'I give it everything, every single time'

Kevin Deery admits that the fire is back in his belly after enjoying a fantastic start to the season on his return to senior management with Institute.

Deery and his assistant Mo Mahon inherited a team that finished second from bottom in last season’s NIFL Championship, but victory against Ards on Friday night briefly took ‘Stute to second from top. It was ‘Stute’s sixth league win in 10 games and 8th win in 13 games in all competitions this season so far. It has been a start to the season that Deery could only have dreamt of, but he is just getting started.

“My last couple of roles was obviously an assistant role and I gained great experience from it,” he said. “I’m a lot older and wiser than I was in previous jobs and I’m just content where I’m at. I love coaching and I have always felt that I could be a good addition to any project.

“I gave my worth in every job I’ve been in and some have turned out great, and some haven’t been. I’m glad to be back on my own and making my own decisions and trying to win something. I’ve always wanted to win and that’s never going to leave me. I think that’s one of my main traits, being a winner, so I’ll never change that because that’s what I love the most – competing and trying to win.”

Deery's two seasons with the Drumahoe club back in 2016 and 2017 saw them narrowly miss out on promotion to the Danske Bank Premiership twice, losing to Ballinamallard and Carrick Rangers in a playoff. However, 'Stute did win the Intermediate Cup, beating Ards in the final at Windsor Park in his first season in charge.

They currently sit just five points behind league leaders Dundela with a game in hand, and while it is much too early to say if ‘Stute will be involved in a fight for promotion this season, the young players at the club have already shown their ability to bounce back from setbacks.

“We’ve played 10 league games and won six and drew one, so we’re doing well,” Deery continued. “We had a big week after losing against Dergview; we have had three wins in six days which got us to the Northwest Cup final and back-to-back league wins.

“All you ask is for the boys to train well. I see the talent in training. I see the amount of good attacking ability in the team. They are good lads, and as I keep saying, there’s a lot of them in their first year of senior football. We have had a look at everyone and we’re getting to know the league so we want to keep the momentum going now and keep up the good performances.”

Brandywell boost

Meanwhile, Deery, a former Derry City captain, is certain that the new North Stand planned for the Brandywell, will be the perfect boost for fans and players going into the 2024 season.

Work on the new safe-standing North Terrace is expected to cost Derry City in the region of £2million to complete with construction set to start at the end of the current League of Ireland season. It is hoped that the new stand will then be opened midway through the 2024 campaign.

“I think it would be great,” he said. “It would be brilliant just for that whole experience of Friday night at the Brandywell. It would add to the experience. The match nights are special as they are at the minute because the team is doing so well so a full stand behind the net would only add to it. It would certainly enhance Derry and their home form. It’s been impeccable recently, but a full stand would be a good experience for the players and supporters.”

Deery knows full well the power and influence a packed stadium can have on players, and he is expecting that Derry City can benefit in kind.

“The one that comes straight to mind for me is the game at Turners Cross down at the Shed,” he continued. “We always tried to face that stand in the first half because we felt, against the good Cork teams, they came strongly. The crowd were sucking the ball towards the net and it does have an effect on defenders. If there’s a noisy crowd behind the net, subconsciously defenders and goalkeepers might be making decisions they normally wouldn’t.”