FORMER Derry City skipper Patrick McEleney looks set for a sensational return to his hometown club as part of new manager Tiernan Lynch’s backroom team.
McEleney only joined NIFL Premiership side Ballymena United days after City’s FAI Cup final loss to Drogheda United last month but talks are ongoing between the Braidmen and the Candystripes to iron out the finer details of a return to Brandywell which would suit all parties.
McEleney has made no secret of the fact that he wants to get into the coaching side of the game when he decides to hang up his boots and a chance to go straight into senior football looks to be too good an offer to turn down.
In the coming days it’s thought that Larne’s technical director, Andy Mitchell, will also join Derry as first-team coach, with McEleney as his assistant.
The 32-year-old, who had two spells with City as a player, scoring 42 goals during his 303 appearances, is expected to be Lynch’s man in terms of League of Ireland knowledge and what makes the current first-team squad tick, having been in the changing room last season.
McEleney’s former boss, Ruaidhrí Higgins, has always felt that the talented midfielder could follow in his footsteps by turning his hand to management in the years.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if Patrick does go into management in years to come,” Higgins said in 2021.
“I played with him when he was 18/19 and you could see his game intelligence then and when having football conversations with him you can see he loves the game.
“He has fantastic knowledge of the game. He loves the game and he really thinks deeply about it. He has become more of a leader as the years have gone on and it wouldn’t surprise me if he went on to become a coach, assistant manager or manager one day.”
While Lynch wouldn’t be drawn on McEleney’s expected return, he was thrilled to add Northern Ireland international Shane Ferguson to his squad and also insisted more new faces are in the pipeline.
“I’m absolutely delighted to get Shane added to our squad,” insisted the Belfast native.
“It was one of those ones whenever it came on our radar it was a no-brainer, one being a local lad and bringing more players back to Derry and secondly obviously a lad who has unbelievable experience and quality.
“He has 50-odd international caps, played in the Premier League for Newcastle United, so as I said it was a complete no-brainer.
“We are continuing to work tirelessly to add to the squad and I think there’s definitely going to be more signings coming in. There’s lots and lots of work going on in the background.
“There’s certainly areas in the squad that we want to add and strengthen to what we’re doing.”
The Derry gaffer jokingly admitted his wife Andrea is in the middle of his transfer talk in terms of Ferguson’s international team-mate Gavin Whyte joining the club.
“My wife asks me the same question every day in terms of whether we’re close to signing Gavin,” he joked.
“But look jokes aside, we’re believed that everybody and their dog in the country is trying to bring Gavin in and we’re no closer.”
