Athletics: Stephen Maguire is hardly the most recognisable face or name even within Irish athletics, but if first impressions are anything to go by then the sport is in safe hands for at least the next three years. Athletics Ireland yesterday introduced Maguire as their new director of coaching, while also announcing former Olympic sprinter Gary Ryan as their new director of development.
Both are key positions established under the new blueprint for the sport, approved last December, with Maguire's responsibilities particularly important. Essentially he's charged with raising standards across Irish athletics, which is probably easy done for a man who describes himself as having a "lunatic" passion for the sport.
"I'm very, very excited about this job," said Maguire at a press briefing in Dublin. "But also a little scared. When I was offered the position at the weekend I was elated, but then you realise you need to deliver. So everything I've been saying over the past year, about what needs to be done and all that, well now I have to put my money where my mouth is.
"But this is not a solo run. I'm just representing all the coaches already out there, and will definitely be calling on all the experience we already have. And I firmly believe in the coaches we have in this country. We've already shown that we have coaches here that can deliver on a world level, just recently with Jim Kilty's work with Derval O'Rourke."
The 42-year-old from Strabane in Tyrone starts into a three-year contract, but has already been operating as the interim director of coaching. While initially assisting existing coaches at club, schools and individual level, he'll also oversee the new part-time event coaches (in sprints, endurance, jumps, throws and walks) and the five regional coaches.
"One of the first things I want to do is get out around the country," he added, "and speak to coaches working with a range of athletes, and work on their needs, then put together a package they're happy with, while continually raising the standard. But I also believe in the whole philosophy of a personal coach, because a coach-athlete relationship is so important.
"So I'll be calling on a lot of our more experienced coaches for help, such as Kilty, Drew Harrison and John Stacey, and bring them on board in whatever way I can."
It helps that Maguire is going into the sport at a good time. Despite the poor showing at the World Championships in Helsinki last summer, O'Rourke's success in at the World Indoor Championships in Moscow earlier this month has added to the anticipation surrounding the European Championships in Gothenburg next August.
"I think I'd be overly optimistic if I said someone like Derval could appear on a regular basis, but what is exciting is that six months ago no one could have thought Derval would have won a world title.
"So I'm absolutely sure we do have the athletes that can contribute on the world stage. And the bottom line is this country likes to see medals in major championships. We're lucky that we have a European Championships this year, where we have the biggest Irish team. I think we will have athletes that can compete very well out there.
"And the Olympic Games is still where everything is measured. And I don't think Beijing is too early for all these changes to take effect. Maybe for some of the younger athletes, but certainly London 2012 is something we can all be excited about."
Ryan's role as director of development is the first full-time position of its kind. The Nenagh sprinter, who competed in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics and is still the joint Irish record holder over 100 metres (10.35 seconds) shares Maguire's passion for his role. "I'm really looking to work with the grassroots of the sport," said Ryan.
