Brian Eastick the former Academy Manager and Head Coach at Newcastle United is the holder of the UEFA ‘A’ Coaching Licence and UEFA Professional Licence and has considerable coaching experience at both club and international level.

Eastick commenced his coaching career under Dave Sexton at Queens Park Rangers where he was responsible for the Youth Team. He has subsequently held a variety of coaching positions at a series of Clubs including Birmingham City, Chelsea, Coventry City and Sheffield United.

International experience was garnered during a two year spell at Kuwait Sporting Club and as assistant coach to Brian Hamilton when he was manager of Northern Ireland. Eastick also spent a period of time as Assistant to the Technical Director at the FA National School in Lilleshall.

The appointment of Brian Eastick is a welcome development at under 21 level where recent displays have been rather disappointing and it is to be hoped that his experience will lend itself to significant improvement in the level of performance.

Eastick will have an early opportunity to meet his new charges when a squad of 18 players assemble for a training week at Lilleshall National Sports Centre from the 16th to the 20th May 2005. This venture should prove beneficial to the development of the U21 Team and it is to be hoped that, finances permitting, similar arrangements might permeate down to our U19 Team.

The training squad does not include any Eircom League representatives as they are involved in Club matches. Also missing are those players whose teams are involved in the end of season play offs and other important Club fixtures.

The squad includes a number of new faces including the Leicester City duo of left back, Alan Sheehan and combative midfielder Stephen Dawson together with striker Karl Bermingham of Manchester City. Midfielders, Patrick Cregg of Arsenal and Joe O’Brien of Bolton Wanderers move up from the U19 squad together with Manchester United’s Paul McShane who made his debut at this level in Israel.

The training sessions are in preparation for the UEFA U21 qualifier against Israel in Flancare Park, Longford at 18.00 hours on Friday 3 June 2005. The U21 team will also travel north on Tuesday 16 August 2005 when they will face Northern Ireland in a friendly fixture on the evening prior to the senior match against Italy in Dublin.

Full Squad is:-
Goalkeepers: Saul Deeney (Notts County), Wayne Henderson (Aston Villa)
Defenders: Kevin Foley (Luton Town), Michael Timlin (Fulham), Paddy McCarthy (Leicester City), John Fitzgerald (Bury-loan), Henry McStay (Leeds United), Paul McShane (Manchester United), Alan Sheehan (Leicester City)
Midfielders: Willo Flood (Manchester City), Patrick Cregg (Arsenal), Joe O’Brien (Bolton Wanderers), Sean Thornton (Sunderland), David Bell (Rushden & Diamonds), Stephen Dawson (Leicester City)
Forwards: Karl Bermingham (Manchester City), John McAliskey (Huddersfield Town), Mark Quigley (Millwall).