COLIN BELL, WHO’S managed Ireland’s women’s national team for the past two years, is leaving the position to take up a coaching role with Huddersfield Town.
Bell will start work immediately as an assistant to Jan Siewert, who oversaw the Terriers’ relegation from the Premier League.
The news is a big setback for Ireland’s WNT, who finished third behind Norway and the Netherlands in their World Cup qualification group.
“Colin has done a fantastic job in his time with Ireland and I want to thank him for that,” says FAI High Performance Director, Ruud Dokter. “He has introduced new players to international football and brought our team to a new place.
“The World Cup qualifying campaign saw him bed in his ideas very quickly and the players responded with high level performances. His passion, commitment and desire to develop women’s football in Ireland was exemplary and I wish him well at Huddersfield. The challenge now for the new management and the players is to qualify for the European Championships.”
Ireland begin their Euro 2021 qualification campaign in September.
“Colin did extremely well with the Women’s National Team and while we didn’t want to see him go, I wish him the very best in his new role and for the future,” added FAI General Manager for Football Services and Partnerships, Noel Mooney.
“We will now commence the process of finding a top-class head coach to replace Colin ahead of the European Championship qualifying games which kick-off in the autumn.”
Jan Siewert explained that former Dynamo Dresden coach, Bell, helped him earlier in his career.
“I’m so happy to be able to welcome Colin to Huddersfield today,” Siewert said. “He has a fantastic reputation in Germany as a top-quality coach, that he’s really earned. He’s been a head coach, a supporting coach and the head of Academies at very high levels and can offer us so much.
“We first met when he was at TuS Koblenz and he was a big help to me early in my coaching career. We’ve kept in touch ever since and I’m delighted he has accepted the offer to come and help us here at Huddersfield Town.”
