No white smoke on appointment of new United boss

THE story last week in relation to the announcement of a new Galway United manager was that there was light at the end of the tunnel  – a week on, and it seems the light was that of an oncoming train as the club has still to make an appointment to the hot-seat.

It was widely rumoured over the weekend that Ian McParland was set to become the second Scottish manager of the club – following on from Tommy Callaghan in the late 1970s –  with Johnny Glynn to be named as his assistant, while also having responsibility for new youth structures at the club.

However, as the week has gone on and there still has been no announcement from the club, it looks increasingly unlikely that McParland – who was Roy Keane’s assistant at Ipswich Town – will be handed the job, and given the financial prudence the board is determined to follow, there is a growing sense that the new man won’t be an overseas appointment.

The club’s board of directors are adamant that, should an overseas manager be appointed, then his assistant needs to be someone with a local knowledge of the game.

That is why Glynn was being heralded as McParland’s assistant; and is also the source of the claims that Mickey Adams was ruled out over his insistence of appointing his own assistant, although it might be more accurate to say that the financial package was not enough to entice the man who managed Sligo Rovers last season.

As far as local soccer people are concerned, the obvious man for the job is Johnny Glynn – speaking to former United players in the past couple of weeks, and at Friday’s game with Longford, there is a feeling of bewilderment that Glynn hasn’t been handed the job.

He has League of Ireland experience, having managed Mervue United; he knows the local scene inside-out; and he is already embedded in the club, having guided the U-19 side the League final last weekend.

He has the respect of the players, and the local soccer community, but he is also a strong character who will grab control of what appears to be an increasingly disinterested dressing room. Unlike Don O’Riordan – another who has a solid knowledge of the game locally – Glynn did get an interview for the job.

The United board wants to take its time to weigh up all the options before making what they feel is the right decision for the club – sometimes, you don’t have to look too far to find it.