Foster eager to impress at Terryland

IAN Foster’s fast-track into management has come as a welcome delight after a “turbulent” two days for the 32-year-old Englishman.

The former Galway United assistant manager was handed the club’s top job today on the back of the shock resignation by Irish international Jeff Kenna, who has since taken up the managerial role at St Patrick’s Athletic.

Foster was set to return to his dual assistant manager and physiotherapist role as Kenna’s right hand man for the impending season, but instead takes on his first ever managerial post after signing a two-year contract with the club following a meeting with the board this afternoon.

Speaking exclusively to extratime.ie the Scouser revealed his delight at being offered the position.

“I'm really pleased the board has given me the opportunity to be manager,” Foster said. “It's a massive step and it's come much earlier in my career than I thought it would. But obviously with the situation with Jeff going to Pats that's what happened."

“I've been offered a two-year contract with Galway United and I'm delighted to be offered the contract. I didn't have to think about it at all.”

A former player with Liverpool, Hereford United, Chester City and Kidderminster Harriers, Foster has been at Terryland Park as assistant manager since last April. Although a qualified physio, a taste of management made him re-think his future though, deciding this may be his desired career path.

“I had a clinic in England , but I think I’ve got the heart for coaching now,” he said, speaking in an interview last season during Galway’s epic climb out of relegation danger.

“It’s always something I can fall back on though, but you want to be on the training ground and you want to be kicking footballs about, so the longer I can do that the better.”

Galway United’s sole player announcement at present is winger Derek O’Brien, who returns from St Pat's after he was forced across to the Inchicore club during United’s mid-season monetary crisis last year.

“Obviously I know what Derek's about and the situation when we sold him to Pats, we were in all sorts of trouble last year,” Foster said. “But I know what he's about and he knows what I'm about and we're delighted to have him back at the club.”

He could not confirm any further signings late today, but said they were likely to be forthcoming tomorrow and was thrilled to have O’Brien’s name inked in.

“I only started speaking to the players last night (Wednesday) and even then that wasn't as manager, so I'm speaking to them again tonight and hopefully we'll get that sorted,” he said.

Foster said that pre-season training will start on the week commencing January 26 and that a training camp in Ireland has been organised. “There's plenty to do, I'm just trying to get the players sorted and get pre-season sorted. The training schedule is pretty much done so we'll just go from there now.”

Pre-season friendlies will also be announced shortly in an intensive campaign in the build-up to the start of the new Premier Division in March.