Nov 19,2024
Ruaidhri Higgins' exit as Derry City manager may have been expected after a disappointing end to their season but the former Candystripes manager should take pride from his spell in charge, according to Paul Corry.
On Friday, Derry and Higgins confirmed their parting of ways by mutual consent, five days after a 2-0 defeat to Drogheda United in the Sports Direct FAI Cup final which itself had followed a fourth-place finish in the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division.
On Monday evening, the club confirmed Larne manager Tiernan Lynch as his successor.
While Higgins' tenure may have ended on a sour note, former UCD, Shamrock Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Corry believes the 40-year-old should be satisfied with what he was able to achieve prior to this season, highlighting the 2022 FAI Cup triumph and back-to-back runner-up finishes in the league.
Speaking earlier on Monday, before Lynch's appointment as manager, Corry also sympathised with Higgins over the difficulties he had to endure off the pitch.
"If you think of the collapse within the league, the performance in the FAI Cup final and then also how they exited Europe early on, I would say that took quite a toll on Ruaidhri.
"And obviously, it's been well documented some of the challenges that he's had in his personal life - losing his brother. I can imagine the mental turmoil that he's had to go through over the last year or so has been very difficult to manage while trying to keep hold of the expectations of what is a huge club.
"So I think he can walk out with pride (with) the FAI Cup win and finishes in the league. It was just getting over the line that he didn't seem to be able to get that extra gear out of the squad.
"There were so many opportunities this year when Shels dropped points, that they weren't able to push on forwards."
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