“Football is a funny old game,” a famous quote by one of the game’s greats, Jimmy Greaves, could never be more true than today.
Derry City chairman Philip O’Doherty.
Only last month, Derry City fans were cheering on Declan Devine’s side against Sligo Rovers in the FAI Cup quarter-final. However, the Candy Stripes failed to overcome Rovers in their own back yard.
Since then Devine has parted company with his home town club and Derry fans will be roaring Rovers on to defeat Drogheda United in this afternoon’s FAI Cup final in the Aviva Stadium in knowledge a win for Sligo will guarantee Europa League football at the Brandywell next season.
Europa League football will no doubt make Derry a better attraction for managers looking to take on the challenge European opponents next season.
Derry chairman Philip O’Doherty is playing his cards close to his chest but has revealed there are ten candidates interested in replacing Devine as team boss at Brandywell. Also revealing there had been interest from across the Irish Sea, he stressed the club would not be rushed into making an appointment.
The fact Mr O’Doherty revealed there had been cross-channel interest has fuelled speculation that former Derry boss, Pat Fenlon, who resigned as team boss at Scottish Premier club Hibernian on Friday, could return to the Brandywell club who he quit in May 2007 after only five months in the job.
Drogheda boss Mick Cook has revealed he is one of the ten as today’s clash will be his last in charge at Honky Dory Park.
Athlone Town boss Roddy Collins, former Derry City skipper and Brandywell favourite Peter Hutton, who quit Finn Harps last month, is also believed to be in the frame, as is ex Coleraine and former Kilmarnock boss Kenny Shields.
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