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Vinny to stand down at the end of next season Republic of Ireland U15 and U16 manager Vincent Butler has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2008-09 international season after spending the next year working with his successor. Butler will continue as U16 manager until May 2009 and will assist his replacement who is set to take over the U15 side after next month’s international tournament with Northern Ireland and Wales in Belfast “I’m making the announcement now because I think it is very important to have smooth transition between myself and my successor. I probably could have gone one for a few more years but I feel it is important to leave at this stage and not at a point when I am not doing the job properly,” said Butler. Having managed the side for four years in the 1970s and 1980s, Butler returned in 1996 and has been in charge of the U15s and U16s for the last 12 years during which he has seen 18 players go on to become full internationals while 68 have been capped at U21 level. “I have really enjoyed it and there is tremendous satisfaction when one of the players graduates to the senior team. One of the highlights was winning the Montague tournament in 1982 which was the first time an Irish team had won a major under-age tournament. “The under-age international programme has made tremendous progress over the years and the players certainly benefit from the experience of playing against high-quality opposition. More and more of the top countries want to play us and that is a sure sign that we are doing things right.” FAI President David Blood paid tribute to Butler for his excellent contribution to the international programme “Vincent Butler has had a tremendous input into the development of young international players over the past 12 years and set many on the path to careers within the game. Those who haven’t made it would still speak highly of the experience of working with Vincent and his determination to ensure a smooth transition is another example of his thoroughness,” said the Presiden |
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