FORMER IRELAND INTERNATIONAL Stephen McPhail is set to leave Shamrock Rovers after nine years as the Hoops’ sporting director.
The news of McPhail’s Tallaght exit was first reported by the Irish Examiner on Friday morning, and confirmed by The 42.
McPhail departs following a run of historic success for Rovers under manager Stephen Bradley, including a four-in-a-row of league titles from 2020-2023, a European run to the knockout stages of the Europa Conference League in 2024/25, as well as a league/cup double in 2025 — the club’s first since 1987.
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The 46-year-old first joined Rovers in 2014 and finished out the last three seasons of his playing career at Tallaght Stadium, hanging up his boots in 2016 before taking on the sporting director role.
Rovers’ 2025 season came to an end on Thursday night with their final Conference League game, a 3-1 win over Hamrun Spartans which was not enough to see them progress to the knockout rounds for a second successive season.
Stephen Bradley, Shamrock Rovers head coach, said: “When Stephen told me he had decided to step away, my first feeling was one of sadness.
“For the past decade Stephen has helped us achieve unprecedented success domestically and in Europe. The club is losing a brilliant professional and an extremely decent man.
“He has not been just a valued colleague, he has also become a really close friend. I would like to thank him for the incredible job he has done over the past decade.”
Independent Chairman at Rovers, Ciaran Medlar, said: “Stephen has contributed so much to our club over the last 12 years, firstly as a player and subsequently as our Sporting Director.
“He has worked very closely with Stephen Bradley and has been a key part of the success we have achieved in recent seasons.”
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Stephen McPhail to leave Shamrock Rovers after nine years as sporting director
LAST UPDATE | 4 hrs ago
FORMER IRELAND INTERNATIONAL Stephen McPhail is set to leave Shamrock Rovers after nine years as the Hoops’ sporting director.
The news of McPhail’s Tallaght exit was first reported by the Irish Examiner on Friday morning, and confirmed by The 42.
McPhail departs following a run of historic success for Rovers under manager Stephen Bradley, including a four-in-a-row of league titles from 2020-2023, a European run to the knockout stages of the Europa Conference League in 2024/25, as well as a league/cup double in 2025 — the club’s first since 1987.
The 46-year-old first joined Rovers in 2014 and finished out the last three seasons of his playing career at Tallaght Stadium, hanging up his boots in 2016 before taking on the sporting director role.
Rovers’ 2025 season came to an end on Thursday night with their final Conference League game, a 3-1 win over Hamrun Spartans which was not enough to see them progress to the knockout rounds for a second successive season.
Stephen Bradley, Shamrock Rovers head coach, said: “When Stephen told me he had decided to step away, my first feeling was one of sadness.
“For the past decade Stephen has helped us achieve unprecedented success domestically and in Europe. The club is losing a brilliant professional and an extremely decent man.
“He has not been just a valued colleague, he has also become a really close friend. I would like to thank him for the incredible job he has done over the past decade.”
Independent Chairman at Rovers, Ciaran Medlar, said: “Stephen has contributed so much to our club over the last 12 years, firstly as a player and subsequently as our Sporting Director.
“He has worked very closely with Stephen Bradley and has been a key part of the success we have achieved in recent seasons.”
– With reporting by David Sneyd
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League of Ireland Shamrock Rovers Soccer Stephen McPhail