It is the end of an era in the Irish National team setup as Head Coach Andy Ryan steps down from his role following five years at the helm.
After taking on the role in 2017, Ryan was an integral part of the Irish setup that saw multiple world and continental champions crowned. During his time as head coach, Ireland had some standout moments, including topping the medal table in the junior ranks at the 2018 European Championships.
This past year, the National side continued to flourish, with Nadine Abbott-Bissett winning a World Championships gold medal before a squad travelled to Bahrain, where they took silver in the inaugural MMA SuperCup.
The Team Ryano Head Coach was also involved in sending Ireland’s first youth team to the IMMAF Youth World Championships, aiding the next generation of talent to showcase their abilities and test themselves on the international stage.
His successor, Kieran Davern, Head Coach of SBG Tullamore, has been a vital part of the IMMAA coaching staff and will look to continue adding to the nation’s success in IMMAF.
In a social media post announcing his decision to step down, Andy Ryan said:
“So, the time has come for me to step down from my position as head Coach for IMMAA. I’ve been privileged to help make some great world champions at all age levels. I took the job in 2017, and my goal was to make our fighters the best in the world. We might be a small country, but I knew our fighters were tough. Since then, I’ve helped a few world European and World Cup champions and medallists to the podium.
“Some highlights for me were the first junior euros in Romania, where we topped the medal table. The first cadet championships were special too, but the big highlight was taking second place in the SuperCup team event. The team was special; they worked and fought hard and did themselves, their clubs and their country proud. It’s time for another coaching team to come in and take it a step forward. A huge thank you to my coaching team who worked with me for the last five years, Danny Corr, Liam Og Griffin, Paddy Holohan, Gerry Polt, Sergey Pikulskiy Danni McCormack, Marlene Griffin and Deano Wade. Best of luck to Kieran Davern, who takes control, he has my full support, and I will be here for support if needed. Thank you, Irish MMA.”
