New Derry boss Paddy Tally excited to be back amongst Ulster buzz

Tally and his management team of Paul McIver, Kevin McGuckin and Paul McFlynn were confirmed at last Thursday's meeting of the Derry Co. Board in Owenbeg, the appointment ending a four month search for Mickey Harte's successor.

Tally had spent three seasons as part of Jack O'Connor's Kerry set-up where he tasted All Ireland success in 2022. The Tyrone native had initially agreed to remain with the Kingdom for 2025 but admitted he's delighted to have be back amongst the cut and thrust of Ulster football after one of the best football years the province has ever witnessed.

After 12 months that saw Armagh win the All-Ireland senior football title, Down lift the Tailteann Cup and Ulster counties win Divisions One, Two and Three of the National League, as well as the Ulster University scoring Sigerson Cup success, Omagh CBS lifting the Hogan Cup and Ulster clubs claiming all three of the football club championships (victories which including Glen's historic senior club victory), these are halcyon days for Ulster football and Tally is delighted to be back at the heart of it.

"Ulster's back up there again," smiled the new Derry boss, "The power's definitely swung a bit. If you look at last season, the Ulster teams winning every competition in football across the island last year, from schools football to club football to county football.

"So you have to say that there's a real buzz in Ulster at the moment in football. It's actually great to be back in the middle of it again, back in that competitive arena. I think that the work that's been done across the clubs and schools and the counties is starting to really show.

"I'm excited but for us as a management team, it is really a blank sheet of paper. We're really only starting, but over the next few weeks that'll become more clear to us."

Tally and his team were straight down to work at Owenbeg on Friday morning and said his time with Kerry should provide some insight for the job ahead having faced up to, first, a Ciaran Meenagh managed Derry in the All Ireland semi-final of 2023, before defeating Mickey Harte's Oak Leafers last season at the quarter-final stage.

"It is (a help). In a sort of paradoxical way, you spend the time analysing, studying opposition, watching what they're doing, watching how they're developing, watching their players coming through and identifying players that you may play against later on in the season," added the Galbally club man, "Things like how they play and how they change the game and what they do tactically.

"You do spend a lot of time in the modern day game doing that as a coach. A big part of your job is analysis so I'm not unfamiliar with them (the Derry players) in terms of working against them but I still have to get to know them. I don't know them as players as such, as people.

"And I always say this too; these are people who play football. That's the most important thing for me. Coaches are people who coach, and administrators are people who administer - they're people first.

"Getting to know the players as individuals, as people, is my most important thing and ensuring that those young men who come under my guidance, under our management, will enjoy the process, will enjoy being here."

That connection with players is a relationship at the heart of what Tally is striving to achieve and having worked with a number of the current panel either during his previous stint at Owenbeg under Brian McIver or during his time with St. Mary's College, Belfast, he's has no doubts about the ability and talent with which he is going to be working.

"The first people I spoke to were the players," adds Tally, "The most important thing in all these situations is the players. They are the key to everything. I spoke to a couple of senior players first before I spoke to anybody at length about the job. I needed to see where they were, how they feel things have been, the highs and lows, the good things and the positives, and also the things that haven't been going so well.

"It was a very honest conversation. I've also had the opportunity to coach against them for a few years too so maybe my insight into where they could improve is something I was able to impart onto them as well, something which they maybe wouldn't have been aware of.

"That was a really good few hours spent. Coming out of that I felt a lot better about the prospects of where we could go and what we're going to try and do. That allowed me to move on to speak to the County Board and finally make the decision on the job."

And despite the disappointing end to last season and the negativity which surrounded it, Tally believes there is every reason for optimism having witness first hand how good this squad can be.

"I remember two years ago in 2023 when Kerry played Derry in the (All Ireland) semi-final, the game came down to the last five minutes and Kerry just about got over the line but I remember after the game speaking to Ciarán Meenagh about it.

"The difference between Derry and Kerry that day was just experience. Twelve months earlier, Kerry had been down to the last kick of the game, in the 74th minute against Dublin, Seán O'Shea kicked a free, a monster free to win the game.

"That was the difference between Kerry winning that day against Dublin but also the difference between Kerry winning the following year against Derry. It was just experience of being there (at that stage) more whereas Derry maybe just lacked that experience of being there.

"I also said to Ciarán at that time that the best team we had played all season was Derry. Best coached team, individual talent, condition-wise - they were right up there. So there's no doubt about the ability of the players and the talent that's available here. I have absolutely no doubt about that. That's part of the excitement and the attraction of working with this team, because you know what they're capable of."

Having previously been in charge of Down from 2019 to 2021, the new Derry manager said that vast potential within the Oak Leaf County made the job too good an opportunity to turn down.

"When an opportunity like this comes along, you do realise when you're in this game that I'm in - I've been at it now for 21 years at county level - but an opportunity to come and work with a really, really good team, with good people around it who want to see things done well: you just have to realise that there's a time for it, and this was a time for me personally, so it's just one I couldn't pass up.

"It's really exciting. It feels quite familiar coming back here to Owenbeg. It's been 10 years - 2015 was the last time I was here as a coach - but now to come back as a manager, it's a very exciting prospect for me personally."