Fitzgerald denies six-year demand

Clare senior hurling manager elect, Davy Fitzgerald, has not looked for control of minor, U-21 and intermediate Clare teams in addition to the senior team and neither has he looked for a six-year term at the helm.
Following media reports that he had made specific proposals, Fitzgerald categorically stated to The Clare Champion on Wednesday that he had “made no such demands”.
“Managing a county senior team is a full-time job and I will have enough on my plate,” he said when asked about the reports.
“Of course, I would intend to keep in touch with the other selection committees as I believe that all these committees should keep in regular contact. As the senior team manager, I will keep an eye on how the players in the other squads are performing to monitor whether they should be called up to the senior panel,” the Sixmilebridge man said, before offering the view that all the teams should have access to the same strength and conditioning coach.
The name of the former All-Star goalkeeper will be put before the October meeting of Clare GAA next Tuesday night for ratification. When nominations for the position, vacant since Ger O’Loughlin stepped down last July following two years in charge, closed last week, Fitzgerald’s was the only name put forward.
He will attend Tuesday’s meeting, when he will outline his plans to the delegates. At the October board meeting, he will also be putting forward the names of who will serve as selectors with him.
While he didn’t reveal the make-up of his backroom team, The Clare Champion understands that Louis Mulqueen and Mike Deegan will be part of the management set-up, while the names of Brian Lohan, Pat O’Connor and Michael Browne have also been linked.
Ennis man Mulqueen was the trainer of the Clare senior team from 2000 for a number of years. He was appointed by Ger Loughnane in succession to Mike McNamara and continued as team trainer when Cyril Lyons replaced Loughnane as manager. Prior to that, he had trained the St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield team that won two Clare, two Munster and one All-Ireland senior club title. He was the Galway senior trainer for two years when Ger Loughnane managed the Tribesmen. He has helped train a number of other club sides and has worked with Fitzgerald previously, notably when helping guide Killanena to an historic first Clare intermediate title last year.
Mike Deegan has been part of the Cratloe backroom team for the past four years and helped steer his native club to a first Clare senior title in 2009 and to the runners-up position last year.
Lohan was the Clare full-back for a decade with Fitzgerald as goalkeeper. This year, the Wolfe Tones man was part of the backroom team that steered Patrickswell to the Limerick senior semi-final. Pat O’Connor and Michael Browne are the current managers with their native clubs, Tubber and Crusheen respectively.