Manly United appoints Sam Gallagher as Technical Director
Manly United has confirmed that former Young Socceroo and current Head of Youth Sam
Gallagher has been appointed as the new Technical Director on a full-time basis.
Gallagher, who was also the Manly United first grade captain, took over the role on an
interim basis following the departure of Andrew Christiansen last month but will fill the role
for at least the next two years.
Gallagher has been the Head of Youth at Manly United for the last two years and worked
closely with Christiansen during that time to build the Manly United program into what it is
today.
“Manly United is thrilled to confirm that Sam Gallagher will take on the role of Technical
Director on a permanent basis,” said Manly United CEO David Mason. “He has done a
brilliant job over the past month and the Board was unanimous in making the appointment
permanent.
“Sam has a deep understanding of the culture and processes we have at Manly United,
having been a player, coach and Head of Youth at the club and his elevation into the role is a
natural progression for Sam and a great result for Manly United.
“We are proud of the culture and systems we have in place and firmly believe that
continuity is a cornerstone of the stability that has long been a feature of the club. Not only
does Sam offer the continuity but he is a first-class applicant in his own right so it is a logical
appointment.
“He brings his own experience as a player with the Young Socceroos, A-League and the NPL
to the role and can offer our talented players not only technical support but personal advice
to help our players be the best player they can possibly be.”
On accepting the position, Gallagher was keen to build on the structure that has been put in
place by previous Technical Directors and ensure Manly United comes out of the current
lockdowns ready to hit the ground running.
“I am so thankful for this opportunity to take on the TD role,” Gallagher said. “Manly United
has always been close to my heart and I look forward to working with the coaches, staff and
board to continue to improve the club, coaches and players.
“We are in a good position at the moment but I know there is a lot of work ahead to make
sure we continue to improve and stay ahead of the game.
“Having worked very closely with Andrew Christiansen, I have a good view of the current
structure and players and look forward to working with Joe (Fox) to put systems in place to
allow the players to be best they can possibly be both within their teams and individually as
players and people.”
As part of the transition into the Technical Director position, Gallagher will stand down as a
player at Manly United to focus on the role.
“I understand what is required to be the Technical Director of a club like Manly United and I
don’t feel I could do it justice both in terms of time and also focus if I was still trying to
perform at my best as a player,” Gallagher said.
“I had some really good conversations with Adam Griffiths (Manly United first grade coach)
and I am more than comfortable to focus on the next stage of my career.
“I am honoured to be given the responsibility to direct the football department at Manly
United and look forward to doing my bit to continue our tradition of combining consistent
success at every level with producing players to play at higher levels.
“Ultimately, I believe we need to work hard to give our players an environment and the
tools to be the best player they can possibly be.”
Gallagher will be assisted by current Head of SAP Joe Fox, who will remain at the club with increased responsibility for the SAP and Development squad programs for boys aged 6-12 to
ensure a consistent program throughout the age groups.
