EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.
That’s something Eoin Wearen has come to learn through his playing and coaching career.
The Shelbourne women’s manager is only 31, but has had an extremely colourful journey to date.
“You have to be prepared for whatever comes your way, especially in football,” he tells The 42.
“You don’t know… one phone call changes everything.”
From promising underage exploits in England, injury woes and League of Ireland success to a blossoming coaching career here and in the US, it has been a whirlwind for Wearen.
“It seems like a long time ago now, to be honest,” he reflects on his high-level playing days.
The Dubliner started out at St Kevin’s Boys, before making the move to West Ham United in 2011.
A former Ireland underage international, he worked under the likes of Sam Allardyce and Gianfranco Zola during his five-year spell across the water, but tore his ACL for the first time coming towards the end of his contract in a reserve game against Arsenal.
“I was 19, 20 at that stage, everything gets kind of flipped upside down. I felt like the best decision was to come back home. I had a few options in the league and came back to Bohs, had some great years at Bohs, played with Sligo, played with Glenavon up north, had a spell with Limerick as well.
“Loved my time as a player in the league and the great thing is that the league’s even improved since then, both the men’s side and the women’s side. The level of competition and the quality of the players and professionalism is improving. As we know, it still has a way to go.”
It’s exactly a decade now since Wearen returned. But a second ACL injury at 25 and a meniscus tear shortly afterwards ultimately forced him to think about life after football sooner than most.
“As a player, I always had one eye on the on the management piece and the coaching side,” he says.
“Three knee surgeries kind of made that decision for me at 27. At that stage I was player first, coach second, as I was doing my badges. I had to make that decision to flip it nearly.”
It was while completing his Uefa A Licence in 2019 that Wearen decided to really take the plunge and head Stateside. He was the youngest on the course by a long shot and was encouraged by his colleagues to pursue coaching abroad while he had no significant ties.
He was approached by a club in Texas. He knew his playing career was coming to an end, why not start the next chapter and prioritise coaching?
“At first, I was a little bit hesitant because it wasn’t always the plan, but after having a couple of calls and spending a few weeks going back and forth about what was going to be best for my future, I made the jump. It’s just a shame I went six weeks before Covid!”
Wearen pitched up in Dallas in January 2020. There, he was introduced to women’s football for the first time; his previous coaching education at St Kevin’s and Bohemians.
He worked with U13s to U19s in the Evolution SC Academy across 18 months, before moving to Chicago with the Liverpool FC International Academy, while he was also appointed head coach of Chicago City USLW (in the pre-professional women’s league).
He dabbled in semi-pro football himself, but coaching took precedence as he found a new path.
“America was my first taste of the women’s game and I was blown away by the standard and the athleticism. I done well in those roles, I felt like my personality suited the game and I was able to get the best out of players as a result.
“It’s difficult to get a full-time job in football in this country. By going to the States, I was coaching six days-a-week for most of the year, so you’re automatically going to be a better coach by spending that much time on the grass. It was a great experience for me.”
What about the football differences between here and there?
“I think tactically here players are better,” he says. “I’ve tried to explain to people, I think football and soccer are nearly two different sports!
“And that goes for boys and girls over there, they play the game but they don’t necessarily watch the game or study the game the way that kids here would. It’s a different type of upbringing.
“Technically, you can get good players anywhere. Physically is where they’re a little bit stronger. But I think that’s more down to the contact time and the hours, just the way it’s set up with high school soccer and club soccer transitioning into college soccer, which is more or less full-time.”
Wearen returned home with an “open mind” given the uncertain landscape of the football industry, but fortunately, opportunities arose for him to work in the game full-time.
He initially landed a position in the Shelbourne Academy last summer, before taking charge of the women’s team in November. They are unbeaten in all competitions under his watch. Wearen balances his Shels commitments with his day job at the DBS Academy, running their full-time transition year programme.
“It’s difficult balancing the two roles at times, but it’s great because, on one hand with the DBS role, you’re focusing on teenagers and development, whereas here, it’s very much about getting three points on a Saturday.
“I like the balance of the two. Really fortunate, I know there’s a lot of people around the country that would love to be doing what I’m doing every day and being on the pitch. It’s 24/7 football, that’s my life.”
It’s difficult to switch off at times, but Wearen wouldn’t have it any other way.
He draws on his experiences from everywhere. Those learnings from highs, lows, and everything in between as a player, coach and manager.
All are of use now at Tolka Park.
“I certainly think that helps, especially with with our younger players on the squad, because it wasn’t too long ago that I was in those situations,” he nods.
“You’re in and out of a team, you go through periods where you can’t do anything wrong, and then you go through periods where it’s not quite coming off of you.
“That’s part of developing players — yes, you can develop them on the pitch, but also understand them off the pitch, the challenges that come with being a footballer. You have to be able to deal with the ups and downs.”
Wearen’s style of play at Shels is striking. They play out from the back and like to dominate possession. “Easy on the eye, but getting results,” he says. It’s how he liked to play himself, and how he wants his teams to set up.
Wearen is his own man, but has had plenty of coaching influences too: Tony Carr, Zola, Allardyce and Paul Doolin in the West Ham Academy to name a few. He draws from one and all as he continues to shape himself as a coach and manager.
“Carr and Zola were similar,” he recalls, “gave you massive belief coming onto the pitch: express yourself, enjoy your football, play with a smile on your face type. Really good man management, personal skills in that regard.
“Allardyce and Doolin were a little bit different. They moreso taught you to discipline aspect of the game and the organisation side, how important that is. It can’t be all freedom and express yourself, there has to be roles and responsibilities involved.
“At times in my career, I looked at those kind of managers and coaches and did I feel like they were the best for me? Maybe not as a player, but definitely as a manager. I look back, and I can now understand why they did certain things, or the reasons why that’s how they ran their environment.”
“You take bits and pieces off everybody,” Wearen concludes. “But look, I’m a young manager. I guarantee that when somebody speaks to me in two years, I’ll have probably changed as well along the way.
“That’s important in the modern game: not to stand still and not be stuck in your ways. You’re always striving to get better and move forward.”
Onwards.
Expect the unexpected.
- Shelbourne v Wexford, Women’s Premier Division, 2pm, Tolka Park, LOI TV
