The Irish Minifootball Association announced earlier this week, the appointment of Lee Kill to the position of Team Manager.
Lee’s first official engagement as Ireland boss will be to oversee his first game at the Irish National 6 a side Championships, where he and his coaching staff will also run the rule over prospective new players ahead of their second crack at miniEURO – which takes place in Israel this autumn.
Now you are the manager of the Ireland Minifootball team tell us a little of your football background, both as a player and coach?
I played until I was 39 when injuries finally told me I had to stop. I took up refereeing and have been fortunate enough to referee at semi-professional level and also in various 6 a side leagues and tournaments over that time. I’ve also managed soccer teams including 6 a side teams so have experience from a few different perspectives which I hope will help to make the Irish team a success.
You must be very proud?
Extremely, it’s a real honour to be given this opportunity and I will put everything into making a success of it.
What of your coaching style? What can the players expect from you?
There’s no shortage of talent so I expect to be able to choose from some great players in all positions. Playing for Ireland is a great honour so motivation shouldn’t be a problem. I’m not a shouter, but hopefully my passion and enthusiasm will rub off.
And your playing style? What can we look out for?
I like to see attractive, entertaining football but also a good strong defence. Conditions will be hot in Israel so it will be important to measure our approach and take this into account.
And your aims for later on in the when the focus will naturally turn to miniEURO?
It will be a fantastic opportunity to test ourselves against the very best teams in Europe. It’s a great challenge and one I’m really looking forward to.