No fear of panic for Noel King at basement club Dundalk

New Dundalk boss Noel King insists there’s no sense of panic to his mission of saving the Lilywhites from relegation.

News of King’s appointment, broken on Friday night by the Irish Examiner, continues to reverberate around the Irish game given it’s been 21 years since he’s managed in the men’s club game.

King was 17 years with the FAI leading the women’s, U21s and briefly the senior teams before three successful years at the helm of Shelbourne’s women’s side.

His departure from Tolka Park at Christmas appeared to mark the end of the 67-year-old’s involvement on the senior circuit but a former acquaintance of his from their historical Home Farm era launched an SOS call last week.

Brian Ainscough has endured a rocky road to his spell as Dundalk owner, dismissing manager Stephen O’Donnell after a winless eight-game start to the season.

They remain rooted to the foot of the table after a further three matches without victory under the caretaker tutelage of Brian Gartland and Liam Burns, placing the onus on King to oversee a revival.

Automatic relegation is the consequence for finishing last in a 10-team league with second-from-bottom required to navigate the playoff system which Cork City failed to last year.

King took charge of his first training session on Monday, designing a plan of action for a 10-day blitz of games.

That consists of back-to-back on consecutive Fridays against trailblazing pair Bohemians and Shelbourne before what’s being framed as a six-pointer lunchtime derby at Drogheda on the May bank holiday Monday.

“There's enough games left to make an impact without being panicky,” he said about the 36-match season which will reach the one-third stage when they welcome the Gypsies on Friday.

“I've watched