CMUL targetting more coaches

Soccer news

The chairman of the Cavan-Monaghan Underage League believes that their involvement in the elite national Airtricity Leagues at U14, U15 and U17 level is a huge plus for young soccer players in the area.

The CMUL is taking a “player-led” approach as they work their their squads during lockdown, explained Darren Smyth.

“We’re changing it up this year. I was appointed chairman by default really, my background is coaching.

“I work with young people every day of the week and I think that young people are very important in football and coaching. Without them, you don’t have football.

“This year we are player-led. Our coaches are very good at engaging the young people and giving them the lead on it. They’re having regular Zoom meetings for example, they let the players go over certain tactics.

“It just means that they’re learning the game without playing the game. It’s more player-focussed.”

Smyth told the Anglo-Celt that one of his key objectives is to get more coaches on board in the region.

“I’m very keen on getting young coaches in the area. If you look at the Airtricity set-up that we had before, coaches came from outside the area and it stunted the growth of coaching in the area.

“Our Director of Coaching, Eamon McGlone, is the only coach in Monaghan and Cavan to have the UEFA A Elite badge. I think at the minute there might only be 30 people in Ireland who have that and that includes international managers as well.

“He oversees things on the Airtricity side of things and then George Martin is over the Emerging Talent programme. He oversees that.

“The Emerging Talent programme would have gone to the likes of the Galway Cup and the Kennedy Cup but they only happen at the end of the football calendar. Now, with the Airtricity set-up, we can give lads the chance to play football against the best players in Ireland, week in, week out.”

Meanwhile, one of the leading graduates of the CMUL, St Mirren midfielder Jake Doyle-Hayes, has yet to put pen to paper on a new contract with the Paisley club.

Manager Jim Goodwin, a Waterford native, insisted St Mirren are doing all they can to tie down their key players - but admitted some may move on this summer.

Several of the Buddies big hitters, including Doyle-Hayes, Marcus Fraser and Ilkay Durmus, are all yet to sign on the dotted line to commit to stay in Paisley next season.

Goodwin revealed talks are ongoing but the Saints manager does expect some players to move on to pastures new come the end of the current campaign.

He said: “We’re in negotiations with a number of players who are out of contract.

“We don’t want to lose too many from the current squad, but there will be players leaving. That’s just the nature of the business.

“I’ve had those conversations with the players involved but I won’t go into it in detail. It’ll become clear what’s happening in the summer."