Head Coach Paul O’Reilly to step down from his role at Southern United and Football South

Football South CEO Chris Wright and Head Coach O’Reilly sat down and reflected on the Irish coaches time in the region, the impact he had and also talked in depth about the reasons behind his move.

The Head Coach began by explaining that his decision was made after considering multiple factors. He said: “It’s for lots of reasons to be honest, it’s not one specific thing or one specific moment. I’ve been working with Chris for the last 16 months around the longevity of the club and the bigger picture. We’ve been waiting for lots of things like the New Zealand Football National League review, been looking at how the region has been developing, but overall it is for a mixture of personal and professional reasons as to why I’ve made the decision to step away.

“From a personal perspective I’ve been living here now for five years, I’ve got two young kids, the oldest of which is about to start school, my partner is Irish, we’ve been away from home for five years so that family support is something we’ve constantly been wanting more of around the kids. It’s not getting any cheaper to live in Dunedin unfortunately, especially with a family.” O’Reilly added.

“On a professional perspective, I’m just not sure if the longevity of the role for me is there anymore. Like I said we’ve worked on it lots with the club and Chris, there is extremely big challenges for Southern United as a football club and it’s been a brilliant time for me but those challenges and the pathway ahead is probably not as clear as I would like it to be, especially based off of the National League review, but not just challenges for Southern United I’m sure,” said O’Reilly.

He then went on to explain where the club is at compared to where he would have liked to have take the club.

He said: “We’ve got financial challenges, a big challenge with the player pool and recruitment and I ultimately think putting in place a pathway and putting in a system that’s going to allow the club to progress further, it’s probably got to a stage where between me, Chris and the Board, our visions don’t quite line up. Where I want it to go and where I’d like to take it and what I’d like to do with it, the Board are either not ready to make that jump or aren’t in a position to make that jump because of the budget.”

However, O’Reilly acknowledges that the timing is not great for the club. He explained: “I can only apologise for the timing. I’d of loved to have seen the season out and while I apologise for the timing, I don’t apologise for the decision because ultimately it is what is best for my family.

“I’m going home to Ireland, I’m not jumping ship and going to another club in New Zealand, we are going to go home and get the family support we want. I’ve got a job opportunity waiting at home in Ireland, the timing of which they weren’t really willing to extend the offer, so it was a ‘take the offer and move back right now’ or get to the end of the season and not be as secure,” said O’Reilly.

CEO Wright spoke highly of O’Reilly and the changes he has made since joining Football South and Southern United. He said: “Having Paul here has been an amazing journey, he is someone I have huge respect for, everyone who works with him does too. In terms of a personal relationship it has been one of the most rewarding ones I’ve ever been involved in. There were times where we haven’t always agreed on things but it’s always been healthy and we have always been respectful of each other. We shared the same goals that we want to push and improve the club but unfortunately I have to be the one to say yes and no to the constraints of it.

“Over the last four seasons Paul hasn’t done just an incredible job to make Southern United a high performing, high standards club, the culture is in a really good place but also the youth academy underneath it and the way in which Football South operates in general is all things Paul has pushed onto another level. His passion and energy for the club and the federation has been overwhelming and we hope we can build on what Paul has helped us achieve. I know that everyone from Football South and Southern United wish him all the best in his new role,” Wright added.

When asked what his highlights from his time in Dunedin were, O’Reilly struggled to pick from a vast selection of memories.

“There are so many highlights from my time here but if I had to pick one out it would be last season where we got some positive results against Auckland City. Across those games that was probably the changing point for the belief and the culture of the group in terms of the fact we were playing against the best team in the country and from those performances you thought ‘whoa, we are really making strides here’. There was a genuine belief that we could beat the best team in the country!” Exclaimed O’Reilly.

“Another thing would be, especially this season, seeing the youth and academy players really starting to come through into the first team. While they aren’t still quite ready, they have made huge progress and they are going to be the future of the club. I think the senior players will still have a key role in the club but it’s been a big highlight to see those players starting to make the step up,” he added.

Assistant coach Terry Boylan will success O’Reilly until the end of the season where decisions about who takes the role more permanently will be decided. O’Reilly had some compelling words of wisdom for whoever is to follow him.

He said: “Expect the unexpected. When I arrived we had challenges with nearly everything you could think of, kit, training pitches, player pool and recruitment, expectation of the players, finance and the structures for football in place in the region so it’s a hell of an environment to come in to. But, I think someone coming into that role they are going to come into a real honest group of players. They won’t mind me saying that they aren’t the strongest group of players in the league but I’m not sure you’ll find a more honest group or hard-working group as them.”

To finish off the interview, O’Reilly summarised his thoughts about the club and all who have been involved. He said: “I’m incredibly proud of the club and the team now being competitive and being seen as that club that are in the mix now of ‘can we break top four?’ which, when you think back to four years ago, is unbelievable progress. We are running what I think is a solid club and professional in its approach, but the challenges still exist.

“It is very sad that I am leaving but I feel like I’m leaving it in a better place than it was but also leaving on good terms with the club as well. Nothing ever ends well but I’m not leaving because of massive friction or tension, it’s more so just we haven’t been able to find a solution which has been going on for a long time, it’s not a rash decision,” he added.

“I really want to thank the Board and Chris for giving me the opportunity a few years ago and despite the challenges they were facing and still face they took a punt on saving the club. The other is to the staff – Tom and Zane who worked with the goal keepers, Jim and Deb from Integrated Health Otago and all their physio support, Terry Boylan as my assistant and Stephen Lawless more recently with the S&C support. Thank you to Terry Hibbert and the liaison support he offered and to all the Football South staff that helped with the running and support of things throughout my time.

“A thank you to all the players, ones who played very few minutes all the way to ones who had a big part in the team over my four years. Also, a big thank you to the five players who have had the biggest impact during my time at the club. Liam Little, Garbhan Coughlan, Conor O’Keeffe, Danny Ledwith and Stephen Last – they have all had a huge role to play and I’m grateful. All the players had to endure an environment that has been extremely challenging and a huge commitment, so I thank them for persevering.”

Everyone at Football South and Southern United wish Paul and his family safe travels home and would like to thank him for everything he has done for the federation and the club. #UnitedWeStand