Shamrock Rovers Sporting Director, Stephen McPhail, has informed the club of his intention to step away from football as we end our 2025 season.

Stephen Bradley said “When Stephen told me he had decided to step away, my first feeling was one of sadness. For the past decade Stephen has helped us achieve unprecedented success domestically and in Europe. The club is losing a brilliant professional and an extremely decent man. He has not been just a valued colleague, he has also become a really close friend. I would like to thank him for the incredible job he has done over the past decade.“

Independent Chairman, Ciaran Medlar said that “Stephen has contributed so much to our club over the last 12 years, firstly as a player and subsequently as our Sporting Director.  He has worked very closely with Stephen Bradley and has been a key part of the success we have achieved in recent seasons.  Stephen has now decided to step away from the role and we thank him for all he has done for the Club and wish him every happiness in the future.”

All at Shamrock Rovers owe Stephen a huge debt of gratitude for his time at the club, both as a player and as Sporting Director. He leaves with our very best wishes, his legacy is testament to the immense contribution that he has made to the club, with the men’s first team as double champions following a hugely successful over the last number of years.

Thank you Stephen!

Stephen McPhail career summary:

Stephen McPhail went from player at Shamrock Rovers, to Sporting Director of the club in 2016, following a stellar playing career in the UK, having played in a Champions League run to the semi final with Leeds United in 2001.

Stephen subsequently played for Millwall, Nottingham Forest (both on loan), Barnsley (winning a League One play-off final in 2006), Cardiff City (captaining the team to the 2008 FA Cup Final) and finally Sheffield Wednesday before signing as a player for Rovers in 2014, making 53 appearances before retiring from playing in 2016.

In Stephen’s time as Sporting Director at Shamrock Rovers, there has been an unprecedented run of success under the management of head coach, Stephen Bradley and his assistant, Glenn Cronin, with FAI Cup successes in 2019 and 2025, four league titles in a row from 2020 to 2023, with a fifth in six years added in 2025.

In European football, Stephen also oversaw group stage qualification in the UEFA Conference League in 2022, and also qualification to the new-look League phase of the Conference in both 2024 and 2025