Position vacant – Clare football manager

A COMMITTEE of eight will commence meetings next week to search for a new Clare senior football manager.
That decision was taken at this week’s meeting of the county board at which Miltown St Joseph’s delegate Noel Walsh put forward a proposal which, with a few additions, was adopted.

Walsh told the meeting that following last week’s forum, his club held a long meeting at the end of which they came up with the proposal. He went on to put his proposal that Pat Hanrahan, John Reidy, John McCarthy, Tommy Curtin and Gabriel Keating make up the committee that will have the duty of seeking out a successor to Micheál McDermott. “They have all been asked and they have agreed,” Walsh told the meeting.

The proposal was seconded by Doonbeg’s Michael Neenan.

“This committee will be chaired by the chairman of the board,” chairman Michael O’Neill noted.

O’Curry’s delegate Michael Curtin had earlier suggested the setting up of a committee that would comprise, a member of the executive, a player’s representative and two from the clubs had gone on to suggest “why not have an outside chairman like John Maughan?”

Following Noel Walsh’s proposal, Curtin asked, “Why is there no player on this committee?
Replying Walsh suggested, “You never see a player on this type of committee. It would be a difficult position.”

Secretary, Pat Fitzgerald suggested consideration be given to allowing the players nominate a representative onto this committee.

Chairman Michael O’Neill said, “It is vital that players have some imput and it’s important to bring all strands together”.

Agreeing with the concept, Cooraclare’s PJ McGuane said, “A very recent former player should be involved. Unless and until the clubs of this county decide that players should at all times play for the county we are going nowhere. We have too many who are able to say ‘I could not bother my arse with it’.”

At this stage, the meeting gave their agreement to allowing the chairman add a player’s representative and a former player to this committee, which will bring the number up to eight.

Kilmurry-Ibrickane’s James Murrihy told the meeting, “We are in a society where people are looking for jobs. Could we look at the possibility of advertising this position nationally. We might get an up-and-coming manager. Ask them to present a report on where they see Clare in three to five years. We have to do something different,” he said.

How many players, past or present, were at last week’s forum? asked Clarecastle’s Bernard Hanrahan. I understand that there were very few.

Replying, Pat Fitzgerald said, “We didn’t encourage them”.

The meeting agreed to the Miltown proposal with the committee to be chaired by board chairman Michael O’Neill, who is to add a player’s representative and a former player. “We will take all views on board including the suggestion from James Murrihy,” he said.