McShea’s Say: Molloy and McHugh heading up boss hunt an encouraging development

It is good to see that Donegal GAA have quickly appointed a committee charged with recruiting the next man who will hopefully lead Donegal back to the higher echelons of inter county football.

The transparent approach of the county executive in naming the new interview board is also to be admired with county chairman Fergal McGee, secretary Declan Martin, and Anthony Doogan joined by legendary pair Martin McHugh and Anthony Molloy. 

It is particularly pleasing to see the two All-Ireland winners involved, both men were top class footballers who represented the county at the top level. This experience is vital and the previous interview board did not include anyone who represented our county in the white heat of championship football. 

It is also suggested that there are nine expressions of interest in the position, which is good news, and there will be great interest in the outcome of the deliberations of those charged with appointing the new Donegal boss. 

I would expect the interview board to begin their deliberations very quickly and hope to see an appointment as soon as possible. To have a new manager in situ for the club championship would be ideal, but with Donegal football badly in need of some positivity, the correct appointment is critical at this time. 

When it comes to selecting and appointing a manager there is a strong argument that we need more football people involved and McHugh and Molloy are real football people. 

And this is why there will be a huge air of expectancy regarding the appointment of the new manager. In modern day football, the managerial merry go round is spinning faster than ever, with many managers holding on for grim life. 

Going back some years there were not the impulsive knee jerk sackings there are today. A manager was given time to mould his squad. But football is clearly a short-term game now. 

Supporters crave instant success, and indeed so too do many players and in recent years the aspect of player power, regarding a manager’s future, would not be considered a positive development. 

Nowadays, all managers go through a rigorous interview process for the serious job that it is. Every candidate will say the same thing, that the job is about developing and nurturing youth, but this is not a swift process. 

But quick fixes and instant success is what today’s game is all about. But only one team can win the All-Ireland, the Ulster title or the League. Managerial changes can and have had the effect of destabilising a team and even bringing about player insecurity. 

But this should not happen because all players’ security comes from their own ability. Patience is a much-missed virtue in football today. It used to exist. Long term plans have long since disappeared from the agendas of football managers, as they are too busy trying to find the magic formula that delivers instant success. 

Let us hope that the new man at the helm in Donegal gets time to mould a team with the ability to perform at the top level, and that he once again coaches his players to play an attacking brand of football as the negativity that was a feature of our football in recent years was a major reason for our decline in fortunes.

Academy 

The next task for our county executive is to get our Academy back up and running again. This is of paramount importance. 

Now that we have two All-Ireland winners in the mix on the managerial interview board, all GAA fans in the county will hope that our multi decorated All-Star Karl Lacey will return to continue in his role as the excellent leader of the Academy.

The epic hurling final between Limerick and Kilkenny had everything last Sunday, but the one man who deserved much credit for letting the game flow was Wicklow referee John Keenan. 

He had a wonderful game and played a major role in a match where the controlled physicality of both sides was compulsive viewing.       

Sympathies 

It was with deep regret that I learned of the passing of Julia McGinley last week. Julia was a native of Rathmullan and she loved Donegal despite living in Rathfarnham for many years. 

A past Captain and President of Dunfanaghy Golf Club, Julia was a lady earning the love and respect of those lucky enough to have known her. 

Husband Michael is a former Donegal county footballer and his support in every way to Donegal football remains simply exceptional. And son Paul is, of course, a former Ryder Cup winning captain. 

To Michael, Paul, Michael Jnr, and the three girls Suzanne, Mary and Karen, daughter in law Allison, and sons in law, Mark and Chris and a wide circle of family and friends, I extend my deepest heartfelt sympathies.