The more I played the luckier I got
February 29, 2004.

Derry City legend Liam Coyle was handed the keys of the city during the week to mark his retirement. Before his presentation he spoke to Children’s Express Foyle Bureau reporters Gareth Cross, 12, and Lauren O’Donnell, 16. There is more opportunity now in Derry that there has ever been.

Where did you grow up?
“I come from the Brandywell area of the city, which for a long time was neglected because of the troubles and at that time I was very shy growing up and football was a way for me to get out of that and to try to get involved in different things at school.”

Has success changed you as a person?
“I don’t think I have changed an awful lot as a person. As I have got older I have just become a bit more confident in what I was doing. I am still quiet, very family orientated, I have a son who is 2 and a daughter who is 9 and they take up most of my time now.”

How did you get started in football?
“I played for a local team called Brandywell Harps when I was young –I was in the school team at that time and they asked me to join their youth team and as I got older Derry city asked me to come over and train and from that time on I was always involved with Derry city at different stages across my career – that was 18 years ago.

You were capped for Northern Ireland – was that exciting at the time?
“It wasn’t easy at the time because there was a lot of pressure for me to play for the Republic but because my father had already played for Northern Ireland it was only right that I played for them too. It was a great experience and no one from Derry has been capped for Northern Ireland since, which is also special.”

Did success put a lot of pressure on you growing up?
“It effected me because I was very quiet and very shy and I was thrown into a media spotlight and people were always wanting to talk to you but it is like everything else, you get more used to it and gain more confidence as you have to do it more.”

Several cross channel clubs were interested in you as a young player – was that exciting?
“It was very exciting because Derry were one of the top teams in Ireland at the time and when you think that teams like Manchester United and Celtic were watching you it is a great feeling because you know you have worked hard for something and you are getting the recognition for it. It is all down to hard work really.”

If you hadn’t got your serious knee injury do you think you would have played your football cross channel?
“I think I would have been playing somewhere. I don’t know if it would have been England but it may have been Spain or France or somewhere. The injury did hold me back.”

How did you cope with suffering such a serious injury?
“I did all the things I shouldn’t have done. I went off the rails, I was drinking and you always think then that you will never get another chance but when you have belief in something I think it just shows that you can achieve whatever you set out to do.”

Is it true you visited a faith healer to help you regain your fitness?
“Yes my mother had great belief in Padre Pio and this woman from the Creggan was supposed to have seen him and at this stage I wasn’t even playing and she told that I would play again and it did play a factor.”

Do you have any regrets over your career?
“You can’t look back and regret anything. You have always got the make the best of what you have got. I have always tried to do my best for Derry City or whoever I was playing for and I would say my career has been pretty eventful but I have achieved a lot of success and you have got to be happy with that.”

How have your family reacted to your retirement?
“My wife was more upset than I was because she thought I would never stop playing. My daughter was also sad because she had her friends at school saying to her as well but I knew myself that it was time to pack it in but its just like everything else. There will be somebody else next year who will be the big news.”

What do you do to relax?
“Football still takes up a lot of my life. I used to play a little of bit of Golf but my elbow is not up to it, as I injured it some time. My children now take up a lot of time. I like taking them swimming or taking my son to football and I have enjoyed getting the chance to do all that.”

Do you think your own son will become a footballer?
“It will be up to him. I hope he doesn’t be under the same pressure as I was. My father didn’t put pressure on me but I think other people had a certain expectation. If he does I will be happy for him but the way he is at the minute there is every chance that he will be a footballer because there is about 30 balls in the house and everyone of them gets kicked about the place.”

You have seen a lot of changes in Derry over the years. Are they all positive?
“I think there is more opportunity now in Derry that there has ever been. When we were growing up all we knew was the troubles. I think now there is a lot of help out there now for young people. I just think it is a pity that some people do not take the opportunity to do it. People like you guys who want to be journalists are getting the opportunity to do it and that is great. I was doing coaching there for a few years where we going into Protestant areas as well as Catholic areas and we got received well everywhere but I think there is still a lot of work to be done.”

Have you any advice for young people who want to excel in their own career?
“I am always reminded of the old Gary Player saying “the more I play the luckier I get.” You can’t go into something half hearted – you have got to believe that you can do whatever you set your mind to. If you work hard you can get your reward.”

About the team
This story was produced by Foyle Bureau members Lauren O’Donnell, 16 and Gareth Cross, 12. It was published by Derry News on Sunday. February 29, 2004.