No clear front runner for Galway manager’s role

Date Published: 27-Aug-2009

THE new Galway Senior football manager must have a passion for Gaelic Football and hard graft and must have a footballing brain and a vast depth of managerial experience, County Board officials said this week. Football delegates from all clubs throughout Galwaymet at Ionad Peile na Gaillimhe at Loughgeorge on Tuseday night to formally kick-start the process of selecting the replacement for Liam Sammon, who stepped down from the position two weeks ago.

All clubs have until 4pm next Friday, September 4 to nominate a man they think is willing – and able – to take on the task of Galway boss for the next couple of seasons. A selection committee made up of delegates and County Board officials will then whittle down the clubs’ selections to a ‘manageable number’ of realistic hopefuls.

it is understood that in addition to the clubs’ suggestions, County Board officials have already been in informal contacts with a number of high-profile former county managers, to ‘sound out’ their intentions and to see if they would be available for the job.

The shortlisted few will then be interviewed by a panel, which will select its choice and bring the name forward for ratification by club delegates, for ‘rubber-stamping’.

Discussions about whether the new manager would be offered a two year contract with the option of a third, similar to Sammon’s, and whether he will also take over the reins of the U21 side as well as senior, will only be decided when the successful candidate is offered the post.

Speaking to Tribune Sport yesterday, Galway Football Board Chairman, John Joe Holleran, said the selection process has been thrown open to candidates from within and from outside the county. Holleran said he wants to get the best person for the job and ideally wants the new manager in place by the end of October at the latest.

“My advice to clubs is to make sure to nominate a person that is knowledgeable about football and has a depth of experience of the game and someone who has a passion for football and for hard work,” he said.

No front runner has yet emerged to fill Sammon’s position although a plethora of names have been mentioned in Galway GAA circles as possible contenders for the job.

Tribune Sport understands the County Board has approached Kevin Walsh about the vacant position, but the Killanin man was already ratified earlier this summer as manager of Sligo for a second year. Walsh, whose playing career included 18 seasons with Galway footballers, has had an impressive season managing Sligo, having been promoted from Division Four of the National League before losing narrowly, after gallant efforts, to Galway and Kerry in the Championship.

Walsh has committed himself to managing the Yeats County for the 2010 season and although the contract is not ‘set in stone’, it would be unlikely the former All-ireland winner will renege on his pledge to Sligo. Walsh may still be a ‘dark horse’ for the final shakeup, but it seems increasingly probable he will bide his time and apply for the managerial position, if and when it arises again, in a few years time.

it is also believed that the former manager of the Galway side that won the 2007 Minor All-ireland, Alan Mulholland, is not seriously considering the senior manager position although it is thought he may be interested in taking over the U21 team.

The players he managed at minor level will this season be coming through at U21, which would possibly suit Mulholland although, a vacancy for U21 manager only arises if the jobs of new senior manager and U21 are separated. Although he was only seen as an outside chance to land the job, Galway’s 1998 All-ireland captain, Ray Silke, has ruled himself out.

Meanwhile, Mick O’Dwyer, who was touted as favourite early on, this week refused to rule-out the prospect of taking the Galway job. Speaking on local radio, the Kerry legend was coy about his future intentions but he did confirm that, as of yet, the Galway County Board has not been in touch with him.

O’Dwyer would not confirm to presenter Gerry Murphy on the Keith Finnegan Show on Galway Bay Fm whether he would be taking up a fourth year managing Wicklow and he kept his options open by not ruling out Galway either.

Former Roscommon and Mayo boss John Maughan, has emerged as another possible dark horse while others from outside the county – former Kerry manager Páidí Ó Sé, Dublin’s Paul Caffrey and Tommy Lyons, former Meath manager Seán Boylan, former Clare manager Frank Doherty and former Armagh manager Joe Kernan – have also been linked with the job. Contenders from within the county include Brian Talty, Val Daly, Stephen Joyce, Gerry Fahy and Eoin O’Donnellan among others.