The son of Cork GAA legend Jimmy Barry-Murphy has been named as the permanent manager of Rochdale. Brian Barry-Murphy had been in a caretaker role with the club since last month, but has now been handed a two-year contract.
Brian had a long playing career in England after leaving Cork City in 1999, taking in stops at a number of English Football League clubs, while also winning a pair of Ireland U21 caps. He joined Rochdale in 2010 after a six-year spell at Bury, before becoming part of the club's coaching staff in 2013.
Despite the club sitting second from bottom in the table, Rochdale have won eight points from the four games Barry-Murphy has been in charge. They are currently level on points with 20th placed Southend, having played a game less. Securing their position in the division will be the goal for the remainder of the campaign.
Your new First Team Manager 🙌💙 #RAFC pic.twitter.com/3gsvFVMzkK
— Rochdale AFC (@officiallydale) April 3, 2019
Rochdale chairman Andrew Kilpatrick had this to say after the appointment:
Brian Barry-Murphy is, without doubt, the right person to take Rochdale forward.
He is young, hungry for success and extremely talented. Brian is held in the highest regard by everyone at RAFC and in the wider football business.
As a Club, we have been overwhelmed by the number of calls that we have received from people within the industry who have had nothing but the highest praise for him.
Brian's father Jimmy Barry-Murphy is of course one of the biggest legends in Cork GAA circles, having won senior All-Ireland titles with the county in both codes. He won a solitary Sam Maguire in 1973, while also winning the Liam McCarthy on five occasions.
Barry-Murphy was also named as an All-Star on seven occasions, twice in football and five times in hurling. He would later go on to manage the county to another All-Ireland hurling title.
What is less remembered about Jimmy Barry-Murphy was his brief soccer career, lining out for Cork Celtic in the late 1960's.
