O’Connor appointed First Team Head Coach of CK United
Tom O'Connor has been appointed as first team coach of CK Utd
Late last year, CK United announced that they had been accepted to be part of the new Third Tier and with the news that Buckley Park is imminent, it was only a matter of time before they announced a manager as they prepare to compete in the new National League in August. On Saturday night, the club teased a huge announcement of a Head Coach and to keep an eye on their socials at 11am this morning. The announcement came right on time and it was Tom O’Connor who was announced as the man who will be leading the first ever senior team at CK United for the coming season.
O’Connor joins after leaving Shamrock Rovers where he was Academy Head Coach for the past two years. He was previously Academy Head Coach at Wexford. He spent seven years at Bray where he was U19’s Manager as well as interim First Team Coach. He was also U19’s manager at Wexford at a time where several Carlow League players were coming through.
“We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Tom O’Connor to the club as our new First Team Head Coach. Being able to bring in our first-choice candidate, and someone with the experience Tom has, is a huge boost for everyone involved with the club,” Sporting Director Shane Dunphy said in a statement on social media.
“Tom has worked in both first-team and academy setups with Wexford FC, Shamrock Rovers and Bray Wanderers. It’s really important to us that he has experience at both senior and youth level, as he has a strong passion for developing players through the academy system, which is something we place great value on at this club. From speaking with Tom, it’s clear that he shares our vision and ambition for where we want to take the club, and we’re really looking forward to working with him as we head into what promises to be a historic season for us," he added.
In the statement released, O’Connor said that he was looking forward to getting going.
“It’s a new league and an opportunity to build the right way.
"Having met with the key stakeholders at the club, including Sporting Director Shane, it was clear this was the right move. The club’s core values and long-term goals align closely with my own.
"Academy progression is of huge importance, but junior players will also be very much part of the picture. The aim is to give local players opportunities and put a team on the pitch that represents CK United, its core values, and the area properly.
"I’m excited to start in the role, it’s an opportunity I’ve been waiting for, and I’m ready to show what CK United can bring to the growing structures of senior football in the National League,” he said.
