Kidney Chosen For Manager Of The Year Honour
Declan Kidney has been named the Philips Sports Manager of the Year for the second year running, having guided Ireland to their first Grand Slam in 61 years and completed an 11-match unbeaten run over the past twelve months.
The award also honoured Declan Kidney for helping Ireland ‘A’ win the Churchill Cup for the first time last summer. It is the third Philips Sports Manager of the Year accolade for the Corkman.
He was previously singled out for his efforts in overseeing Munster’s historic Heineken Cup triumphs in 2006 and 2008.
Kidney, who was recently named the IRB Coach of the Year, beat off stiff competition from Republic of Ireland soccer manager Giovanni Trapattoni, Kilkenny hurling manager Brian Cody and Sea the Stars trainer John Oxx to take the coveted Philips Sports award.
Accepting the award at a ceremony in Dublin, he said: “I would see it as a reflection of the team. We’d 50 odd players involved with the Churchill Cup, the Six Nations and the November series and in the management team there are 18 people so I’m just lucky to be sent out to collect the trophies.”
Kidney is the third Ireland head coach to win the Philips Sports award after Mick Doyle in 1985 and Eddie O’Sullivan in 2004.
Related Links –
Kidney Wins IRB Coach Of The Year Award
Kidney Crowned Philips Sports Manager Of The Year