Updated at 12.15
FORMER DERRY CITY boss Roddy Collins has said the personal nature of some of the attacks aimed at his family left him feeling “very upset” following his departure from the club.
Speaking on Newstalk’s Off the Ball, Collins said the abuse had affected his family significantly.
“My kids took a bit of abuse so I had to take them out of school. I can take stick, but when I see my kids and wife taking it, that galls me.
“It was very difficult last week, because the kids were extremely upset and when they’re upset, I’m very upset. They’re my priority.”
Collins was reluctant to go into too much detail about his departure, but absolved Derry chairman Philip O’Doherty from blame, calling him “an honest man” and the “best chairman I’ve ever worked with”.
He called Derry a “fantastic club” but refused to say whether the players had shown him adequate support.
“There are people within the game who have different agendas for their own gain,” he added. “Maybe they’re desperate to stay in the game. And they use whatever influence they have to undermine a manager or assistant manager. They’re the ones that won’t sleep at night. I have no problem sleeping at night.”
He insisted that he had done a reasonable job at Derry under the circumstances, explaining that the side were hampered by a difficult early-season fixture list.
He also suggested his unwillingness to bow to the demands of outside influences may have cost him his job and added that he was keen to continue in football management.
“I have great belief in what I do — I’ll never pick a team on the advice of supporters or the media, and that’s probably the sword I fell on.
“I’m ready to go. I believe I’ve done nothing wrong. I don’t doubt my own ability.
“If an opportunity arrives [in management], I’m ready to go straight back in.”
Don’t understand why this guy gets so much attention – what has he ever achieved ? He must have managed (tried to manage) every team in the country at this stage ….
He won the double with Bohs. That aside, he is a s##t manager. Having said that, there isn’t exactly a massive pool of managers to choose from
Same man who said Paul Cook goes home and batters his wife on live television, hypocrite.
Adam
he said that as a joke on MNS stop making trouble
It’s really not on his family getting abuse, but Roddy would make a better stand up comedian than a football manager and I wish him and his family all the luck .
It’s no coincidence this man has had more jobs than hot dinners, he talks a good game but is eventually found out to be lacking tactically.. But his Rod squad series is TV gold…
To be honest Conor, you’re right, beyond his obvious motivational skill he’s not a great manager. But I can’t help liking the guy, much as I don’t want to!
Biggest Muppet that you could ever meet .
Don’t say things like that he’ll get his brother after ye!!!!
He’s a spoofer
Decent family man. He has not done much good in management since Bohs. Keep him as a pundit. Ego gets in the way.
Roddy doesn’t help himself with his brash nature and outlandish comments. But, in fairness, he won the First Division with Athlone last year and also achieved promotion with Monaghan a few years ago. So he’s still a decent manager at a certain level.
He got such a raw deal from those moron Derry fans who couldn’t stand having a non-derry man in charge. People saying he has achieved nothing, what a phenomenal achievement getting Monaghan promoted, and then a couple of years later getting Athlone promoted. Before Monaghan went bust he was doing fairly well in the top flight, had even knocked Sligo out of the cup. He doesn’t deserve the vitriol he gets.
Stephen Kenny, a Dubliner like Collins, was manager of Derry City for several years and I don’t recall his not being from Derry as an issue. Fans just get disgruntled when they’re not getting the results they expect, IMO.
Julian get a grip……. was stephen Kenny a derry man????
Answer – NO!!!!
Watching his new fly on the wall program is hilarious. Swear to god he has no management skills but is funny out.
I think he would be a great politician
We should never of got rid of him in Athlone Town it was a pleasure to go down to a game while Roddy was manager he brought the good times back and now look where were going straight back down. I would gladly see him back next year.
Ah ud miss him if he was gone though, go on admit it. I think he kinda showed his age a bit in Derry , getting too cautious , thinking too much, happy with survival and not giving it a lash, happens to the best of them. I wish him the best of luck anyway, and I’d say no offence to the current set up but he’d be taken back in Athlone in a heartbeat , and them boys know their football. ..
“Derry chairman Peter O’Doherty”… I think you’ll find it’s Philip O’Doherty.
He looks a bit like luis van gaal in that pic! Just a little more hair!
Karma Roddy. Ha!
Rowdy is a great. Manager and also a gentleman