Offaly must decide what type of football manager they want

KEVIN EGAN looks at the different types of candidate Offaly may look towards in their search for a new senior football manager.

 

The releasing of next year’s Allianz League fixtures by the GAA, whether deliberate or otherwise, has helped to offer a reminder to all involved that the 2015 season isn’t far away - even if the GAA would have been far better served to offer the same reminder in November, when they would be on the back foot in the battle for column inches.

The Offaly hurlers were drawn to play two games at home and three away, though that blow was tempered somewhat by the fact that the two home games were arguably the best possible fixtures to play in Tullamore from the point of view of securing promotion. Four wins will almost certainly be the minimum requirement if the Faithful County hurlers are to secure the top spot in the division and it’s a lot easier to imagine picking up victories against teams like Waterford and Wexford at home than in is in a distant location in the south east. Home advantage has never been too significant in local derbies between Offaly and Laois, while securing a win from the trip to north Antrim will be difficult but not impossible, as proven by the smash and grab raid that Brian Whelahan’s side delivered in Ballycastle in July.

The draw for the footballers has been unequivocally positive. Four games will be played in O’Connor Park, including one double header fixture which will draw a good home support due to the influx of hurling supporters, while the three away trips include a trip to London.

Of course this fixture adds an extra level of peril to the campaign but realistically any team that aspires to be promoted should be looking at beating London home or away, while the lack of any pre-season campaign for the Exiles means that week one is the perfect time to play them.
Equally, while Offaly lost to both Longford and Wicklow in the 2014 championship, both Pearse Park and Aughrim are Leinster venues where the players should be reasonably familiar with their surroundings. Again these journeys are far preferable to trips to Belfast, Dungarvan or Carrick-on-Shannon.

This early boost for the football squad has drawn the focus back towards the hunt for a new manager. As a division four team without a provincial underage crown in nearly 20 years, the Offaly manager job isn’t one of the most highly sought after roles out there and the ideal candidate almost certainly doesn’t exist.

Every candidate will have some strong points and some aspects that could be described as weaknesses, but this doesn’t have to be a drawback. It’s far more important that right from the start, the aims and aspirations of the county with any particular appointment are made clear, so that the new man will have clearly defined metrics by which he can be judged. Depending on the priorities of the county board, different strategies will be required over the winter and on into the summer. Some examples of the style of appointment that might be made are below.
 
The Proven Performer
Examples: Pat Flanagan, Stephen Darby

While we can take it that the appointment of Mickey Harte, Jim McGuinness or Jack O’Connor is unlikely, there are candidates out there who have done well with club and/or county teams, and who have been known to hit the ground running. This would be an ideal appointment if a high priority is afforded to making an immediate escape from division four - since this type of candidate would have a clear idea of how they want to play; they would know the better players in the county and how they might use them; and they would start with a solid base of respect.

If this option is chosen, relatively high levels of expectation are justified but the chosen candidate needs to be supported fully, in terms of their backroom team, their training requirements and their decisions. If a large share of the potential roadblocks can be ironed out in advance, that increases the chance of a clear run and instant reward.

The Up and Coming Man
Example: Paschal Kellaghan

An appointment in this vein is a clear statement that the board is thinking long term, and expectations have to be managed accordingly. The backroom team will be particularly crucial as a high level of day to day experience will be needed to complement the youth and energy of the chosen candidate, but a clear focus on coaching and player development is crucial. Emmet McDonnell was perceived as a manager in this vein; however; his failure to fully embrace third level games, with all the innovation that goes with them, went against him in this regard.

An appointment of this nature brings with it a responsibility to improve players on an individual and collective level. Narrow defeats in key games wouldn’t be fatal to this manager’s reputation, but an inability to keep key young players in the country for the full summer, or a panicked return to the old guard midway through the year, should be seen as a real negative.

The Great Redeemer
Examples: Jim McGuinness, Davy Fitzgerald

By definition, only those who sit into an interview with this candidate will know that they’re talking to this type of individual, as it will come across in their zeal and attitude towards the position and not in their public persona. These gems are hard to find, but for every Jim McGuinness that brought redemption to his county, there is another three or four men who went in with the same approach but who didn’t have either the strength or the support to push through their revolution.

This type of candidate will cost dearly. They will demand complete control and huge levels of support staff, and they may have to make some controversial calls along the way that may not win popular support at the time. In many cases, the biggest difficulty in bringing a manager of this style on board is winning the support of clubs, who are often asked to take a back seat while the revolutionary goes about his work.

The Journeyman
Examples: Too many to mention

Instances of managers achieving success with several counties are rare, however there are rare examples where going with a candidate who has covered the length and breadth of the country might be the best choice. Usually, managers of this type are familiar with the lie of the land in counties in the doldrums and they have the experience to get the best out of an underachieving group, for the short term at least. Usually they produce their best results in the first year, after which time their message becomes tired and repetitive.

If it’s the case that the quality of candidate on offer to the interview committee is poor, it may be that the best option is a manager who has already had two or three county jobs and at least a half a dozen club gigs. If so then it may be the best option to appoint the journeyman but to ensure that native, up and coming individuals are installed as selectors and groomed with a view towards taking over in the medium term.