Shelbourne FC Appoints Keith Long As New Academy Director | OneFootball

Shelbourne FC is delighted to announce the appointment of Keith Long as the club’s new Academy Director. Keith brings a wealth of League of Ireland experience and a proven track record of developing elite young talent.

In his new role, Keith will oversee the strategic direction, coaching structures, and player pathways across all of Shelbourne’s academy teams, both boys and girls, to striving for best practices and developing a clear pathway from academy football to the first teams.

Boasting a managerial career spanning over a decade, as well as 230 senior appearances in the League of Ireland as a player, Keith has earned a reputation as a motivator, a tactician and a critical thinker when it comes to Irish football. Speaking on his new appointment Keith said, “I am delighted to be joining Shelbourne Football Club. I am excited by the opportunities and the challenges that lie ahead of me. I believe that this role is a critical one in any football club and I am really looking forward to working with the coaches and the players. Our aim is to create development pathways for the players’ careers and to build upon the good work that already exists in the Shelbourne Academy.”

On the opportunities presented by the Government’s investment in League of Ireland academies, Keith said: “Government support is a significant opportunity for the club, but success won’t simply be measured by additional staff or resources. It will be measured by the standards we establish. We are at the start of what I believe is an exciting journey for Irish football. The Government investment gives clubs a real opportunity to raise the standards within our academies and to create better environments for our players and coaches.”

Speaking on Keith Long’s appointment, Shelbourne FC Technical Director Luke Byrne said, “Keith brings a huge amount of experience to the role of Academy Director. He has extensive experience across the professional game and a strong record of identifying and developing talent. I am personally looking forward to working closely with Keith day-to-day as we aim to implement our long-term vision for the Shelbourne Academy.”

Shelbourne FC CEO Tomas Quinn added, “The Academy is a critical part of the long-term strategy and success of Shelbourne Football Club. Our ambition is to build an academy that has a lasting impact across the club, creating the environment, structures and pathways that allow young players to develop and ultimately progress into our men’s and women’s first teams.

“Keith’s appointment is an important step in that process. His experience and understanding of the League of Ireland will be hugely valuable as we continue to strengthen the Academy and raise standards across every area of its operation. We are delighted to have Keith leading this work and look forward to seeing the impact he can make across the club in the years ahead.”

This role is funded through the League of Ireland Academy Investment Programme, supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and by Sport Ireland. Shelbourne FC would like to thank Minister Patrick O’Donovan and Minister Charlie McConalogue for their support in helping the Club in this invaluable appointment.