Kevin McHugh says the chance to manage Finn Harps was one he “jumped at”.
The Harps legend was yesterday announced as the club’s new manager following the departure of Darren Murphy.
The 45-year-old steps into the role having been a part of Murphy’s backroom team and will continue in his role as Head of Academy.
“It was an easy decision for me,” McHugh said. “I jumped at the chance as soon as it was offered to me. I have been heavily involved in the club and I have a desire for the club to do well.
“I am a competitive individual and I want to see the club drive forward.”
Killea native McHugh scored 186 goals in 438 appearances for Harps as a player having made his first team debut in August 1998.
McHugh spent time at Derry City and Linfield in between two spells at Harps and he also had several seasons playing for Kildrum Tigers in the Donegal League.
There is no specified timeline on McHugh’s contract. Ian Harkin, Harps Chairman, says that McHugh has been appointed “for the foreseeable future”.
Harps did not advertise the role following the departure of Murphy, who has since taken over as boss of Irish League side Loughgall.
McHugh will retain coaches Tommy Canning and Eamon Curry, performance analyst Eoin Logue, physio Seamus Bogle and kitman Shane Elliott.
“They have been fantastic,” McHugh said of his staff.
McHugh was the first choice for the Harps Board and McHugh – who insists he never viewed his appointment as a ‘no brainer’ – believes Harps can make inroads in moving up the table.
“This week, in talking to the players, it has been ‘can we raise the standards?’ Chatting to the Board it has been ‘can we raise the standards off the field?’ The message is the exact same in that we will respect everyone we play, but we don’t fear anyone.
“We want to raise the standards and take it week by week. The players have been really good and focused on what’s at hand. That is a huge positive and they are all hungry to improve.”
Harps host Longford Town in Ballybofey on Friday after wins over Bray Wanderers and Athlone Town. McHugh, Canning and Curry were in interim charge for the weekend’s 1-0 win over Athlone and now McHugh steps into the breach himself.
He said: “I am not even thinking further ahead than Longford. That is exactly the way I think as a coach and I was the same as a player.
“The fans here are buying into where we are and it could be an exciting journey following these guys. The connection between fans and players is so important, it is so fresh in my head from my own playing days and the fans have been superb this season.”
After retiring as a Harps player in 2016, McHugh initially became a coach with the Harps U15 team before later becoming Head of Academy.
He will continue to oversee the affairs in the Academy.
Harkin said: “It was important that we have buy-in in terms of what the Board wants to do for the strategy of the club. The academy is a huge part of that.
“Kevin has been involved in the club since 1998 and he brings not just playing experience, but League of Ireland experiences incompatible to most other people and he also brings in 10 years’ worth of work with the academy. He has knowledge not just of the league, but domestically in Donegal. That is of huge importance given the strategy that we set three years ago when we were released.
“We are ambitious and we believe that the talent is here in Donegal. That has been proven by the successes at the academy since it was formed. It is key for us to show a pathway through.”
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