Jon Daly's dismissal as manager of St Patrick's Athletic brings to an end a tenure that has been, by most objective measures, a rollercoaster.
Just six months into his role, Daly had already etched his name into the club's history books by securing the club’s fifth FAI Cup and finishing third in the league, keeping the Saints in contention for the title until the final games of the season.
Under his stewardship, St Pat's experienced a blend of short-term success and long-term promise, primarily through his instant achievements with cup success and his astute belief in the club’s young players.
Daly's faith in nurturing the club’s young talent saw several academy graduates thrive in the first team, only to move on to clubs in England. While financially beneficial to the players, the club is left receiving only compensation which most likely is only enough to keep the lights on in the academy for another year, if that.
Losing these players left gaping holes in his squad.
These sales, while a testament to the quality of the club's youth setup, did not help Daly’s cause when his future was being weighed up.
I wrote briefly last week about Paul Cook and a glimpse into his recruitment thinking. "You live and die on your recruitment, son" was another regular phrase of his.
The departures of key players like Sam Curtis, Adam Murphy, Dean Lyness, Tommy Lonergan, Mark Doyle, and the on-loan Conor Carthy - all players the club tried to keep hold of - created a void that was challenging to fill.
In particular, the right back issue has been problematic for the team so far this season, with nobody performing consistently in that position since losing Curtis.
Add to that the long-term injury to Tom Grivosti and the niggling issues Joe Redmond has had to contend with this season.
Despite these setbacks, Daly attempted to maintain competitive momentum, though a tough start to the season with new personnel and change of system can be a tough situation to recover from.
Last season's achievements set a high bar, with fans expecting another title challenge this year, sentiments loudly echoed across social media platforms, particularly in pre-season when the club did their recruiting early.
However, the current campaign has been turbulent, with recent form being problematic - the club managing only four points in their last five games and averaging 1.2 points per game in total so far this season, form which suggests a mid-table finish.
This change in leadership comes at a time when St Pat's faces a difficult run of games, including encounters against tonight’s opponents Shamrock Rovers, followed by Derry and Shelbourne.
Results, mixed with these upcoming fixtures, undoubtedly influenced the timing of Garrett Kelleher’s decision to part ways with Daly, in turn, sending a message to the players that change is coming and now is the time to produce to get the club into those European positions before it’s too late.
From joining at the start of the 2022 season until I retired, I have witnessed the club’s big strides first-hand.
Behind the scenes, St Pat's have demonstrated clear signs of ambition. This includes the great work in the community that have led to record attendances, restructuring critical operational roles and directorial roles, and leveraging a state-of-the-art training facility in Abbotstown.
Add to this the excellent work going on in the academy, which has created a clear pathway for young talent to the first team.
In light of these progressive measures, I can see why Kelleher has made the decision to dismiss Daly when he may feel that on-pitch success isn’t matching the ambition and success off the field.
St Pat's have qualified for Europe 13 times out of his 18 years as chairman of the club, including the last three seasons on the spin. Europe is important.
In my view, Daly needed just another transfer window to rectify the on-field issues - an opportunity to reintegrate and stabilise the squad for a resurgence, even if sections of the fanbase have been questioning the impact of the players Daly has recruited in the two windows to date.
My stance might draw criticism from a portion of the supporters, possibly viewed as bias since Daly was the last manager I played under and maybe my opinion is wrapped in bias, but I feel Jon Daly is a good manager and would have got things right.
His managerial abilities were not just about tactics, strategies and his attention to detail but also about building relationships and fostering a supportive environment, which I experienced first-hand during my playing days and through my difficult retirement phase.
St Patrick's Athletic is fundamentally a robust club, well-positioned with the right structures. The decision to relieve Daly of his duties must have been a difficult one, reflecting the challenging nature of football management, where results is the be all and end all.
Looking ahead, the club is prepping to introduce a new manager. The foundation laid by Daly and his predecessors, and the expectations set by the club suggest that it’s an exciting job for a new manager.
I would imagine there is no shortage of CVs being sent to the club.
As we get closer to the halfway point in the league, and with the competitive nature of the season so far which we have seen with newly-promoted sides leaving Tallaght with points, it’s obvious that it’s never been harder to be a manager in the League of Ireland.
It’s also fair to say it’s probably never been harder to run a club in the league, now with the league on the rise, fan expectations and the money at stake in achieving a European spot.
I can only wonder, who would want to be a manager? And who would be brave enough to want to run a club?
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