Some people need to take a look at themselves - Leo McLoone

Leo McLoone has finally had his say on the Academy fallout in Donegal and the former county star believes certain individuals on the county board need to take a look at themselves. 

Speaking in the wake of his U-20 side’s 0-11 to 0-5 Ulster semi-final loss to Derry,  the 2012 All-Ireland winner says the saga needs a definitive resolution. 

“It’s really disappointing, that’s one way of putting it. The entire structure I went in under as manager, that was through Karl Lacey. Something really needs to be done. You can see there with Derry, they have their house in order. 

“Everyone is working together. At county board level, there are things that need to be changed and there are people that need to take a look at themselves”.

Meanwhile, McLoone admits that the decision to bring this afternoon’s U-20 fixture forward had a big impact on his team’s preparations. And he questioned the manner in which the game was rescheduled. 

The fixture was originally down to be played on the evening of Wednesday, April 12, but with Derry seniors taking on Fermanagh at Brewster Park in an Ulster SFC quarter-final on April 15, that meant that the five Derry players who are involved at senior and U20 level would have had to choose between the two games.

Speaking in the aftermath of his side’s defeat to Dublin in Sunday’s Allianz Football League Division 2 final, Oak Leaf senior boss Rory Gallagher made his feelings on the matter clear. 

The Ulster Council subsequently announced last Tuesday that the game was being brought forward.

“It’s disappointing,” said McLoone. “It’s been a tough week. We’re without our forwards coach, Colm McFadden. He’s over in London with Sligo. We plan for Wednesday night games but here we are on a Saturday. 

“It didn’t have a bearing on the game but it had a big bearing on our preparations. Fixtures are made, put in place. On Saturday evening the Ulster Council met, the fixture was set in stone and there would be no changes. 

“Derry seniors then lost on Sunday. And I believe there were a good few phone calls made. We trained on Monday as normal. Low and behold, on Tuesday morning there was a meeting at 9am. 

“We then got word the game was going ahead on Saturday. It had a bearing on our preparations and I’m sure it did on Derry’s also. It’s just funny how these things can be changed and altered in a quick period of time. Four days notice for both sides wasn’t right. 

“But by having the meeting on the Tuesday morning it ticked that box of ‘four day’s notice’ exactly. We could have objected had they had that meeting on Tuesday evening. So they had all their ducks in a row in that sense. The right phone calls were made by certain people. 

“Don’t get me wrong, Derry were the better team. But what I’m talking about is a whole different issue”.