Former Connacht flanker Johnny O’Connor has joined Galway United as strength and conditioning coach for the 2017 SSE Airtricity League season.
The 12-time capped Ireland international has spent the last three years working as a strength and conditioning coach for Arsenal’s academy side and will now join Shane Keegan’s backroom team at Eamonn Deacy Park.
The Connacht stalwart had intended to take a year off following his stint at the north London Premier League club but agreed to help his hometown club following discussions with new manager Keegan.
"I thought I was going to take a complete year out, I was happy to do so,” said O’Connor.
“Shane got in touch with me, I wasn't seeking any opportunities. We met up and he got me interested.
“The commitment and the constraints of the League of Ireland, Shane was very helpful about that. He's very open and supportive of what we will be doing and he's given ownership of what happens which is very important.
"It's great to be back home, I thought long and hard about joining the club and it's an opportunity for me.
"There is a certain standard you have to set within the club physically and we want the players to reach those well and have an expectation to want to reach those as well.
“I've only got my foot in the door and I have to start building relationships with the players, but it's a two-way thing. I'll expect certain things of them but I want them to expect certain standards of me also.
"I believe you can match some of the best teams in the world with how you deal with your players. You have to be creative. It's about doing hard and smart work."
The 36-year-old Galwegian spent most of his rugby career with Connacht, while he also enjoyed a spell with English Premiership side Wasps.
And O’Connor believes that his work at Arsenal have perfectly prepared him to work with another football club and he wants to ingrain such culture into the players at Galway.
"Arsenal were changing structures and it was a great opportunity for me to get involved in a different sport.
“I learned an incredible amount about football, in terms of the technical element and how important it is, not just the physical aspect. Getting a player extremely fit isn't always the answer, you have to make sure you're ticking both boxes.
"There should be work ethic, humility, honesty and resilience. These are the types of characteristics that should be ingrained in a club.
“From my side, I feel I thrive on them and they're part of my philosophy. If you don't have those good values, you're not going to succeed and be as good as you can be."
And Keegan believes that O'Connor can make a massive impact at Eamonn Deacy Park.
Keegan said: "Getting Johnny is a real coup for the club, in terms of his mentality and the professionalism he brings from his own playing and coaching background, linked to the knowledge he has picked up through his qualifications and his tenure at Arsenal.
"There are massive gains to be made in this league from taking physical conditioning extremely seriously and pushing it to the highest level possible.
“I was looking for a guy to backbone that and drive it forward for me. I was extremely lucky in that Johnny had just arrived back in Galway and he was highly recommended. It's brilliant for the club.
"Johnny O'Connor brings that whole aura and personality with him. He's a great addition to the club. My backroom team is coming together nicely. He's going to be a big part of that. We hope to have the rest of our backroom team tied down in the next few days as well."
