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Plum job for Buncrana trainer
14.10.08
Gallanagh to coach
Heineken Cup Champions
by Simon McGeady, Inishowen
Independent
IT'S NOT every job offer that makes you give up
plans of starting a new life in Australia, but then
senior fitness coach with the reigning Heineken Cup
champions isn’t your run of the mill post.
Joey Gallanagh was on holiday in Argentina with his
Buncrana wife Angela in July when he got the offer
by text. In May the former Wigan Warriors fitness
coach handed in his notice at Wigan Athletic
football club after four seasons with the Premier
League side.
He then embarked on an extended tour of South
America with Angela and then intended to move to
live in Australia.
“We wanted a new way of life and a new challenge, so
I handed in my notice at Wigan Athletic. There would
only be a few jobs in [sport] that I would have been
prepared to come back to this part of the world for
and when I heard Munster wanted me it was an was an
easy choice.”
Gallanagh got the chance through his rugby
connections. |
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The old fitness coach
at Munster moved into a development role in the
summer and Paul Derbyshire, another Munster trainer
who Joey knew from his days at Warrington [Rugby
League] brought up his name.
The 36 year old did a conference call interview from
the top of a mountain in Bolivia at the end of July
and, after finding out he’d got the job, returned to
Ireland in |
August, before starting
work in Limerick in the middle of September.
Gallanagh has been getting to know his new team over
the last few weeks, as well as his new hometown.
“I’ve been living down here [Limerick] since the
start of September. Last week my wife came down to
join me,” said Joe, who was raised in Perth,
Australia, and whose father hails from Buncrana and
mother from Wexford.
Each week Joey, who signed a two-year contract with
Tony McGahan’s side, works on conditioning, speed
and weight training with the Limerick-based Munster
players, such as Paul O’Connell and John Hayes.
Joey has joined the provincial side at an exciting
time, with the newly redeveloped 26,000 capacity
Thomond Park just opened and a match with the All
Blacks on the 18th of November.
“It’s going to be a big year for the club, everyone
is focussed on going one step further and winning
the Magner’s League as well this year.
“New Zealand is going to be a big occasion, but
nobody is focussing on that at the moment, we’ve got
games in the Heineken Cup against Montauban and Sale
in the next couple of weeks to think about.” |
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