Mick McDermott, a Belfast native, has spent 30 years traversing the globe in football coaching roles, from Rhode Island to the Middle East, Glentoran, Qatar, Cobh Ramblers, Ghana, and back to Rhode Island for the World Cup. Now part of Carlos Queiroz's backroom staff with Ghana, McDermott reflects on his serendipitous career and the unique bond within the Black Stars squad.
"It's unbelievable, I had no idea this job was going to appear, which is common in football," McDermott told BBC Sport NI. Having met his wife Karla while on a volleyball scholarship in Rhode Island, returning for the tournament feels like a homecoming.
His path to elite coaching began unexpectedly after a teaching career was sidetracked by a coaching role at the University of Oregon. A connection led him to Abu Dhabi, and later to Queiroz in 2011 for Iran's World Cup campaign.
McDermott's relationship with Queiroz has spanned three national teams, with McDermott declining offers to join Queiroz in Colombia and Egypt to manage Glentoran, where he won an Irish Cup. However, he quickly accepted roles with Qatar and now Ghana.
Despite being appointed in April with little time to prepare, Ghana defeated Panama 1-0 in their opening World Cup match. McDermott praised the squad's unity, highlighting a pre-game tradition of prayer and song that lifted spirits.
Next up is a clash with England in Foxborough. McDermott views it as a "free one" for Ghana, given the pressure is off after their opening win. He remains confident in his players, including Antoine Semenyo, whom he describes as "explosive" and capable of troubling any defense.
"When the curtain opens you have to dance, and I think the boys are more than capable of getting a result," McDermott said.