Offaly management 2027

[MarkCassidy5]

Is there any information available about the selection committee for the managers job or how it is going to be decided?

It’s really hard to see an obvious solution. Any club manager from Offaly probably has to beat Tullamore before being considered up to it and anyone from tullamore probably has to win a Leinster club to get the same buy in.

People to me who havent a bad standing in the game from outside would be a Jack Cooney or a Declan Darcy, Pat Gilroy, Brian Cullen but obviously could be very happy with own their jobs and lives as it is.

[Tar Man]

Is there any information available about the selection committee for the managers job or how it is going to be decided?

It’s really hard to see an obvious solution. Any club manager from Offaly probably has to beat Tullamore before being considered up to it and anyone from tullamore probably has to win a Leinster club to get the same buy in.

People to me who havent a bad standing in the game from outside would be a Jack Cooney or a Declan Darcy, Pat Gilroy, Brian Cullen but obviously could be very happy with own their jobs and lives as it is.

From Article by Kevin Corrigan:

The County Board have also began the process of seeking new Offaly senior football management after the decision of Declan Kelly and Mickey Harte to step away.

County Board officials, Tom Parlon, Padraig O'Meara, Frank Fitzpatrick, John Hackett and Michael Duignan have been joined by former Rhode GAA secretary and player, Eoghan Hickey and a 1990s star Cathal Daly (Tullamore) to seek new management.

https://www.offalyexpress.ie/sport/gaa/ ... er-8837257

[jimbob17]

Is there any information available about the selection committee for the managers job or how it is going to be decided?

It’s really hard to see an obvious solution. Any club manager from Offaly probably has to beat Tullamore before being considered up to it and anyone from tullamore probably has to win a Leinster club to get the same buy in.

People to me who havent a bad standing in the game from outside would be a Jack Cooney or a Declan Darcy, Pat Gilroy, Brian Cullen but obviously could be very happy with own their jobs and lives as it is.

Not sure if likes of Jack Cooney or Brian Cullen would be eligible to take such a role. For start, Cullen is an employee of Dublin and part of their backroom team, while Jack Cooney has taken on employment with GAA since he left Westmeath role. It would be possible conflict of interest for either. Gilroy could be brilliant but 1. he doesnt need the money and 2, i am not sure he'd want the hassle. Darcy would be worth going after, but think he is employed with Leinster Rugby which could compromise availability. Talk of Graham if true - he did win Ulster with Cavan which was fair achievement. Also won Leinster Club with Mullinaghta which was another massive achievement - but no more than others, that was in the old game where 13 behind the ball was par for the course.....

On the selection committee front, if that is the committee, there are only maybe one or two or three lads at most there that would really know enough to be on such a selection committee. Thats the most worrying thing for me.

[Superhans75]

Not to sure about the selection committee.
More like a selection box
We need something to happen by the end of the month one way or another.

[Hasselhoff]

Joe Brolly now in the frame.

He has just left his club manager job.

https://www.balls.ie/gaa/joe-brolly-sho ... ure-661073

[Superhans75]

Joe spends too much time in Belfast at the high court.
Can't see him giving up 4 hrs wages for what he would get here.
Plus he has drivers .

[Hasselhoff]

Cian o Neill gone from kerry.
Mike solan gone from Longford.

[MarkCassidy5]

As things stand there doesn’t seem to be a clear front runner and it might not get sorted for a while yet but what is interesting is the job facing the selection committee who have a thankless task.

If we were trying to project manage that or draw up a terms of reference and a competency weighting for certain sought after qualifications or experiences what would that look like.

In straight talk that might mean what achievements do we consider of higher merit than others.

What would our descending scale look like and within that does it throw up candidates we haven’t thought of yet.

1. Senior Male Inter county title success at provincial championship level and national league level as Manager
2. Senior male National and provincial club title success as Manager
3. Underage Male Inter County national and provincial success as Manager
4. Senior Male Inter county title success at provincial championship level and national league level as first team coach

Obviously we would all love a person with a record like Jim Gavin but maybe our reality is we would be better pinning our hopes on finding a paddy tally/kinerk who doesn’t want to be the manager and pair them with someone of a lower national/local standing.

I guess there are now different kinds of management tickets and we need to be smart about what is worth putting money into.

Can it be more scientific than a group of guys being told we were approached by a,b,c themselves saying they would be interested ala a job application email cause they know we are looking. Coupled with informal chats between these selection committee gentlemen basically saying who do you think would be good that isn’t already putting their name in the ring and we can ring them and see if they are interested.
I’d ask Jim Gavin how much he wants to lead our selection committee and pay him for the work. I dont think there is any shame in doing that and the guys on the committee might relish some structure and support.

[jimbob17]

Interesting points MC. Your criteria is fairly high. My concern about bringing one of these journeymen in is that lots are bulshit artists that are good at selling themselves, but not so hot as coaches or managers for that matter. Because they may be known, they are deemed to be good. That's not a right way to go about it imo.

Also note you don't mention any criteria around club success. I'd be looking for someone or people who have been involved with teams who improved significantly under their stewardship. While success often shows capacity, it doesn't necessarily mean good. For example, I am aware of a manager of a 3 in a row senior club championship winning manager (in another county), who was blocked from getting county job because his own club players thought he was nowhere near the level. So i wouldnt conflate a bit of success with being good. Remember when we brought in Pat Roe after Offaly had reached 2006 Leinster Final? We fell off a cliff in 3 yrs going from div1 to div4.

I'd be looking for someone who has shown they are capable of improving teams at good level and getting most from those at their disposal. If thats an outsider, I'd surround same with people with similar skill set who have done similar within Offaly, let it be at club senior level or at Co minor /u20 level or those who know the Offaly scene and have forms of inter county and or club experience in other counties.

Across management team, We need to get right mix of experience with being good, having knowledge of Offaly and having decent levels of coaching qualifications and experience to be involved in such a set up.

As for the selection committee, I'd totally concur with your idea of getting experienced people who know their stuff in finding right person. I'd have major concerns if left to the committee stated above, most of whom know very little about inter county senior football.

[MarkCassidy5]

I do think we are the best inter county job coming available this Summer and to be very fair there is nobody that Tom Parlon and Michael Duignan between them couldn’t get to have a conversation with us even if it was to say a polite no… so I do think the onus is on us to ask the right people cause we may never be as attractive an option for a breakthrough manager as we are right now.

The problem is who are the external options who have been doing things that mean they should be considered. I would definitely be asking the senior panel for suggestions.

you have to be extremely clued in or have a wealth of access to regional GAA information to build out this organisational chart of targets. Any club manager not from the club themselves you would have to presume is getting paid and so is a viable option and probably if they aren’t the guru doing the training they will bring the guru coach with them so you’d be getting the package you thought you were.

But what club management performance in Ireland stands out to us who could potentially be available. What university team trainer is worth consideration and also maybe what female coach could transition over.

So far in this thread we have had mentioned the following and some may have been in jest and some of these options may be flat out nos but if anyone thinks of somebody of note not on this then please throw the suggestion out there because if we can’t think of an interesting external candidate who would be interested then surely give it to an Offaly person.

Externals
Colm O Rourke
Andy McEntee
Stephen Rochford
Lar Wall
Kevin Walsh
Jason Sherlock
Declan Darcy
Davy Burke
Jason Ryan
Anthony Cunningham
Frank Canning
Eamonn Fitzmaurice
Conleith Gilligan
Glen Ryan
Mick Dempsey
Brendan Hackett
Turlough O’Brien
Peter Creedon
Peter Keane
Ray Dempsey
Billy Lee
John Evans
David Power
Ronan Sweeney
James Horan
Kevin McStay
Oisin McConville
Jack Cooney
Colm Collins
Keith Ricken
Philly McMahon
Tomas O Se
Mike Solan
Paddy Christie
Ciaran Kilkenny
Stefan Campbell
Aidan O Shea
Eamon Magee
Mattie Donnelly
Tony McEntee
Mick Bohan
Mickey Graham
Pat Gilroy
Brian Cullen
Joe Brolly
Cian O’Neill

Internals in no order
Pascal Kellaghan
Niall Stack
John Rouse
George Digan
Ger Rafferty
Benny O’Brien
Roger Ryan
Nigel Dunne
Paul McConway
Paul Rouse

[bracknaghboy]

I do think we are the best inter county job coming available this Summer and to be very fair there is nobody that Tom Parlon and Michael Duignan between them couldn’t get to have a conversation with us even if it was to say a polite no… so I do think the onus is on us to ask the right people cause we may never be as attractive an option for a breakthrough manager as we are right now.

The problem is who are the external options who have been doing things that mean they should be considered. I would definitely be asking the senior panel for suggestions.

you have to be extremely clued in or have a wealth of access to regional GAA information to build out this organisational chart of targets. Any club manager not from the club themselves you would have to presume is getting paid and so is a viable option and probably if they aren’t the guru doing the training they will bring the guru coach with them so you’d be getting the package you thought you were.

But what club management performance in Ireland stands out to us who could potentially be available. What university team trainer is worth consideration and also maybe what female coach could transition over.

So far in this thread we have had mentioned the following and some may have been in jest and some of these options may be flat out nos but if anyone thinks of somebody of note not on this then please throw the suggestion out there because if we can’t think of an interesting external candidate who would be interested then surely give it to an Offaly person.

Externals
Colm O Rourke
Andy McEntee
Stephen Rochford
Lar Wall
Kevin Walsh
Jason Sherlock
Declan Darcy
Davy Burke
Jason Ryan
Anthony Cunningham
Frank Canning
Eamonn Fitzmaurice
Conleith Gilligan
Glen Ryan
Mick Dempsey
Brendan Hackett
Turlough O’Brien
Peter Creedon
Peter Keane
Ray Dempsey
Billy Lee
John Evans
David Power
Ronan Sweeney
James Horan
Kevin McStay
Oisin McConville
Jack Cooney
Colm Collins
Keith Ricken
Philly McMahon
Tomas O Se
Mike Solan
Paddy Christie
Ciaran Kilkenny
Stefan Campbell
Aidan O Shea
Eamon Magee
Mattie Donnelly
Tony McEntee
Mick Bohan
Mickey Graham
Pat Gilroy
Brian Cullen
Joe Brolly
Cian O’Neill

Internals in no order
Pascal Kellaghan
Niall Stack
John Rouse
George Digan
Ger Rafferty
Benny O’Brien
Roger Ryan
Nigel Dunne
Paul McConway
Paul Rouse

That's a lot of random names I'll give you that.
Why would you include Aidan O'Shea but not the likes of Niall McNamee on that list?

[Hasselhoff]

Austin o malley
Mickey moran
Liam mchale
Kevin mcstay
John Delaney
Sean Dyche
EDDIE HOWE.

[MarkCassidy5]

That’s just the list of people mentioned so far on this thread in the one place rather than a list of mine.. Niall has coached with Castleknock and is giving his time to the Rhode underage (his minors nearly turned over Tullamore Monday night) and still playing away Senior.. whoever gets the job should be asking him in with them in my opinion.I’d be of the same opinion with Pascal to be honest. But I’m biased being from Rhode but they both add something in my opinion and hope at least one ends up in there.

I’d be hoping to hear of a shortlist soon for the managers job as to who’s going to be going forward for the final interviews.