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on the ballEamon Mangan poses with Al Jazira player Ahmed Attas.
Physio Eamon Mangan tells wonderful story of his new life in Abu Dhabi
interview
Michael Gallagher
He grew up in Belmulette, dreaming of sporting glory in football and boxing.
Today, he is busy preparing for the opening round of the UAE Professional Football League.
Eamon Mangan is no stranger to the four-corner ring at the National Stadium and is a handy footballer at Belmullet and St Brendan’s College, but he never thought he’d be in Abu Dhabi when Al Jazira FC had a good game the sidelines.
Today, in the first part of an exclusive two-part interview, we hear about Erris’ journey to the UAE and some of the characters he meets along the way.
How did a teenager with no life plan end up being the chief physiotherapist for one of the biggest football clubs in the Middle East?
earlier years
“I grew up in Belmullet and love sports like many others. I boxed with Geesala, played with Belmullet and enjoyed every second. I love camaraderie and madness and being part of a good group of people.
I think it’s the same today. I’m in Abu Dhabi, working with a great group of lads and enjoying it.
“I love boxing. We had a great team at Geesala at that stage and the craic was great. I was in a couple of Irish finals but for some reason never got over the line. Of course it was a It’s a very personal sport, but it’s also a sport where you depend on the people around you, and as we’ve gotten older, some of the other lads have left the sport and I don’t really like it.
“At that stage, I was playing football with Belmoulette and Eris United and finishing my studies at St Brendan University and didn’t really think much about the future.
the University
“The whole physiotherapy thing was not a lasting dream that I grew up with. I finished my diploma and went to college at Sligo IT. Everyone was talking about their plans for life – well, my plans were unplanned .
On a whim, I chose “Health, Science and Physiology” and adjusted to college life. I had a great time there with a couple of Belmullet boys and had the first time away from home. Then, I met my wife, Susan, and after a while, we discussed what we were going to do with our degrees.
She insisted on physiotherapy and was set to travel to Manchester. She had it all planned out, and I said, “Of course, if you do, I can go with you too.”
Manchester is very good for us. I had a very good mentor in college – Duncan Mason. He was the top physio on the UK Athletics team and I learned a lot about human movement and biomechanics from him and only accidentally got really interested in it more than anything else. “
on the move
“I got my degree and worked sports in Manchester for a few years before we moved to Melbourne.
Again, I was lucky to work in a very top-notch sports facility there. Australia is a very sports-oriented country, and Melbourne is undoubtedly the sports capital. The Australian Open is there and Australian football is huge. There are maybe 18 teams in the league and I would say 10 of them are all around Melbourne.
AFL is the top sport in Australia and it is very similar to football in the country so it is easy to understand and love it. A lot of professional players come to us for preseason or rehab, and it’s a very pleasant work environment.
After a few years, we had to make a decision – stay in Australia or move closer to home. My sister was in Abu Dhabi and we decided to try our luck there. Again, I got up and worked in a really good sports clinic there, Yas Physiotherapy, where we deal with all types of professional athletes. “
Eubanks
“I went to work one morning and my manager told me that a boxer had come in for treatment and evaluation, and a few minutes later Chris Eubank Jr came in through the door. My mind immediately went back to the Geesala boys and if they knew I was Working with one of the Eubanks they would be crazy.
There was young Eubank in the room, and I was excited, and the next minute, the door opened and old Chris walked in. Honestly, I don’t know where to look.
Chris Jr. had an elbow injury and the two of them stayed with me for a couple of weeks. I’m treating Chris Jnr and doing physio for Chris Snr and we’re kind of crazy. They are great lads and I think we get along very well.
Chris Snr is a character. We see him on TV, we see him boxing over the years, and you think he’s crazy, but he’s even better in real life. It’s been a fun few weeks – two Eubanks and a Belmullet guy, nothing crazier.
I got in touch with the British Boxing Control Board because Chris was going to fight and I had to let them know about his injury.
I would be on my laptop and Chris Snr would be standing on my shoulders wondering what I was writing. He was very nervous, but we ended up getting to know each other and it worked out well. “
new challenge
“We’ll have all sorts of athletes coming to us – jiu-jitsu fighters, MMA fighters and a lot of football players, so I end up here working with a lot of players in the UAE Pro League.
Some teams asked me if I would like to work with them, and when Al Jazira got in touch and asked if I was interested in leading their physio team, I couldn’t say no. They are one of the biggest clubs in the Middle East and are owned by Sheikh Monsour, who owns Manchester City, so it was a fantastic opportunity for me and now I am going into my second season with them.
The team is good. We won the league in 2021 and have quality players like Turani Sereno for Ajax and international players from Africa and South America. We had a lot of lads in the UAE national team who lost in the World Cup play-offs because of Australia’s last goal and Australia qualified for the World Cup.
Our facilities are really top notch. Last season, our training ground was being upgraded, so we were training at Emirates Palace, which was an experience, but now we’re back at base. Facilities are great. We have a freezer room, swimming pool, hot and cold pools, sauna, jacuzzi, a very good gym, which is a great work environment for me.
On the medical side, we have everything we need for the recovery and recovery process. I can imagine how the Mayo GAA physical therapists would love having this facility in Castlebar. “
In part 2…
Eamonn talks about a day at Al Jazira FC, the World Cup in Qatar, yearning for home, Mayo GAA and the future.
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