Des Bulpin

Des Bulpin

Bulpin pictured in 2011
Personal information
Full name	Desmond Donaldson Bulpin
Date of birth	(1951-03-31) 31 March 1951 (age 72)
Place of birth	Glasgow, Scotland
Managerial career
Years	Team
2003	Tampines Rovers
2009–2010	Philippines
2010–2011	Indian Arrows
2010–2011	India U23
2012–2013	Shillong Lajong
2013-2014	Crystal Palace (U18's; assistant Manager)
2014–2015	Millwall (assistant head coach)

Desmond Donaldson Bulpin is a Scottish football coach who is a first-team coach at EFL Championship side Millwall. He managed the Philippines national team between 2009 and 2010.

Career

Bulpin obtained his prelim badge in 1980 with Roy Hodgson. After that, he was invited by Bob Houghton to work with the schoolboys at Bristol City. ^[1] Des was then employed by Bobby Gould at Bristol Rovers as youth team coach, later as first team coach and reserve team manager. Other managers who have employed Bulpin are Gerry Francis, Ian Holloway, ^[2] Andy Kilner, ^[3] and David Burnside.

Des Bulpin has a solid record of identifying and developing young players such as Peter Crouch, ^[4] Danny Dichio, Dougie Freedman, Kevin Gallen, Ledley King, Marcus Stewart, Steve Yates and many more. "Des Bulpin discovered me and along with my dad would be the biggest influence on my career," Peter Crouch says. "I remember him telling me when I was 15 that Jermain Defoe and I would play together for England when we were older and he hasn't been too far wrong. We're still in touch, and I'll always have time for Des." ^[5]

Bulpin's career has seen him work for football clubs such as Tampines Rovers, Tottenham Hotspur, Queens Park Rangers, Bristol City, Bristol Rovers, Stockport County, Plymouth Argyle, ^[6] and Leicester City. He has also had international positions in countries such as Singapore and Uzbekistan, where Bulpin was the former head coach of Tampines Rovers in the 2003 S.League season and the Uzbekistan U-17 football team. In November 2009, he was appointed as National Team Manager of the Philippines, signing an initial one-year deal. ^[7] He said, "it's a massive challenge, but we have to get on with it." He also vowed to turn the team into an "organized team that pressures other teams, plays a high tempo and moves the ball quickly." ^[8] In July 2010, he left his post with the Philippines to take over India's U-21 team which is fielded in the 2010–11 I-League season. ^[9] His fellow Scottish successor Simon McMenemy would take the coaching position and they were accredited for the renaissance of Philippine football.

From the autumn of 2010, Bulpin was head coach of Indian Arrows, the national under-21 team in India, who fielded a team in the I-League. ^[10] The average age of the team was 19 years. ^[11] Six players of this team are currently in the national men's squad, coached and managed by Bob Houghton. ^[12] On 23 April 2011, Bob Houghton handed in his immediate resignation as the India national team coach, which the AIFF accepted and then confirmed that Bulpin would remain in his position. He left Indian Arrows and his role with the under-23 team in August 2011. ^[13] Bulpin joined Shillong Lajong as head coach in June 2012, having signed a two-year contract. ^{[14] [15]} He left the club in January 2013 after Shillong won three of their 17 league matches under his management. ^{[16] [17]}

Bulpin was appointed as manager of Crystal Palace's under-18 team in the summer of 2013. ^[18]

References

1. "Terras Appoint Bulpin". Dorset Echo. 26 November 2001. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
2. "Holloway returns to Plymouth role". BBC Sport. 21 August 2007. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
3. "Kilner leaves Stockport". BBC Sport. 29 October 2001. Archived from the original on 2 November 2001. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
4. "How Mystic Des saw his 'young pony' become a thoroughbred". The Guardian. 20 November 2007.
5. "Hat-trick memory keeps Crouch ready to dance back into the Liverpool limelight". The Guardian. 28 October 2007.
6. Bevan, Chris (25 November 2007). "Argyle caretaker unsure on future". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
7. "Brit takes Philippines role". Sky Sports. 12 November 2009.
8. Tupas, Cedelf P. (4 January 2010). "New RP football coach optimistic". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 7 January 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
9. "Bulpin to take charge of India U-19 side, meets AIFF officials". The Times of India . 19 July 2010. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
10. Sengupta, Somnath (10 May 2011). "India National Football Team: The Tactical Dilemma". thehardtackle.com. The Hard Tackle. Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
11. "The Curious Case of Des Bulpin and the All Indian XI". inbedwithmaradona.com. 4 November 2010. Archived from the original on 7 February 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
12. "India's latest football sensation". sportskeeda.com. 29 March 2011. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012.
13. "I-League: Sukhwinder Singh To Lead India U-23 For England Tour, Desmond Bulpin Being Relieved of His Duties". Goal. 19 August 2011.
14. "Shillong Lajong FC appoints Scottish football coach Desmond Bulpin". Shillong Lajong F.C. 8 June 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2013.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
15. "Des Bulpin signs for Shillong Lajong". Fox Sports Asia. 9 June 2012. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
16. "Shillong Lajong FC part ways with Desmond Bulpin". Shillong Lajong F.C. 22 January 2013. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
17. "Bulpin parts ways with Shillong Lajong". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Shillong: The Times of India. Press Trust of India. 22 January 2013. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
18. Woosnam, Matt (24 August 2013). "Woosie's Words: New season, new staff". Epsom Guardian. Retrieved 26 August 2013.