Billy Dennehy steps down as Kerry FC manager, Conor McCarthy takes over as head coach

Billy Dennehy has stepped down as Kerry FC manager, the club confirmed this morning. Ahead of next season, Dennehy moves into a sporting director role with the League of Ireland First Division club. That was the position Dennehy originally held when the club joined the league.

Dennehy's coaching staff will take over management of the first team, with Conor McCarthy stepping up as head coach, supported by James Sugrue and Del O’Shea, with Shane Guthrie joining as strength and conditioning coach.

Dennehy said the time was right to focus on the overall health of the club rather than concentrate on first team matters. 

“I think now is the best time to move into the Sporting Director role which was the original position that I was coming into the club as. Before the start of last season, things happened so quickly that I was asked to take the manager role of the first team, but it was always the intention to be the Sporting Director and have more of an overview of the whole club rather than one particular area. 

"I’m delighted that James and Conor along with Del, Chris, Ivan, Mark and Shane, all the people that I brought in with me got invaluable experience working at senior League of Ireland level and I’m happy that they are the team that will be taking the day to day control of the first team group.

"To be honest, I’m very proud of the group for the work they put in last year so it was very important for me and the club that we had that continuity of not just young players coming into the first team but also developing a pathway for coaches that can develop within the club and aspire to coach the first team one day. That is something that we will always look to emphasise within the club, the promotion from within and I’m