MANCHESTER CITY WON their 4th Premier League title in five years last weekend and one of the people key to that success was in fact Irish.
Donough Holohan, Manchester City's sports scientist, gave an exclusive interview to Irish broadcaster RTE on Monday about what life was like at the Premier League Champions and the type of person Pep Guardiola was.
Holohan, a native from Malahide took up a role on the blue side of Manchester in 2012 after studying physiology at Loughborough University.
The University is well known for its focus on sport, other famous Irish coaches who have passed through the door include former United coach Kieran Mckenna and current set piece coach Eric Ramsey.
Spells at West Ham United, Derby and Preston North End eventually led to Manchester City.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio's Ryan Tubridy Show to Turbirdy himself, Holohan detailed the scenes during the 3-2 win over Aston Villa on the final day.
City were 2-0 down to Aston Villa and were on the verge of losing the title to Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, but a quickfire subisituation by Guardiola's side allowed City to make it 3-2 within 5 minutes.
‘It was bonkers’ - Dubliner Donough Holohan, Manchester City’s first-team sports scientist, tells the @RyanTubridyShow listeners about the drama that saw the club win a fourth Premier League title in five seasons
Read more here 👉 https://t.co/zFMMWIZs6z pic.twitter.com/HASyyT20g8— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) May 24, 2022
"It was bonkers. I've been watching football for 20 years but it was the first time I had tears in my eyes', said Holohan
"My heart rate was all over the place, everything was all over the place, my voice was gone. We were shouting and screaming, everything was just through the roof.
"The emotion of it all is just impossible to describe, really.
"Looking back on it now two days later, I really can't figure out how it all happened - but it did and it was wonderful.
"The way it turned out, we just ran onto the pitch and the crowd were on the pitch.
"My partner Hannah and my six-month old-son, neither of them had ever been to a game of football. They were sitting in a different part and I just ran down to give him a big hug.
"Then there was just an impromptu party for the staff and I said to Hannah 'I could rock in at 5 or 6 this morning' - I was home by midnight because I was just so drained by the whole thing."
The Irishman was also asked about what type of character Pep Guardiola was during his time at the club and described him as 'authentic'
"He's a really authentic man and you know exactly what you'll get from him', he added.
"He works you hard and he expects you to work hard for him, but he doesn't ask you to do anything that he wouldn't do himself and that's all you can ask for from somebody in that position.
"He's incredibly charismatic and incredibly good at his job.
"He works so hard and you'd walk through a wall for him; he just has that ability to get everything out of you and he does it with a smile on his face. He's great."
