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Magilton Named Sporting Director at Dundalk
Wednesday, 9th Dec 2020 14:52

Former Town boss and skipper Jim Magilton has left his role as elite performance director with the Irish Football Association to become the sporting director at League of Ireland side Dundalk.

Magilton, 51, who had been in his position with the IFA since 2013, is sad to be departing.

“Today ends an incredible journey for me both personally and professionally,” he told the IFA’s website. “I would like to thank the Irish FA, and in particular [former manager] Michael O’Neill, for giving me the opportunity to be a part of it.

“I would like to thank all of my staff, past and present, in both the Club NI and academy programme and the coach education team who have shown me tremendous loyalty and support over these past seven plus years, and for their enormous contribution to the association and development of our young players.

“I have been involved in and enjoyed the most incredible time in the history of the association and I would like to wish [current manager] Ian Baraclough and the senior squad continued success in the coming years.

“I know that the creation of the academy will help to generate many more great footballing memories for Northern Ireland.

“We have seen the first green shoots of that work, with the inclusion of Ethan Galbraith in the senior international squad, and I know there will be more. Thank you and good luck.”

Irish FA chief executive Patrick Nelson added: “Jim goes with our best wishes after seven and a half years with the association.

“During that time he has helped us take major steps in both identifying and preparing our young talent for a future in the professional game.

“He masterminded the successful JD Club NI elite player development programme and more recently the opening and operation of the Irish FA JD Academy in collaboration with UEFA at Ulster University’s Jordanstown campus.”

Belfast-born Magilton, who was capped 52 times by Northern Ireland, will take up what is a newly-created position at Oriel Park on Monday 14th December, Dundalk having finished third in the League of Ireland Premier Division in 2020 after being champions for the previous two seasons.

The Northern Irishman was a player with the Blues between 1999 and 2006 - during which time he was a member of the team which won promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs and finished fifth the following season - and manager from 2006 to 2009.

Magilton, who has also managed QPR and the Melbourne Victory and previously worked in the League of Ireland as assistant boss at Shamrock Rovers, spoke with TWTD about his time with the Blues early in the summer in very lengthy interview split into four parts over 18 pages: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four.


Photo: Action Images



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DifferentGravy added 14:54 - Dec 9
Magic Magilton
8

LWNR2013 added 14:58 - Dec 9
The one that got away......
4

brendenward35 added 15:00 - Dec 9
Our club shafted this guy big style and has paid an enormous price. Sacking someone who was away with his dying mother is shameful and show total disrespect for staff at itfc. Then to take on the dark Lord that went pear shaped. Good luck in your new role Jim absolute legend one of the best
14

LWNR2013 added 15:02 - Dec 9

The Northern Irishman was a player with the Blues between 1999 and 2006 - during which time he was a member of the team which won promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs and finished fifth the following season - and manager from 2006 to 2009.”
😢
8

LWNR2013 added 15:02 - Dec 9

The Northern Irishman was a player with the Blues between 1999 and 2006 - during which time he was a member of the team which won promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs and finished fifth the following season - and manager from 2006 to 2009.”
😢
0

LWNR2013 added 15:07 - Dec 9
I'd settle for the quality of play being served up by JM. HEY HO
4

Toronto_Tractor added 15:36 - Dec 9
wasnt his last game the 3-2 against norwich? Imagine sacking someone for that?
10

BlueRich added 15:52 - Dec 9
Great player for ITFC, doing a good job as manager. Step in Evans who was too quick to kick out one of the young managers with real potential. Apart from Evans messing up every managerial appointment since he has done the same with Directors of Football as well. Look at the experience Jim has gained in that role in Ireland - get him into that role now at ITFC. If ever a club needed a touch of MAGIC right now it is this one!! Good Luck Jim.
6

rfretwell added 16:07 - Dec 9
I think be careful jumping to conclusions about how Jimbo got the push by the club. By all accounts he had an explosive temper in those days. It could have got the better of him vis a vis the club hierarchy.
6

norfolkbluey added 16:11 - Dec 9
Magic times with him at Ipswich. What a waste to have sacked him especially the way it was done. Never forgot the magic winning night against Bolton and Sam Allardyce. His passion on the pitch has never been replaced. Good luck Jim wherever you end up. You will never be forgotten by true supporters of ITFC!
11

grumpyoldman added 16:29 - Dec 9
All this nostalgia about Magilton forgetting how about the money he wasted, the alleged arguments with his players. If he was that great a manager how is it that after us the only job of note was QPR for about six months? Stop looking at the past through rose coloured glasses
4

bluelodgeblue added 16:30 - Dec 9
rfretwell spot on he'd also fallen out with many of the squad some of whom were key players! Some people have short memories?
4

Blue12345 added 16:34 - Dec 9
Makes you realise that we miss this calibre of person at the club. Can't help but think Magilton or someone similar would be better for Lee O'Neill's role.
1

MonkeyAlan added 16:40 - Dec 9
Grumpyoldman. I can see why you got your name. It was a much better time than now. Good luck Jim, we need that passion now.
4

runningout added 16:43 - Dec 9
Those times not much better
0

blue86 added 16:48 - Dec 9
Of the marcus Evan's era, jim is by far the manager I liked the most and in my opinion the one we played the best football under. Think magilton deserved more time here in all honesty, when Marcus Evan's took over jim was our then our manager. Jim was sacked after beating norwich 3-2 (our last victory over them) and replaced by mr thug roy keane, and it's been downhill ever since. I wish jim all the luck in the world, true blue ipswich man and club legend.
2

PortmanTerrorist added 16:55 - Dec 9
We can talk sliding doors moments, but Super Jim's sacking seems a very real one. Have we ever played better and still produced results since....no. As with these things, the Club that thought they were bigger then the man have struggled, and the man himself has repeatedly shown his worth in different football situations. He is never coming back in any role with ME in charge, but is an example of yet another ex-player that would over coals to help us right now....it is just that he has the credentials which he apparently did not have when we were still beating the Scum.

PS he hit me once and thought it was funny. So did I....when I realized who it was !
1

grumpyoldman added 16:58 - Dec 9
Monkeyalan I am a realist, things I post here on facts, since left us he has achieved nothing of note, the way he was dismissed was disgusting we all agree but that does not change the facts
1

spanishblue added 17:00 - Dec 9
I'm going to name 4 fantastic managers 1 I hate ( can't help it he wears red & black),Sir Alf Sir Bobby,Sir Alex and the one & only Brian Clough, now I'm pretty sure they all fell out big time with players, doesn't any good manager
2

spanishblue added 17:01 - Dec 9
I'm sure most have heard the Bobby Robson one with the hard man from Ipswich
0

blue86 added 17:02 - Dec 9
Grumpyoldman, let's clear one thing up though, Jim's sacking was the harshest and least deserved of any town manager since Evans took over, that is a FACT.
6

dugoutdave added 17:25 - Dec 9
Brendanward 35: "Our club shafted this guy big style" from what I
had heard it wasn't the club's shafting which was the problem!

But hey ho all in the past now
0

Westy added 18:00 - Dec 9
Should never had been replaced. Never finished lower than 8th and played some great football. A never say die attitude.
2

grumpyoldman added 18:17 - Dec 9
Blue86 If you read my second post I agree that it was disgusting, suggest you check again. But it still does no change the fact that since he left he has achieved nothing note.
2

Dissboyitfc added 18:48 - Dec 9
well said Blue86.... Jims record since he left us means nothing, he was doing a better job than any of those that followed him into the hotseat, he may have gone onto better things with us, who knows but his record after leaving us is no indicator as to what he would have achieved here!

LEGEND!
2


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