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By Paul Holland Drogheda United first team coach Mark Kinsella lined out for Ireland’s senior team on 48 occasions, including the 2002 World Cup finals. Mark joined Colchester United from Home Farm in 1989 and went on to sign for Charlton Athletic in 1996, Aston Villa in 2002 & West Brom in 2004. Mark’s son, Liam Kinsella, has broken through to Walsall’s first team and has also lined out for Ireland’s U-19 side. Mark himself has played a few games with Lucan United this season alongside ex-Drogs, Graham Gartland and Stephen Bradley. You started out playing for your local club, Home Farm, the top underage club in the country in the 1980s. “Yes I grew up in Glasnevin and at the age of eight, we all played in 5-a-side tournaments and the best players would be selected by Larry Manning (RIP) to play on the 11-a-side teams. As nine year olds we played on the U-11 teams. I thoroughly enjoyed my eight years at the club and a huge number of players signed for English clubs in those days. For example, Gary Kelly was on the team behind me and Ian Harte three years behind him, with both enjoying long and successful careers in England.” You started off in England at Colchester United and gradually moved up the divisions to play for Premier League clubs Charlton and Aston Villa. “Yes I was offered a three year pro contract and started off on £45 a week which went up every year. It worked out well in the long run though we were relegated to the non-leagues first. We had to take a step back before we went forward again. I’d come up against old pros who were finishing up their careers, but who didn’t like youngsters like myself running rings around them! I had to learn very quickly how to avoid those dodgy tackles! Though playing at Wembley at 19 years of age was an incredible experience for us at the time.” Do you come from a football background? “No not at all. My Dad played hurling for Dublin and Whitehall Colmcille. There was no soccer allowed in my school so we had to play Gaelic and Hurling. If I hadn’t have done well in soccer, I’d have definitely stuck with the GAA as I enjoyed it a lot. All my uncles played hurling, except for my Uncle Thomas, who was an outstanding soccer player.” Did you settle in well at Colchester at 16 years of age? “It took me a few months to get over the homesickness but it was tough at that time to be Irish in England with the troubles etc. There were eight Irish players in the Youths and we all looked out for each other. But to be playing football day in day out for a living, was a dream come true for me. All I ever wanted to do was to play football, so playing three games a week with the youths and reserves, helped me settle down quite quickly.” What was the most successful period of your career? “I would say my time with Charlton Athletic, where I played over 200 games. The Chairman had a seven year plan to eventually reach the Premiership and we ended up reaching the top flight in 18 months! We beat Sunderland in a dramatic promotion play-off after a 4-4 draw (7-6 in a penalty shoot-out in 1998). It became known as the £60 million game and would be worth far more nowadays.” Who were the best players you played against when playing in the Premier League? “The best players that I played against at that time were Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Patrick Viera, Emmanuel Petit and Alan Shearer.” Mick McCarthy must have seen the huge improvement in your game when playing at the highest level in The Premier League? “It was also when I was at The Valley, that I was called up to the Irish senior team and got to play in the qualifiers and finals of The World Cup of 2002, so yes, great memories from that time (1996 to 2002).” Had you played all the way up for the Irish teams? “Yes from the 15s, 16s all the way up to a B cap versus Northern Ireland when Mick McCarthy called me up. It was obviously a massive help to be playing in The Premier League with Charlton in getting used to the pace and the huge difference in quality.” Your 18 year old son has followed you into football. “Yes he’s doing very well so far. He was selected at nine years old to go into Walsall FC’s Academy and has been there for ten years now. He has played seven or eight games in the first team in his first year as a pro. Liam was called up for Ireland’s U-19s team a month ago for the game against Azerbaijan. I was so proud of him as he always wanted to represent Ireland. Hopefully he will be offered that all-important second contract.” Did you fill in as manager at Walsall and what other managerial roles have you had? “Yes I was caretaker manager for the last two games of the season when Paul Merson was sacked. As a player I was first team coach and reserve team manager at Walsall. When I retired in 2006, I went back to Charlton and was first team coach there. I was manager of non-league Daventry Town for a year and later assistant manager to Joe Dunne at Colchester United for two years.” How have you found the job as first team coach here at Drogheda? “I am enjoying it immensely. I find everything to do with the job all very interesting, whether it’s looking at videos of the opposition or taking the coaching sessions etc. I’ve been made most welcome at the club and I’m very happy here.” You have recently been on 2FM as a soccer pundit! “Yes myself and Graham Kavanagh were invited onto an hour long programme called ‘Game On’ to talk about Ireland’s chances against Poland.” After a brilliant start to our league campaign, last week’s three games in seven days proved to be tough going, with two away defeats in Galway and Derry and a draw against Limerick. “It’s a huge difference to the full-time set up that I’ve been used to. It’s very tough on our players to be holding down a job and trying to play three games in seven days. We had a brilliant start to the season but I’m obviously disappointed losing twice away. A lot of our goals have been conceded early on! We start brightly but give ourselves a mountain to climb, when conceding so early. In the end, it’s all about learning from our mistakes.” What are your impressions of the league so far? “The main difference that I notice is the advantage that the full-time clubs have over the part-time ones. You can monitor a full-time player every day but you have to trust the part-time player to do the extra training between sessions. We haven’t played any of the top clubs yet but I believe that on our day we can beat any team, but only if we are at our best.” The management team at the club of Johnny McDonnell, Pete Mahon and yourself are hugely experienced! “Yes the two lads have so much experience and success in the league but any success at Drogheda is going to take time.” You have played a few games with Lucan United’s Sunday team in The Leinster Senior League! “That was a few months ago. Yes it was very enjoyable with ex-League of Ireland players Graham Gartland, Stephen Bradley, Mark Rutherford and Graham Barrett on our team. However I can’t play now as we train on Sundays with Drogheda though I travel over to England to play with The Aston Villa Veterans (Villa Vets), any chance I get!” - See more at: http://www.droghedaunited.ie/news/post.php?s=2015-04-04-paul-holland-speaks-to-mark-kinsella#sthash.L5jnrdZl.dpuf
