Linfield Women appoint familiar face as new manager
New Linfield boss Ryan McConville
Ryan McConville has been handed a sensational return to Linfield Women six years after leaving the club.
The Blues have turned to their former three-time league title winning manager as their choice to succeed Phil Lewis, who parted company with the club at the end of the 2023 Women’s Premiership season and confirmed the appointment in a brief statement.
McConville is steeped in the women’s game, both in Northern Ireland and further afield, first managing in the Irish League with Newry City Ladies before his first spell at Linfield, where he was a serial winner, guiding the Blues to those three league titles as well as Irish Cup, League Cup and County Antrim Cup success
After that headed to the USA, Russia and China before taking charge of Scottish top flight club Forfar Farmington and the then spent a short spell in Kenya.
As well as holding roles at Warrenpoint Town and Larne McConville returned to the women’s game in Northern Ireland two years ago with Sion Swifts Ladies. He then had a spell in charge of Derry City Women during the 2022 campaign before taking the reins at Lisburn Ladies earlier this year.
Linfield have now tasked McConville with reviving the club’s fortunes after going four seasons without winning a trophy in what has been a transitional period for Blues.
The new manager will have a talented squad at his disposal, with a number of Northern Ireland under-19 internationals impressing at times during the season just finished, when they were fifth in the league.
Sion Swifts Ladies are also in the hunt for a manager after the departure of Tony McGinley and there is also now a vacancy at Lisburn Ladies after McConville’s move.
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