Anyone have any ideas of where Donegal can go from here with a new manager. It will be difficult for any manager to match the tactical mind of Jim McGuinness but Donegal have plenty of talent to work with. I reckon they'll be favourites for Ulster again next year regardless of who gets the job.

tipp_hurl (Sligo) - Posts: 10 - 04/10/2014 12:00:05    1660003

If i was a Donegal man the only person for the job woule be Rory G if he wants it

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 04/10/2014 12:15:27    1660011

They're still by far the best team in Ulster. With Jim on board there was no one to touch them in Ulster, other teams might be a little bit more confident now but I'd still see them winning a fe Ulster titles and having a good crackat Sam in the next few years.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13819 - 04/10/2014 12:19:36    1660014

Rory g and Mark Curran will definitely put their names forward. Kevin Cassidy might fancy a crack at it as well. Other outsiders could be John mc Nulty, Eamon o Boyle. Tony Boyle a long-shot.

Inthrough (Donegal) - Posts: 32 - 04/10/2014 12:30:00    1660023

Period of rebuilding. McEntee for me.

DLlegends (Donegal) - Posts: 503 - 04/10/2014 12:31:56    1660024

Pat Gilroy would be a great candidate if he was interested?

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 04/10/2014 12:49:30    1660033

Liamwalkinstown
County: Dublin
Posts: 5886

1660033
Pat Gilroy would be a great candidate if he was interested?

If he found it difficult with the work balance managing Dublin how is going to manage it with Donegal man?!!!!

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13819 - 04/10/2014 13:17:39    1660043

Whoever it is, I hope he remembers to use some of the exciting attacking talent they have. It would be nice to see a great full forward like Murphy actually getting some scores.

Steve (Fermanagh) - Posts: 293 - 04/10/2014 13:34:27    1660048

you would imagine its straight forward with declan bonner getting the job.
but if i was a donegal supporter id be interested to see tony mcentee name put forward
rory gallagher and bonner are likely going to try emulate mcguinness
where as mcentee would add a differant dimension and id be interested to see would he improve their attack mind

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 04/10/2014 14:01:44    1660058

Rory Gallagher and Declan Bonner without a doubt, Gallagher has worked with McGuinness and knows the set up in Donegal and we saw how Donegal minors played this year under Declan Bonner. Both should do well together in Donegal

riverboys (Mayo) - Posts: 1389 - 04/10/2014 15:24:43    1660083

Think Tony Mc Entee would be a good choice, we need to keep evolving and developing and I see Tony Mc Entee as one manager out there is primed to make his mark over the next few years...... Declan has done a great job with the minors but to me he is too old school for the senior job which has changed a lot since Declan last managed Donegal

ben1977 (Donegal) - Posts: 364 - 04/10/2014 16:41:11    1660110

Would not mind McEntee. The following players got no game time or very little over the last year::: Luke Keaney, Declan Walsh Eamonn Doherty ( all defenders and you really could not have dropped any of the six playing-McGeees FmG AT KL PmG) but they are all young players who could easily make the team. I was waiting to see if Hugh McFadden got any game time in the championship as I think he can play around midfield/ full forward and he is one I'd like to see coming through
We will have to replace CMcFadden so could Stephen McBrearty step in ( might be a bit young yet. Another year will help Dara o COnnor and probably Mark McHugh and indeed Eoin MC Hugh could be fighting for places. It will depend a lot on who retires from the present set up but again as we will have to rebuild we might as well start next spring. Would have no objections to McEntee at all and with this seasons minors plus the U 21 players who lost the Ulster final this year we could have a great team in a couple of years time.

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 04/10/2014 17:19:04    1660123

Rory Gallagher is in prime position as he is doing a great job with Kilcar. They need one more win to secure Div 1 & beat reigning champions Glenswilly away last Sunday. If he somehow manages to engineer a double with one of the smallest clubs in the county then it will be hard to say no to him.

One word of caution would be that Rory isnt the most popular man in footballing circles. He is voluble on the sideline & not afraid to mix it with the opposition.

An appointment like county manager can be as much about politics & personalities as anything else & Rory's abrasive character might count against him. One way of countering this would be for a joint bid with Martin McHugh who brought Cavan an Ulster title in the late nineties. They are very close & I think it is a partnership that would be well received in Donegal with the prospect of a slightly more open & attacking style of play.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 04/10/2014 17:23:11    1660126

Liamwalkinstown
County: Dublin
Posts: 5887

1660033
Pat Gilroy would be a great candidate if he was interested?
--/
Wouldn't go down well with Donegal purists - Gillers brand of football was too defensive

ruanua (Donegal) - Posts: 4966 - 04/10/2014 17:57:29    1660137

While some of their modern tactics are kept, it'll be interesting to see if Donegal can return to their expansive game of '92.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8948 - 04/10/2014 19:04:21    1660158

doesnt matter who comes.in many of the players on the wrong side of thirty had a tough four years and were waiting on the mc guiness decision
watch the domino effect in the coming.weeks........donegal have.youth coming.through but its going to be a rebuilding process for next few years will be back though...........Can u imagine the weird feeling of absence in the changing room hotel training pitch especially.the first year post mcguiness...........huge gaping.hole!!! it will.only become apparent just how important he was wen hes gone.....

booboo (Cork) - Posts: 1382 - 04/10/2014 19:50:44    1660172

Martin McHugh

HandyMoran (Roscommon) - Posts: 327 - 04/10/2014 20:59:31    1660201

Not hard to manage Kilcar in all fairness. The work has been going on there for the last 8/9 years. Rory cant take/get much credit for that.

Inthrough (Donegal) - Posts: 32 - 04/10/2014 21:32:31    1660219

tipp_hurl
County: Sligo
Posts: 8

1660003
Anyone have any ideas of where Donegal can go from here with a new manager. It will be difficult for any manager to match the tactical mind of Jim McGuinness but Donegal have plenty of talent to work with. I reckon they'll be favourites for Ulster again next year regardless of who gets the job.

While never consistently great at underage for years, Donegal have always been able to consistently bring 2-3 players through year on year. So lack of talent will not be an Issue for them moving forward.

The biggest problem for Donegal is getting the right manager in place, and that is where I have serious concerns for Donegal. As there will be no shortage of pretenders putting their names in for this role now, especially with such a strong team already in place.

I genuinely believe Donegal should right a terrible wrong from years ago, and give Martin McHugh the role on a 2 year basis. Back him up with Rory Gallagher and a strong modern backroom team.

While McHugh as a pundit may rub some the wrong way, he is genuinely a fantastic tactician and football brain. And I think he may just have that spark needed to push Donegal that bit further.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 05/10/2014 12:36:20    1660299

GaryMc82
County: Derry
Posts: 1446


The biggest problem for Donegal is getting the right manager in place, and that is where I have serious concerns for Donegal. As there will be no shortage of pretenders putting their names in for this role now, especially with such a strong team already in place.

I genuinely believe Donegal should right a terrible wrong from years ago, and give Martin McHugh the role on a 2 year basis. Back him up with Rory Gallagher and a strong modern backroom team.

While McHugh as a pundit may rub some the wrong way, he is genuinely a fantastic tactician and football brain. And I think he may just have that spark needed to push Donegal that bit further.



Yes good points Gary, but I would say that McHugh made himself available only last week for the Sligo IT management job. I dont know if it is possible to do both it and county management. I also believe that he may not be interested in taking the county job either. He turned it down many many times in the past, or rather ruled himself out of the reckoning. (you are correct about righting the wrong from the past, he is still probably very sore about this).

If himself and Rory Gallagher made themselves available for the job, it would also raise the issue of having 2 kilcar men (albiet by association with Gallagher) in charge of the county. While I would have nothing at all against this, as there are fab players emerging and on the current county team, the rest of the county may well have issue with it. Playing favorites to certain players over others re club association, or the perceived act of doing this would be enough to start the petty internal club rivalry conflict going.

I think that all will be sorted out sooner rather than later. There are players who will go i am sure about this. I also think that this needs to be the case for their own sakes. I feel that there is a place for some younger lads to slot in, and new management could be a great precedent for change.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3851 - 05/10/2014 13:26:06    1660313