New Dundalk manager Filippo Giovagnoli says he won’t tolerate interference in team selection and declared: I’m the boss.
At Oriel Park today, the Italian was officially unveiled as the Lilywhites interim head coach on a three-month contract.
He will be assisted by Giuseppe Rossi while Pro Licence holder Shane Keegan is expected to stay with the club.
Keegan was the opposition analyst under former boss Vinny Perth but Perth’s assistant Alan Reynolds is poised to leave. John Gill resigned yesterday.
It is believed that Perth was frustrated that the club’s American owners may have wanted to influence team selection on occasion.
But Giovagnoli insists he won’t stand for it and said: “I don't think it's going to happen. This is not the deal we have. I decide, I am the manager.”
Giovagnoli arrives from an academy set-up at Met Oval in New York and he also ran AC Milan camps in Italy and America.
Fans are sceptical about his qualifications but after two days of training under his belt, Dundalk players are open minded and content with the sessions.
Giovagnoli added: “The fans should be concerned, they want to have the most famous names, but that doesn't concern me because I've done this all of my life.
“If I'm not convinced I can get things right, I wouldn't be here. I'm convinced if you work hard, you get the job done
“We're not going to invent the wheel but we will be organised and build a structure of practice.
“We have an amazing staff and I think the club is talking with Shane but I don’t know about Alan.
“The only thing I know (about Ireland) is where I sleep and the club. It’s been 48 hours now. I come here and I go home to sleep.
“That’s all I’ve done and it’s all I’m going to do for three months...I promise you. I’m going to get them to put a mattress here for me.
“It’s a strong group of players. They have already started to show me that. When we trained they worked like animals.”
