Steve Darby
Encyclopedia
Stephen David "Steve" Darby (born 1955) is an English football coach who currently coaches Mohun Bagan A.C. of the I-League
. He is well known throughout Asia as a pundit for ESPN Star Sports
.
' books, before playing for teams in the United States
and Australia
.
A Licence in 1979. He became an official FIFA
Instructor for the Oceania
region in 1981 and AFC Instructor 1998 and was National Development Manager for the Australian Soccer Federation between 1990-1995.
He then moved on to coach Sydney Olympic, but left in 1998 to coach Johor FA
, where he enjoyed a successful spell, winning Malaysia FA Cup
. He left the club in 2001 to take charge of the Vietnam
ese women's football team, whom he led to a gold medal in the SEA Games.
After that, he was appointed youth team coach for Sheffield Wednesday under Terry Yorath
, but remained there only for a season before taking over the reins at Singapore's
Home United FC
. In his four year tenure as Home United boss, Darby led them to a league and cup double in 2003 and also a semi-final spot in the AFC Cup
in 2004.Also winning the Singapore FA Cup in 2005.
At the end of his Home United FC
contract, Darby was heavily linked to the vacant India
manager's post. However, he did not take up that job, choosing instead to join Perak FA
despite having offers from two other Malaysian clubs and a Vietnam
ese club.
He led Perak FA
to a second in the league 2006-07 and to the Malaysia Cup final and an AFC Quarter final.The furthest a Malaysian Club had gone in Asian Competitions at that time.
In October 2008, he was appointed Thailand
assistant coach and works together with Peter Reid
who was appointed Thailand chief coach in August. He would stay on as assistant coach to the newly appointed Bryan Robson
as his assistant and as the U23 Team Coach, after previous coach Peter Reid
left to become Stoke
manager Tony Pulis
assistant.
On 19th July, 2011 he was confirmed as the coach of Mohun Bagan A.C. , the national club of India.Regarded as one of the top teams of India, the Mariners have suffered a drop in performance in last few years finishing mid-table in the I-League last season.
, Thai
and a little Malay
.
He is married to Nguyen Thi Van Anh. Their daughter, Quinn Elsa, was born in 2005
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
. He is well known throughout Asia as a pundit for ESPN Star Sports
ESPN Star Sports
ESPN Star Sports is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and News Corporation...
.
Playing career
Darby started out as a goalkeeper for Liverpool Schools and FA Youth Team, but never made it and subsequently ended up on Tranmere RoversTranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
' books, before playing for teams in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Coaching career
Darby obtained his UEFAUEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
A Licence in 1979. He became an official FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
Instructor for the Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
region in 1981 and AFC Instructor 1998 and was National Development Manager for the Australian Soccer Federation between 1990-1995.
He then moved on to coach Sydney Olympic, but left in 1998 to coach Johor FA
Johor FA
The Football Association of Johor enters a team in Malaysian football competitions to represent the state of Johor. The team currently plays in the Malaysia Premier League.The team won the Malaysia Cup in 1985 and 1991, and the Malaysian League in 1991....
, where he enjoyed a successful spell, winning Malaysia FA Cup
Malaysia FA Cup
The FA Cup Malaysia is a national knock-out football competition organised by the Football Association of Malaysia. The tournament was introduced during the Semi-Pro League era in 1990...
. He left the club in 2001 to take charge of the Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese women's football team, whom he led to a gold medal in the SEA Games.
After that, he was appointed youth team coach for Sheffield Wednesday under Terry Yorath
Terry Yorath
Terence Charles Yorath is a former footballer and has been a manager at both club and international level. He is also the father of television presenter Gabby Logan....
, but remained there only for a season before taking over the reins at Singapore's
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
Home United FC
Home United FC
Home United Football Club is a professional soccer club which plays in Singapore's S.League.-History:The Police Sports Association was founded in the mid-1940s to organise football activities for the Singapore Police Force. They sent two teams to compete in the Singapore Amateur Football...
. In his four year tenure as Home United boss, Darby led them to a league and cup double in 2003 and also a semi-final spot in the AFC Cup
AFC Cup
The AFC Cup is an annual international association football competition between domestic clubs sides run by the Asian Football Confederation . Qualification to the competition is to clubs from AFC-affiliated countries which fall into the AFC's 'developing nations' category as laid out in their...
in 2004.Also winning the Singapore FA Cup in 2005.
At the end of his Home United FC
Home United FC
Home United Football Club is a professional soccer club which plays in Singapore's S.League.-History:The Police Sports Association was founded in the mid-1940s to organise football activities for the Singapore Police Force. They sent two teams to compete in the Singapore Amateur Football...
contract, Darby was heavily linked to the vacant India
India national football team
The Indian national football team is the national football team of India and is governed by the All India Football Federation. It is a member of the Asian Football Confederation. Since 1948, the AIFF has been affiliated with FIFA, the international governing body for football. In 1954, AIFF became...
manager's post. However, he did not take up that job, choosing instead to join Perak FA
Perak FA
The Football Association of Perak enters a team in Malaysian football competitions to represent the state of Perak. The team currently plays in the Malaysia Super League....
despite having offers from two other Malaysian clubs and a Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese club.
He led Perak FA
Perak FA
The Football Association of Perak enters a team in Malaysian football competitions to represent the state of Perak. The team currently plays in the Malaysia Super League....
to a second in the league 2006-07 and to the Malaysia Cup final and an AFC Quarter final.The furthest a Malaysian Club had gone in Asian Competitions at that time.
In October 2008, he was appointed Thailand
Thailand national football team
The Thailand national football team represents Thailand in international football competition and is governed by the Football Association of Thailand. The team has a history of success in Southeast Asian competition, with three ASEAN Football Championship titles and nine senior-level Southeast...
assistant coach and works together with Peter Reid
Peter Reid
Peter Reid is an English football manager, pundit and retired player, who is currently without a club since his departure from Plymouth Argyle.A defensive midfielder in his playing days, Reid enjoyed a long and successful career...
who was appointed Thailand chief coach in August. He would stay on as assistant coach to the newly appointed Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson OBE is an English football manager and a former player. He is best known for playing in midfield for Manchester United, where he was the longest serving captain in club history. He was the manager of Sheffield United, being relieved of his first team duties at the club in February 2008...
as his assistant and as the U23 Team Coach, after previous coach Peter Reid
Peter Reid
Peter Reid is an English football manager, pundit and retired player, who is currently without a club since his departure from Plymouth Argyle.A defensive midfielder in his playing days, Reid enjoyed a long and successful career...
left to become Stoke
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
manager Tony Pulis
Tony Pulis
Anthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
assistant.
On 19th July, 2011 he was confirmed as the coach of Mohun Bagan A.C. , the national club of India.Regarded as one of the top teams of India, the Mariners have suffered a drop in performance in last few years finishing mid-table in the I-League last season.
Personal life
Darby holds a Bachelor (Hons) in Physical Education from the University of Leeds and Post Graduate qualifications in Sports Administration from the University of Canberra. He also holds a TEFL Certificate from Cambridge. He speaks Arabic, FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Thai
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
and a little Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
.
He is married to Nguyen Thi Van Anh. Their daughter, Quinn Elsa, was born in 2005
External links
- Interview in Mohun Bagan Official Website
- http://mohunbaganac.com/SEPT08/news_details.php?newsid=903
- http://www.yob4ever.com/v2/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=21
- http://www.espnstar.com/studio/studio_coldetail_1464322.html
- http://www.kolkatafootball.com/indiafootball_news_2011/july21stpart_2011.html#bagan_coach