Transparency an encouraging start to Donegal managerial hunt - Michael Hegarty

Michael Hegarty says it’s a positive move in the right direction that Donegal have named their five-man committee charged with finding the county’s new senior football team boss. 

The Kilcar clubman - who had recently declared he himself was willing to serve on the committee - has applauded the appointment of his clubmate Martin McHugh and 1992 All-Ireland winning captain Anthony Molloy, on the committee. 

“Martin and Anthony have a wealth of experience and are good Donegal men and I’m delighted to see two former players being appointed,” the former countyman, told Donegal Live.

“The only thing I want to say further on it is that I feel the committee should have also included a player from more recent times, say someone from the last ten years or so.

“We won our second All-Ireland in 2012 and it is a pity no one from that team is on the committee. 

“But the two lads I mentioned, that’s a huge positive and it’s also a big improvement from how we went about things last year and I have no doubt Martin and Anthony will make a positive contribution.” 

Hegarty was one of the top footballing orchestrators in the county for over two decades, playing with Donegal from 1999 to 2011, but just missed out on the 2012 All-Ireland success.  

He recently told former teammate Brendan Devenney, on the DL Debate Podcast, that he was willing to work on any potential committee to help find the new manager, if asked.

“I only offered to be on a committee because I’ve seen in the past people with no great experience of county football, and even people from outside the county, selecting managers and feeling it was not the right way to do it.”

The other big positive as far as Hegarty is concerned is the number of candidates that have declared an interest in the job. 

“I think the fact that there are nine expressions of interest is very positive and is very encouraging and given they all cannot be successful, maybe they would consider managing county underage teams at U-16, minor and U-20.

“That way we could build up a panel that could move up along through the age groups and manage the senior team in time.  I would like to see the selection committee put a panel in place at the end for that purpose.”