Kevin McHugh steps down as Finn Harps manager

Kevin McHugh has stepped down as Finn Harps manager, the club has confirmed. McHugh has vacated the Finn Park hot seat after a difficult period that saw his side drop to the bottom of the First Division. However the Finn Harps legend, who scored 186 goals for the club, will take up a new position in the coming months should the proposed takeover by Filipino businessman Freddy Gonzalez get the go-ahead. “As part of the club's move to full time football, the position of first team manager will become a full time role,” Harps said in a statement, adding that McHugh will take a period of leave before beginning a new role. “The club has spoken with Kevin about this change, and with the demands of the full time position not suiting his personal circumstances, it has been mutually agreed that Kevin will move into a role that secures his involvement at the club for the long term. “The club acknowledges that this has been an exceptionally difficult season, and that financial constraints beyond the manager's control limited the resources available to him and the squad. “The board wishes to place on record its appreciation for the professionalism Kevin has shown in those circumstances.” Coaches Tommy Canning and Eamon Curry have also left with Harps saying that discussions will take place “regarding future roles within the new structure”. An interim manager will be appointed ahead of Friday night when Harps host First Division leaders Cork City at Finn Park. Harps Chairman Ian Harkin said: “I want to thank Kevin for his work this season under real constraint, which the club fully acknowledges. “As a player, Kevin remains one of the greatest ever to wear the shirt and one of the most iconic goalscorers the League of Ireland has seen. “ As Head of Academy, he revolutionised our underage structures and built the pathway that has fourteen academy graduates in our current squad, and his work in helping establish a women’s pathway leaves a lasting mark. “Across almost three decades, few people have shaped this club as deeply. As we restructure Finn Harps towards a professional footing, that knowledge is not something we were prepared to lose in a management role, which by its nature has a short life cycle. We need Kevin involved structurally in this club for the long term, and this move secures that.”