Ian Birmingham: Liam Buckley leaves St Patrick’s Athletic a ‘legend’
St Patrick’s Athletic captain Ian Birmingham has paid a glowing tribute to Liam Buckley after his departure as manager at Richmond Park.
“I think he will be remembered as a legend, to be honest with you,” he said. “He brought success back to the club which they hadn’t had in a long time.
“He’s won a league, two League Cups and the FAI Cup which he’ll never be forgotten for.
“If you looked at social media yesterday, all the Pat’s fans were saying the same, that he will go down in the history of the club.
He was good to me as well so I’ve got a lot to thank him for.
Birmingham said that a big part of Buckley’s legacy is the expansive brand of football with which Pat’s have become synonymous.
“Liam was there seven years and I think he stamped the way Pat’s will play.
“If you ask anybody now, we do pass out from the back, we do play an attractive style of football and I think he has stamped his authority on the club. And I think we will continue to play the same way,” said Birmingham.
“That will probably be imperative in the search (for the next manager), that they do get the right man and that we will play the same style of football that Liam did.
I think fans love that. Even when we could get beaten in a game, we were trying to play the right way and I think the fans appreciate that.
“And the players who are there at the minute, that’s the way they play.”
Birmingham believes the Pat’s managerial job is one of the most attractive in League of Ireland football.
“Without a doubt. It’s a great job. We’ve got a lot of good young players and we need to push on again and get back into Europe.
“It’s up to the club now to go and get the right man to do the job and who they feel can bring the club forward.”
