LJMU graduate Jim McGuinness is set to try his hand in a new sport after accepting a role as a performance consultant at Glasgow Celtic FC.
Donegal Gaelic Athletic Association manager McGuinness will be joining the club to help with the development of players and will also be continuing his position with Donegal GAA.
McGuinness has become the first GAA manager to have been offered a role at a professional sports team outside Ireland and the opportunity was evidently too great for the Glenties man to turn down.
McGuinness, 40, told JMU Journalism how his LJMU degree set him on his current path: “My background is obviously in sports science and in psychology, and that’s transferable to any sport. It is, without a doubt, a great opportunity for me in terms of my own personal coaching development.
“But it will also benefit Donegal Gaelic football because I will be learning new skills in a professional environment.”
McGuiness had been heavily linked with a similar role at Liverpool after reportedly catching manager’s Brendan Rodgers’ eye with his impressive tactical approach to sport and his development strategies for young athletes.
McGuinness transformed an underachieving Donegal side into the best team in Ireland in just two years, securing their first All-Ireland title in two decades in the process.
This year, Donegal defeated Mayo in the All-Ireland Gaelic Football Final, a game that Celtic manager Neil Lennon was present at. “We are delighted Jim has agreed to join us,” said Lennon. “He is a first-class coach and manager and a high-quality individual who has achieved so much already in sport.”
McGuinness, who has a Master’s degree in Sports Psychology from LJMU, was a guest at Parkhead last week as Celtic defeated Barcelona in the Champions League.