Former Ireland midfielder lands his first senior manager role

National League side Woking have opted for former Ireland, Celtic, Coventry, Sheffield United, Portsmouth and Notts County midfielder Michael Doyle as their new manager.

Former Ireland international Michael Doyle has landed his first senior management role - with National League side Woking.

Doyle, who was capped in a 2004 friendly win over the Netherlands, worked previously as assistant head coach at Notts County and Forest Green Rovers.

His most recent role was in the academy at Portsmouth, one of his former clubs.

The Dubliner started his playing career at Celtic, where his first-team breakthrough came during a loan spell at Danish side Aarhus.

He spent 10 years over two spells at Coventry City, including a season on-loan at Leeds United, and also lined out for Sheffield United, Portsmouth and Notts County.

In total, he made 866 senior appearances, before taking his first steps into coaching as player/assistant head coach at Meadow Lane.

Doyle, who has signed an 18-month contract, was in the stands last weekend to watch his new team win 2-1 away to Dorking.

He said: “I was glad to be at the game. It was an important result first and foremost after the loss midweek.

“There’s plenty to build on now going into next week and through the remainder of the season.

“Woking is a great Club with a rich history. I’m looking forward to working Ian and the backroom staff, with the players and the people behind the scenes.

“I’m also really excited to grow the Club in the community and help strengthen and grow our bonds with organisations in and around Woking.”

During the final 10 seasons of his playing career, Doyle incredibly captained his clubs to either the play-offs or promotion in eight of those campaigns.

This was noted by Woking chief executive John Katz, who hailed Doyle as the “unanimous choice” after an “exhaustive” search for a new manager.

Katz said: “Michael Doyle is a serial winner and will bring that enthusiasm with him to the changing room and the dugout.

“We had the option to be safe or to be bold, and we took the decision to be bold with this appointment.

“Michael is a young, ambitious, and dynamic manager, and our decision to be bold represents what this Club needs to regain – ambition and dynamism.

“We believe in his track record of success in the Football League, how he wants his Woking team to play, and his plan to move the club forward.”

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