Enniskillen Town United’s new manager Ryan Hanna has said he’s ‘excited’ about a ‘new chapter’ with his boyhood club.
Town announced the news of his appointment on Facebook last night (Wednesday), saying:
“Enniskillen Town Utd are delighted to welcome Ryan back to the club to begin a new chapter as 1st team player-manager.
“We wish him every success and we look forward to the season ahead.”
On Monday evening, Hanna’s former club, Tummery Athletic, confirmed that the 35-year-old would be parting ways with them after five seasons in charge. In that time he brought them to their first-ever Mercer League title, kicking off an impressive streak of three titles on the bounce – a winning reign that was only ended by Enniskillen Rangers in a climactic title decider last week.
Following Monday evening’s confirmation that Hanna was leaving, speculation was rife that he was on his way back to Town and that materialised last night (Wednesday).
He will succeed Rory Judge, who recently left the post after 16 years, and Hanna excited by the new challenge of managing his boyhood club;
“In terms of Tummery and leaving there it was a separate decision. I made my mind up a number of weeks ago and because the season went on so long I didn’t want to inform the club and the players because we were still in the mix with a lot of things. So I did that shortly after the season had ended.
“In between times, Enniskillen Town approached me and I was excited about the opportunity.
“I’ve got the bug for coaching, and I’m going to be playing, and I’m excited about the opportunity and accepted it. It all happened very quickly but it wasn’t one going into the other. I was planning to finish with Tummery regardless and see what opportunities came up and this one came up very quickly after.”
Hanna is a Town man at heart, he played for the club since he was knee-high until 2017 when he left to play for Tummery. He won two Mercer Leagues and three Mulhern Cups during his days with Town and coming ‘home’ again felt right in many ways;
“You always have an emotional attachment because you know the fabric of the club, you know the people, you’ve had success in previous years with them as well.
“But it’s a totally different chapter. Rory had a brilliant reign and tenure of 16 years. This is just about starting something new, something different, just try and promote the same principles and ethos and values but it’s just a different person they’re going to have to listen to now, but (I’m) excited by it,” he said.
Hanna will have a meeting with the club in a couple of weeks and hopes to begin preseason at the end of June.
The nature of the role also means managing the availability of players due to their GAA commitments, but this is nothing new to Hanna who had a similar situation with the Dromore club.
“Initially, when I first took over (Tummery) there was a massive pool of players who prioritise Gaelic, and I totally respect that, that’s their prerogative. I think early doors we just accepted that and then when they didn’t have Gaelic they fully committed to what was there.
“It’s just about ascertaining the commitment of players from the outset and once you accept that and you know the boundaries and you know where people stand.
“But, moving forward, to create change you have to make a change and some of these lads maybe sometimes have to compromise a wee bit and I think the lads will be excited about something new, something different as well so that might give them the bug to commit a wee bit more than they have before.”
Hanna intends to look at other players who “don’t have full GAA commitments” in the coming weeks and months and he also plans to speak to Enniskillen Gaels’ manager Simon Bradley to open up the channels of communication.
“I will speak to Enniskillen Gaels management when I settle in and get started. They will be in the thick of the league by that stage as well and might not want to see me coming but I will have a conversation early doors and at least we have the lines of communication open.”
Enniskillen Town’s last trophy came in 2014 when they won the Mulhern Cup but they have not won a Mercer League since 2013 or a Junior Cup since 2007 and they’ll be hoping Hanna’s guidance on and off the field will end that long wait.
Related posts:
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere