Full name Patrick Sweeney 1991–1993 Keadue Rovers Position Midfielder Years Team Height 1.78 m | Playing position Role Football player Place of birth Ireland Name Patrick Sweeney | |
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Date of birth (1976-06-03) 3 June 1976 (age 39) | ||
Patrick (Paddy) Sweeney (born 3 June 1976 from County Donegal) is an Irish football manager (coach) who played professionally for a number of teams in Europe and in the United States (playing in over 400 senior games). He has worked under Anthony Hudson (footballer) as an assistant since 2010 beginning in the USL Second Division and then with the Bahrain national under-23 football team. Hudson had unprecedented success with the U-23 National team and was then promoted to senior Bahrain national football team manager in August 2013. Anthony Hudson is now the New Zealand national football team manager, and Sweeney and Hudson continue to work closely together. Most recently, Sweeney was brought in by Hudson for the New Zealand national training camp held in Belfast, Northern Ireland and Dublin, Ireland in preparation for the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia. New Zealand played Northern Ireland in Winsor Park and Irish league side Cabinteely FC in Dublin before arriving in St. Petersburg, Russia for the tournament.
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Ireland
Sweeney began his career with storied Irish amateur club Keadue Rovers F.C. (founded in 1896). He was then chosen to play for Donegal youths and Ulster schools select teams. He signed his first senior contract in 1993 at the age of 18 for Finn Harps F.C. of the League of Ireland First Division under manager Patsy McGowan. He played there from 1993–1994 and then signed with Sligo Rovers F.C. of the League of Ireland Premier Division under manager Tony Fagan. Sweeney played with Sligo Rovers F.C. from 1995–1999 and was a member of the first team squad that won the League of Ireland Cup in 1998. During those years he was also managed by Nicky Reid the former Manchester City F.C. fullback.
United States
Sweeney then moved to the United States and played two seasons (1999–2000) for Milligan College in Johnson City, TN. During the 1999 season, the team won its first TVAC Conference Tournament Championship in its 30-year history. Sweeney was awarded the Golden boot with 14 goals and the Silver boot with 8 assists that season for a total and team high of 36 points in 20 games, from the center midfield position. He was also named the Dominican College, N.Y. Player of the Tournament. In 2003 Sweeney signed for the Northern Virginia Royals of the USL Pro Select League playing that season with US international goalkeeper Troy Perkins. In 2004, he scored in the season opener against Harrisburg City Islanders. Sweeney tore his ACL in 2005 and then returned to play with the St. Pete Aztecs, an amateur team playing in the USASA-affiliated Florida Suncoast Soccer League from 2006–2008. Sweeney was a part of the Aztecs team that won the Presidents Cup State Division 1 Championship in 2006. In 2010 Sweeney signed professionally again with the Real Maryland Monarchs of the USL Second Division as a player/assistant coach under manager Anthony Hudson (footballer). The team also included US youth international Israel Sesay and full international players: Mason Trafford (Canada), Hamed Diallo (Ivory Coast) and Joel Senior (Jamaica).
Coaching
Sweeney began his coaching career in 2001 with the Azalea Youth Soccer League in St. Petersburg, FL. He was the Director of Coaching there from 2007 to 2010. In 2005, he earned his USSF B License and the following year earned his USSF A License. In 2008, he began coaching with Gerry Lucey as an assistant for the Tampa Spartans women’s program winning the Sunshine State Conference tournament in 2010 and 2011, and the NCAA South Region championship in 2011. In 2010, he worked under head coach Anthony Hudson (footballer) as an assistant for the Real Maryland Monarchs a men's professional team in the USL Second Division. In 2011 Sweeney completed a FIFA coaching course in collaboration with the U.S. Soccer Federation. He also coached Team Calvary to a third-place finish in the United Soccer Leagues Major Beach Soccer national finals. Team Calvary included US International player Yuri Morales and Senagalese international and Bundesliga player Louis Gomis. From 2012–2014 Sweeney was the Technical Director for the Clearwater Christian College men's soccer program. In 2015 Paddy Sweeney was also an assistant coach for the St. Pete Raiders men's semi-professional team. The Raiders are an affiliate of West Ham United F.C. of the English Premier League and they played in the Champions Soccer League. In 2016 Sweeney was an assistant to Gerry Lucey at the Long Island Rough Riders. Sweeney also holds a bachelor's degree in Sports Management from Columbia Southern University.
Bahrain National Team
In late 2012, Sweeney again teamed up with Anthony Hudson (footballer), head coach of the Bahrain national under-23 football team and Olympic team in the Kingdom of Bahrain in the Middle East. He assisted Hudson in a national team camp in preparation for a 2013 GCC national team competition. In August 2013, the team, led by Hudson, went on to win its first ever gold medal by winning the U23 Gulf Cup of Nations, beating Saudi Arabia in the final. On August 13th Hudson was promoted to Head Coach of the senior Bahrain national football team. Sweeney and Hudson continue to work closely together.
New Zealand National Team
In October 2016 Paddy Sweeney was brought in by Anthony Hudson for the New Zealand National Team training camp held in the United States during the FIFA window. The team spent a week training at Vanderbilt University in preparation for the games against Mexico and the United States. The 'All Whites' played the Mexican National team in Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN losing 2–1 and followed that up with a 1–1 tie against the US National team in RFK in Washington, DC. In June 2017, Sweeney was with the New Zealand national team in a week long training camp held in Stormont, Belfast. This led up to a game in Winsor Park against Northern Ireland. Following this game the team trained in Blackrock, Dublin and played a match against Irish league side Cabinteely FC before flying out to Russia for the 2017 Confederations Cup.