The acession was trumpeted in the media 24 hours earlier but yesterday Bohemians officially announced that Pete Mahon would succeed Roddy Collins as manager of last season's National League and FAI Cup champions. Liam O'Brien, who enjoyed a role of player-coach under Collins, has been promoted and is now Mahon's assistant.
It concludes a difficult month for the club. The decision to replace Collins - and the subsequent verbal salvos fired in what still appears to be a conflict that hasn't quite been ordained with the last rites - was broached briefly during the press conference at Dalymount Park, first by Mahon and then by club President Pheilim O'Reilly.
Mahon confirmed that he met with Collins on his return from international commitments in Italy. "We spoke about the situation for about two hours. I told him (Collins) that if I was afforded the opportunity to take it (the manager's job) . . . he didn't seem to have a problem with it. In fact he rang me later on the mobile and told me to take it if it was offered."
When O'Reilly was asked to comment on Collins' continuing assertion that he was still manager of Bohemians, he pointed out that it was the new manager's day and said he was reluctant to be drawn. O'Reilly asserted: "It is important that this club enjoy continuity and stability."
Mahon, who will be 54 next month, spent 26 years with St Francis following a playing career at Drumcondra and Sligo Rovers. During his tenure with St Francis he guided them from junior football to the National League and stewarded their fairy-tale run to the 1990 FAI Cup Final. As assistant manager to Brian Kerr, he helped guide the Republic of Ireland to the Under-16 European Championships in 1998. Last summer Collins invited him to Dalymount Park as his assistant. Yesterday, Mahon said: "I am delighted to have been asked to take up the position. This club has a great tradition, a proud history and a lot of good people at the club. It will be fairly difficult to match last season's achievements but there is a good structure at the club, good players and good people in the background."
O'Brien, born in Ringsend in Dublin, began his senior career as a 16-year-old with Bohemians, and moved to the USA briefly before returning to Shamrock Rovers where he won three league medals and two FAI cup medals. He was signed by Manchester United manager Ron Atkinson in 1986 but made his debut under Alex Ferguson
He spent two years at the club before moving to Newcastle United and subsequently Tranmere Rovers. During that time he won 16 full international caps. He is looking forward to the new challenge, which he described as "another step up the ladder." O'Brien was on the point of retiring as a player after last season but has promised to delay any decision until he finishes the pre-season fitness regime.
Bohemians go into the draw for the first and second qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League which will be made in Geneva next Friday.
