Paul Munster

Paul Munster (born 9 February 1982) is a Northern Irish former professional footballer who played as a striker. He is currently the technical director of the Brunei national football team.[1]

Paul Munster
Munster in 2022
Personal information
Date of birth (1982-02-09) 9 February 1982
Place of birth Belfast, Northern Ireland
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
–2001 Cliftonville
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004 London City 19 (25)
2004–2005 Slavia Prague 3 (0)
2006 Örebro SK 7 (2)
2006 Bunkeflo IF 3 (3)
2007 Hradec Králové 11 (10)
2008–2011 Linfield 112 (35)
2011 Anker Wismar 4 (0)
Managerial career
2012 Assyriska BK
2013 Örebro Syrianska IF
2014–2016 BK Forward
2016–2017 Örebro SK U-19
2018–2019 Minerva Punjab FC (Technical Director)
2019 Vanuatu
2019–2022 Bhayangkara
2022– Brunei (technical director)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Munster began his career at the youth level with Cliftonville in 2001.[2][3] He traveled to Kitchener, Ontario in order to conduct a six-week sport and school exchange to coach. While conducting lessons he severely torn his knee ligament.[4] As a result, his club released him from his contract effectively sidelining his career. He returned to Canada in 2004 in order to assist Eddie Edgar with his coaching academy.[5] Edgar secured him a trial with London City of the Canadian Professional Soccer League. After a successful trial he played with club's reserve squad, where he scored 12 goals in 3 matches to promote him to the first team.[6]

He made his debut on 18 June 2004 against Metro Lions, where he scored in his debut in a 2–1 defeat.[7] What followed was a stellar season where he became an instant success by finishing as the league's top goalscorer with 25 goals in 19 appearances.[8] The league recognized his contributions with the CPSL Rookie of the Year award.[9] After an impressive debut season in the CPSL he was signed by Slavia Prague of the Czech First League.[10][11][12] He became the first Irishman to play in the league when he made his debut on 21 November 2004 against FK Chmel Blšany.[13]

After one season with Slavia Prague where he appeared in 3 league matches and voted fans player of the month. In 2006, he went to Scandinavia to sign with Örebro SK of the Superettan.[14] Midway through the season he was transferred to Bunkeflo IF in the Division 1, where he assisted in promoting the club to the Superettan.[15][16]

He returned to the Czech Republic to play with SK Hradec Kralove in the Czech National Football League.[17][18] He finished as the club's top goalscorer with 10 goals.[19] In 2008, he returned home to sign with Linfield in the NIFL Premiership.[20][21][22] In his first season with Linfield the lethal striker scored an impressive 17 goals in 20 starts. Throughout his tenure with Linfield he won the league title and Irish Cup in 2009/10 and 2010/11, and was the club's top goalscorer in the 2009/2010 season.

In January 2011 Linfield rejected an offer from Hellas Verona of the Lega Pro.[23] The offer was turned down by the Belfast club, even though Munster was leaving in the summer as a free agent. After his contract expired he signed with FC Anker Wismar in the NOFV-Oberliga Nord.[24]

Coaching career

In 2012, Munster retired from competitive football in order to manage Assyriska BK in the Swedish Football Division 2.[25] The following season he was appointed manager of Örebro Syrianska IF in the Division 1.[26] In 2014, he was given managerial responsibilities at BK Forward, and was appointed head coach of the Örebro SK under-19 team.[27][28] On 24 February 2019, Munster was named the head coach for the Vanuatu national football team.[29] Eight months later, he was offered a contract to manage Bhayangkara F.C. in the Indonesian Liga 1.[30] Munster left Bhayangkara on 31 March 2022, after his contract wasn't renewed.[31]

Minerva Punjab

On 8 August 2018, Munster was appointed Technical Director and Head Coach for Indian I-League club Minerva Punjab.[32][33][34] Munster won the Punjab Super State League for the first time in the clubs history after going undefeated in 11 games, adding a 2nd trophy winning the J&K Invitational cup. On 8 February 2019, he announced his resignation, citing personal reasons.[35]

Bhayangkara FC

On 1 September 2019, Munster was appointed as the new Head Coach for Indonesian club Bhayangkara F.C. Arriving halfway through the season with the club in 13th place, Munster managed to finish the season in 4th place and as Siem Reap Super Asia Cup Champions, beating Malaysian club Petaling Jaya City 2–1 in the final in Cambodia.

The 2021/22 Season was Munster's final season with the club, finishing in 3rd place, qualifying for the AFC Cup.

Brunei

On 17 August 2022, Munster was unveiled as the new technical director of the Brunei national football team.[1] Under his watch, Brunei managed to qualify for the 2022 AFF Championship for the first time in 26 years.[36]

Statistics

Honours

As player

Linfield

Individual

As coach

  • Siem Reap Super Asia Cup 2020
  • Tri Nations League 2019
  • Punjab Super League 2018
  • J&K Invitational Cup 2018
  • Swedish Cup U-19 called " Svenska Cupen" in 2017 with Örebro Sportklubb U-19
  • Best Irish Coach of abroad 2016-2017

References
  1. "FABD appoints new technical director". Borneo Bulletin. 18 August 2022. Archived from the original on 5 December 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  2. "CPSL - Canadian Professional Soccer League". 13 December 2004. Archived from the original on 13 December 2004. Retrieved 7 March 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. "I know where I want to go, I'm trying to get there, but it hasn't happened yet. National team coach of a decent team at 37... that's not bad'". The Irish News. 11 May 2019. Archived from the original on 5 December 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  4. Kernaghan, Jim (5 October 2004). "Munster ready for big leap". London Free Press.
  5. Brown, Josh (7 August 2004). "Paul Munster London City CPSL". Waterloo Region Record.
  6. "CSL COACHES WILL BE LOOKING FOR THAT SPECIAL PLAYER – Canadian Soccer League". canadiansoccerleague.ca. 3 May 2018. Archived from the original on 4 May 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  7. "Border Stars Top the West with Last Kick 2-1 Victory over Durham Storm". 18 June 2004. Archived from the original on 19 October 2004. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  8. "CPSL - Canadian Professional Soccer League - League Statistics". 13 December 2004. Archived from the original on 13 December 2004. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  9. "Supra's Danny Amaral wins MVP". 11 October 2004. Archived from the original on 29 December 2004. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  10. "CPSL - Canadian Professional Soccer League". 13 December 2004. Archived from the original on 13 December 2004. Retrieved 7 March 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. Woile, Dennis Grebasch, Michael. "SK Slavia Praha 2004-05". en.eufo.de. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. KERNAGHAN, Jim. "Another Munster appears bound for City". canoe.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  13. "CPSL - Canadian Professional Soccer League". 12 December 2004. Archived from the original on 12 December 2004. Retrieved 7 March 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  14. "Irish Munster settles at Orebro". The World Game. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  15. "Northern Ireland Players in Foreign Leagues". nifootball.blogspot.ca. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  16. "Inför söndagens match: Koll på Bunkeflo! - Falkenbergs FF - Superettan | SvenskaFans.com". www.svenskafans.com (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  17. "FC Hradec Králové". Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  18. "Paul Munster Hradec Kr. - Fotbal iDNES.cz". iDNES.cz. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  19. "Munster tränar med ÖSK - Örebro SK - Allsvenskan | SvenskaFans.com". www.svenskafans.com (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  20. Woile, Dennis Grebasch, Michael. "Linfield FC 2008-09". en.eufo.de. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. "Welcome to Linfield Football Club". 19 February 2012. Archived from the original on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  22. "Welcome to Linfield Football Club". 18 September 2008. Archived from the original on 18 September 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  23. "Linfield dismiss Verona's £10k offer for Munster - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  24. "FC Anker Wismar :: DFB - Deutscher Fußball-Bund e.V." datencenter.dfb.de. Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  25. "Paul Munster till FC Assyriska..." FC Assyriska (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 5 December 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  26. "Swede dreams are made of this... MUNSTER IS LOVING SCANDANAVIAN [sic] LIFE. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  27. "Paul Munster". eyravallen.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  28. "Örebro SK Fotboll U19 | laget.se". www.laget.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  29. BJERKEVOLL, Ola (24 February 2019). "Vanuatu hire new men's head coach". Football in Oceania. Archived from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  30. Loughran, Neil (14 September 2019). "Globe-trotting Belfast coach Paul Munster lands new job in top Indonesian league". The Irish News. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  31. "Bhayangkara FC Dipastikan Gunakan Pelatih Lokal Musim Depan, ke Mana Paul Munster Berlabuh?". bola.com (in Indonesian). 5 April 2022. Archived from the original on 5 April 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  32. Crawford, Steven (8 August 2018). "Paul Munster joins Indian champions". News Letter. Archived from the original on 17 August 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  33. "Interview with Paul Munster". FNX Network. Archived from the original on 7 December 2018. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  34. "Minerva Punjab FC". Apollo Minerva Punjab FC. Archived from the original on 6 June 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  35. Scroll Staff. "I-League: Paul Munster resigns as head coach of Minerva Punjab citing 'personal reasons'". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 3 March 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  36. "Brunei secure berth in AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup group stage". Borneo Bulletin. 9 November 2022. Archived from the original on 5 December 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  37. "Linfield FC Player of the Year 2021-22 award presentation". Linfield FC. 16 May 2022. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
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