Timing might just be right for a Jim McGuinness return - John Gildea

John Gildea hopes that former club and county midfield partner Jim McGuinness can be tempted to once again step into the Donegal senior manager’s dugout.

A newly formed five-man committee to find the best possible candidate for the job was both put to and rubber stamped by county committee last Monday night.

Pressed on whether or not he knew if McGuinness was interested in the position, Gildea admitted he did not know what his fellow Naomh Conaill clubman’s current intentions are.

However, he did express his hope that the 2012 All-Ireland winning boss might feel the timing is right to once again take on those reins.

“I hope the timing could be right for Jim and if he is interested, I think he has a serious amount going for him if he does take it on.

“We are at the lowest we have been in 40 years, I feel, and the only way is up. It is widely recognised as a team rebuilding job so he can build his own team.

“If he was to come back the whole county would be behind him and it would give the team a huge lift. It would be such a positive.

“It would even have the potential to raise the possibility of a return for Michael Murphy. Because I believe Michael has, at the very least, one good year in him”.

Meanwhile Gildea, who played for the county from 1995 through to 2004, says the inclusion of Anthony Molloy and Martin McHugh on managerial pursuit panel, which is being headed by county chairman Fergus McGee, is a positive departure from the previous stealth and, ultimately bungled attempts to find Declan Bonner’s successor.

Donegal secretary Declan Martin and Moville clubman Anthony Doogan complete that line-up.

But the Naomh Conaill clubman did express his disappointment that there was not at least one player of more recent vintage included on the committee.

“For starters, it’s a much better process than was used last year to find a replacement for Declan Bonner, “ he said.

“It is more open and transparent and not clouded in the secrecy we had back then. We at least know the identity of the people on the committee, which is a positive.

“I must confess, I would have liked to have seen one more ex player, from more recent years, on the committee. Anthony and Martin were great players and are obviously legends of the game.

“But it has been years since Anthony and Martin played or were involved and the game has moved on so much that I would like to have seen one more player, from more recent years, also part of that selection process”.

Gildea added it was encouraging to hear there was big interest in the position and that the board has received up to nine expressions of interest in the job.

“I think it is a huge positive that nine people have expressed an interest in the position because, I have to confess, I was worried given the fallout from last season’s process that there might be no interest.

“So for me that is a huge positive and makes the selection committee's job a little easier that they have nine people to chat to. And they also have the option to go outside the nine if they so wish.”