Kenny Shiels: How success, controversy and tragedy has shaped Northern Ireland’s history-making manager

As surprising as it was in many ways, Shiels’ appointment by Northern Ireland was perhaps just what he was looking for after a three-year stint as Derry City boss that also ended with him being dismissed.

All went well for the first two seasons before the axe fell after the Candystripes finished just above the League of Ireland top-flight relegation zone in October 2018.

While it may have been engulfed in acrimony by the end, Shiels’ reign at Derry saw him deliver the club’s first piece of silverware in six years by winning the League Cup, and he also guided them to European football in his first two seasons.

It was an off-the-pitch act, though, for which Shiels will be best remembered during his spell at the Brandywell. His inspirational leadership in the days and weeks following the sudden death of club captain Ryan McBride was testament to his compassion for the players and the city.

He delivered a moving and very personal poetic tribute at his late captain’s funeral, which he later revealed in an interview to the BBC that he wrote while sitting in his car before going to see the coffin at the wake.

Shiels’ magnetism for drama may not have fully dawned on Callaghan and co when they did those initial online searches, but every member of the squad has clearly received a huge boost from their manager’s charismatic and endearing personality.

The Irish FA powers-that-be will no doubt have been well aware of the full package that accompanied Shiels, however, and were still prepared to take the risk. It will likely be a long, long time before they next unveil a new manager that delivers success on the scale Shiels has.