FERGAL HARKIN will leave Standard Liege at the end of the season to become Bolton Wanderers’ new sporting director.
The ex-Bohemians and Finn Harps player previously spent a decade at Manchester City, culminating in him working as their Football Partnerships and Pathways Manager.
And the relationship he had forged with Gavin Bazunu in that role was pivotal in the Southampton and Ireland keeper joining Standard for regular football following his Achilles injury.
But the Donegal man will return to England this summer to work at a club currently sixth in League One.
Harkin said: “I am thrilled and honoured to join Bolton Wanderers at such an exciting time in the club’s history.
“Bolton Wanderers is a club with tremendous potential and I am eager to play my part in helping the club achieve its goals and return to its rightful place in the upper echelons of English football.”
Elsewhere, John O’Shea has insisted the door is not closed for home-based players to make the Ireland senior squad.
Heimir Hallgrímsson came under fire for his response to Shamrock Rovers’ European run when he spoke positively about how players could earn move off the back of it.
O’Shea – who watched Honohan in action against Shelbourne the Friday before last – said: “Teams who’ve done well in Europe have talent who’ve come under our scrutiny.
“We must look at every avenue to see if they can help us out in any way.
“You can see the talent from the start of the season and the profile that the league has in terms of Mason’s move to Tottenham Hotspur.
“We’ve to look at what players can help us win games.
“I was fortunate to get out on loan to Belgium and felt it really benefitted me, not just football but maturing as a person. Hopefully they’re playing. That’s what matters.”
O’Shea and Hallgrímsson were both at Molineux on Saturday as Jake O’Brien continued at right-back for Everton – ahead of fit again Séámus Coleman – with Matt Doherty also playing for Wolves.
On O’Brien’s breakthrough since David Moyes returned to Goodison Park, O’Shea told RTE’s soccer podcast: “It’s been brilliant to see because you know how dedicated he remained in training when he was frustrated from not playing.
“He’s not looked back since and is in the fantastic position of nailing down that. He’ll have someone coming back to fight for that position.”
