Shiels is full of praise for Carroll’s approach
Dungannon boss Shiels says former international stopper deserves a key coaching role
“Since I’ve come into Dungannon Swifts as manager, Roy has been superb for me. At 43, he is still a very good goalkeeper and off the pitch he is excellent,” said ex-rangers man Shiels, who has made such a positive impression in his time coaching the Northern Ireland women’s team under dad Kenny.
“His leadership qualities are there and his enthusiasm rubs off on the other players. He has that desire and winning mentality that never leaves you no matter what age you are.
“You can’t have enough people like that in the changing room and I’m sure the goalkeepers in the Northern Ireland squad will enjoy working with him.”
Just last month, Carroll was unveiled as part of the coaching staff for new Northern Ireland Under-17 and Under-19 manager Gerard Lyttle, along with former international team-mate Gareth Mcauley and ex-linfield buddy Andy Waterworth.
Lyttle is taking his first training camp with the Under-19 group this week, and Northern Ireland Under-21 caretaker manager Andy Crosby has also brought his squad together in Belfast.
Liverpool goalkeeper Hughes was originally in the Under-21 training squad but has been promoted to Baraclough’s senior side.
• THE English Football League remains hopeful that this season’s Carabao Cup final can be played in front of fans.
Next month’s Wembley match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur was not on the Government’s original list of potential pilot events, in line with Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s roadmap out of lockdown.
The FA Cup final, which is down to be played three weeks later on May 15, is to be used as a test event, and the EFL has been campaigning for its showpiece final to also have fans present on April 25.
A decision could even come this week and, were it to get the green light, Government restrictions would limit the attendance at the Carabao Cup final to a maximum of 10,000.
And it is said that the EFL is confident it can safely deliver a final with supporters in the stadium.
However, it is also understood that there remains a doubt over whether City fans would be allowed to travel from Manchester to London due to the coronavirus restrictions.
ROY Carroll has been called into the Northern Ireland senior squad to act as goalkeeping coach for the World Cup games with Italy and Bulgaria and the friendly against the USA.
The move has prompted Carroll’s club boss at Dungannon Swifts, Dean Shiels, to declare that he would like to see the ex-manchester United man as the future head of goalkeeping in this country.
Carroll (43) was due to be part of the Northern Ireland Under-19 training camp in Belfast this week but manager Ian Baraclough
has brought him into the senior ranks with regular goalkeeping coach Steve Harper unavailable for the triple header, starting away to Italy on Thursday.
The Irish FA said Harper has club commitments with Newcastle United.
Fermanagh man Carroll, who won 45 caps and was a huge favourite with the Green and White Army during his international playing days, will use his experience to coach Burnley’s Bailey Peacock-farrell, Celtic’s Conor Hazard, Nathan Gartside from Derry City and 19-year-old Liverpool ace Liam Hughes, who was drafted into the squad yesterday.
New Dungannon supremo and ex-northern Ireland star Shiels says: “It is brilliant for Roy to work with the senior side. Since Roy came home, he has put a lot of work into goalkeepers in this country and he travels the length of Northern Ireland to help goalkeepers.
“He deserves the chance to be the head of goalkeeping in this country. I think that’s the future for Roy as he can pass on his experience and he is great with young players.
“With the way the game is changing now, there has to be a focal point for goalkeepers and how they are coached. Things aren’t the way they used to be in the coaching of goalkeepers and Roy is the ideal man to take something like that forward.”
While all at Dungannon are proud to see Carroll in the full international set-up, the downside for Shiels is that the exwigan, West Ham and Derby County No.1 is unavailable for the Stangmore Park outfit’s league fixture at home to Crusaders tonight, Saturday’s trip to Ballymena and next Tuesday’s home tie with Glenavon.