always trying to rattle your competitor. We see how the game should be played the same way. The fact that you can go competitively at each other and push each other to the limit, that’s good honest work. It was nothing nasty, and it’s a nice moment to share.
“It’s funny when I look back on it but Brian was a very good competitor. He’s probably one of the best players of all time.”
Derry struggled to catch fire in the championship, starting with a six-point defeat to Donegal in the Ulster quarter-final. That saw them fall short in their bid to complete a provincial three-in-a-row. They picked up just one win over Westmeath in the All-Ireland series before a preliminary quarter-final victory against Mayo suggested a flicker of a revival.
Kerry then dumped them out of the championship at the quarter-final stage.
“It is very difficult to say what exactly went wrong,” says Rogers.
“There was probably a big compound effect of injuries, the players perform, were the decisions tactically wrong, things like that. There is so many variables that we encountered. Nobody is perfect, nobody sets out to do the wrong thing or play wrong or all them things. I would go as far to say the players are as accountable as management. Everything was in agreement together.
“Ultimately we did learn from that, it was just too late. After the first few defeats we put in a performance against Mayo, and then we just didn’t back it up against Kerry. The joys is we get to do it again and we have quite a young profile of players. Sometimes you need setbacks like that to hit the reset and develop again.”
For now, Rogers is focused on his commitments to the Slaughtneil hurlers. They played out a thrilling Ulster semi-final last weekend, eventually overcoming Antrim’s Cushendall after extra-time. Rogers contributed seven points from full-forward, the last one coming in the final crucial stages of extra-time.
The 3-26 to 1-36 epic was shown live on RTÉ, bringing the excitement of the Ulster club hurling competition to a new audience.
“There is less club teams in Ulster, but the quality of games played between them is still quite high, and that is what you got to see on Saturday night.
“We know the quality is there, maybe it would help if there was an Ulster championship. We are yet to see it at a provincial level, I know teams are playing in Nicky Rackard, but maybe having that avenue again would show these teams can play in the top level as well. Not just stuck in their leagues or whatever. I think something like that would help bolster what we already know.”
And this is the club that people on here defend. Wonder what religion the dole scroungers from Govan think their top scorer is. Can’t see Kris Boyd being as vocal on this one
@Roberts Mel: That’s a fact! You’d need to have a long hard look at yourself if your support or defend that club in any way, shape or form. Xenophobic bunch of knuckle draggers.
@Roberts Mel: you are just as bad as them you know. Condoning the coin throwing the other day. Always the victim
@Joe: please point our where I condoned the coin throwing? I never even mentioned it! So how did I condone it?
Well done Steve Clarke. Needs more players and officials who aren’t from Celtic calling out that crap for what it is.
@Cian Nolan: the only way anything will ever be done is if players and coaches keep highlighting it to the media. Good on Steve Clarke and Kris Boyd for calling out what he was subjected to last week.
@The Bloody Nine: “Good on Kris Boyd” Haha that’s a laugh.. He’s a bitter Rangers fan that forgets another football club is actually paying his wages. He’s been talking Rangers up all season even though is plays for Killie..
@David Garland: I can’t believe you think sectarian abuse and coin throwing is ok because of what team a guy supports. It’s wrong no matter who it’s aimed at.
@The Bloody Nine: Didn’t see David mention anything about coin throwing or sectarian abuse never mind David saying it was okay for these things to happen. He just made reference to Kris Boyd and how nice of a fella he is.
@Roberts Mel: why is telling me how nice Kris Boyd is? I don’t envisage any scenario where I’ll be meeting the lad so his personality is irrelevant to me, as is who he supports or pays his wages.
@The Bloody Nine: Show me where I condoned coin throwing and show us how Kris Boyd has been a victim of Sectarian abuse? Also my point is Kris Boyd is quick to talk up Rangers telling everyone Celtic are in crisis and they’re is a split in the dressing room while all the time he’s playing for Killie.. As I said he’s a bitter Rangers Fan who never comes out giving out about the sectarian chanting coming from Ibrox..
@David Garland: he was called a fat orange b*****d by the Celtic fans
@Anthony Connery: well they ain’t lying
@David Garland: my apologies David if I misunderstood your comment. However, I can’t see how it’s relevant to my point that the more people experience sectarianism in football the more it needs to be spoken about and highlighted. And that’s regardless of who you play for or support. I’m at a loss as to why you’re arguing with me about this!
Normally at this stage of the comments we’d have someone on blaming the Celtic fans for the huns sectarianism.. With Neil Lennon gone I suppose they have to get someone else to racially abuse.. But clearly Sevco don’t know the meaning of the word “Fenian”
Rte have a lot to answer for the showing of “British” games when the english teams were banned from Europe. I know quite a few lads who are rangers fans from that influence. All rangers games were shown live as a substitute for the uk games.
@Trevor Beacom: any Irish person supporting The Rangers clearly has some sort of mental health problem.
@Ciaran Rice: You get an awful lot of Irish people who will support them out of spite because they can’t get their head around Irish people supporting Celtic, that’s how idiotic some football fans are in this Country.. The same people think nothing of supporting Clubs like Chelsea who we all know love Rangers and the UVF
@Ciaran Rice: Knew a guy at work who used to wear sevco shirt and England one during internationals. Was done purely for attention and the wind-up. Would not go out in public dressed like that, though.
@Ciaran Rice: Yea I know a few Irish Rangers supporters and they ain’t mental.
Ive been a long time Celtic supporter neigh on 55 years and ive witnessed plenty sectarian stuff in the Old “Jungle” which is probably well before your time.
That said Rangers have an ultra toxic lot that are very vocal.
Is Steve Clarke not a Rangers fan.. Can’t understand why they called him that
@ColmD: Clarke and his entire family are Celtic fans.
@Ciaran Rice: I didn’t know that.. Like him even more now..
@Ciaran Rice: Yes he was touted as a Celtic Manager at one point.
@Nick Condon Sen: he’ll be the next Celtic manager when Brendan leaves I’d say.
@Ciaran Rice:
The newest club in Scotland , reminds us all of a previous old one , same sectarian dribble , coming from bitter begrudgers .
Huns
I wonder do Rangers fans watch Braveheart and think” thank god we got William Wallace. Long life longshanks”
Seriously Rangers fans have to be the most confused idiotic bunch.. they havnt the slightest clue of their own national identity or heritage