Former Derry City physio Colum O'Neill joins Stephen Kenny's Ireland back-room team

O’Neill, who worked recently alongside Kenny's Ireland U21 team, will join Limavady native and former Brandywell favourite Ruaidhri Higgins, as the ex-Derry boss confirmed his backroom team.

Ahead of the return to international football in the autumn, Kenny finalised his backroom staff as he counts down to September and UEFA Nations League games against Bulgaria, in Sofia, and Finland, in Dublin.

Ennis native Gary Seery has been appointed Assistant Analyst and makes the step up from the Irish Under-21 squad to work with Head Analyst Ger Dunne. The FAI Development Officer for Offaly, Gary is a UEFA A Licence holder and has also coached with the Clare District League representative side and St Kevin’s Boys Academy.

Danny Miller will join Kevin Mulholland as a Chartered Physiotherapist with the Senior squad for the new campaign with Colum O’Neill and Sam Rice joining the set-up as Athletic Therapists.

The current Dundalk physio, Danny is an Associate Lecturer at University College Dublin and completed his Masters Degree in Manipulative Physiotherapy in 2001 at Curtin University, Perth. He achieved the Musculoskeletal Physiotherapists of Australia Student of the Year Award (Manipulative Therapy) and the Vice-Chancellors Prize for Most Outstanding Research Project.

A graduate from the University of Ulster, O’Neill moves up to his new Athletic Therapist role from a similar position with the Ireland Under-21 squad. O'Neill has also worked as a physiotherapist with Derry, Dunfermline Athletic and Finn Harps.

Like Danny Miller, Termonfeckin native Sam Rice worked alongside Stephen Kenny at Dundalk for four years and with the Irish Under-21 squad for the Toulon Tournament. A graduate of Dublin City University, Sam has studied and worked in Ireland and Australia.

Completing Stephen Kenny’s backroom staff are Shamrock Rovers equipment manager Mal Slattery, on the Equipment and Kit Team where he is joined by Under-21 team kitman Fergus McNally. Mal has also worked with Shelbourne while Fergus has been kit manager with Bohemians and Longford Town.

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