Irish footballer and coach
Linda Gorman|
Date of birth |
(1953-11-17) 17 November 1953 (age 71)[1] |
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Place of birth |
Dublin, Ireland |
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Position(s) |
Defender |
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Years |
Team |
Apps |
(Gls) |
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Civil Defence |
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Avengers |
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|
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Suffragettes |
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|
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Tolka Rovers |
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|
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Belvedere |
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Elm Rovers |
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|
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1973–1985 |
Ireland |
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|
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1991–1992 |
Ireland |
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Linda Gorman (born 17 November 1953) is an Irish football coach and former player, who managed the Republic of Ireland women's national football team from 1991 until 1992.
As a player she was a tenacious full-back. After watching Ireland's 1–0 1987 European Competition for Women's Football qualifying win over Northern Ireland at Glenmalure Park on 5 May 1985, Con Houlihan praised Gorman in his Evening Press column:[2]
The veteran now is a girl who looks like she should still be at school. I first saw her play about eight years ago – against Wales at Tolka Park. She was brilliant that day – and in the meantime has collected twenty-five caps. Her name is Linda Gorman – yesterday she was captain and left back. She is a small girl – but she would put manners on Norman Whiteside.
Gorman grew up in Ballygall. She represented several Dublin teams at club level, and made her debut as a player for Ireland in 1973. She won over 20 caps and from retired from international football as captain and Ireland's record cap holder in 1985.[3]
In 1991 she succeeded Fran Rooney to become the first female head coach of the senior Republic of Ireland women's national football team. She left the position a year later, unhappy at poor standards at the Ladies Football Association of Ireland (LFAI)[3] and was replaced by Mick Cooke.
Liam Tuohy approached Gorman to start a women and girls' section at Home Farm. She later moved into coaching the club's boys' teams with great success.[3] In November 2022 Gorman was inducted to the Football Association of Ireland Hall of Fame.[4]
References