Brady 'not interested' in Offaly manager job

EDENDERRY boss Peter Brady is the latest figure to distance himself from the Offaly senior football manager's job. After a somewhat chaotic week for Offaly football, Tom Coffey, Stephen Darby and Jack Sheedy withdrew from the race, having been interviewed for the vacant post. The uncertainty over the manager's job has also been multiplied by star player Niall McNamee's comments that he's considering not playing for the county until there is change at county board level. Now, Peter Brady has clarified his position in relation to speculation linking him to the role. "I'm not interested in the Offaly job, and am glad to be given an opportunity to clarify my position. I haven't been approached by anybody in relation to it, nor would I welcome any approach at this time," said Brady, whose Edenderry side are currently preparing for a Leinster club clash against Kildare champions Athy on November 13. "Managing Offaly is possibly something I'd like to do in the future, but only if things were right within the county board, and at the moment it appears everyone is pulling in opposite directions. I don't know where this has come (the link to the Offaly job). It's just pure speculation, and it certainly hasn't come from me. I had to contact both Tom (Coffey) and Stephen Darby last week, because some of the speculation indicated I was interested in the job, and it was possibly perceived, in some quarters, that I was doing it in a somewhat under-handed manner. Tom and Stephen know I wouldn't do that, anyway, but the reality is I'm not interested in the job. We won the championship with Edenderry, probably a bit ahead of schedule, and I feel I have to stick with that group of players for at least another year," added Brady, who led Edenderry to a stunning county final win over Clara earlier this month. The county board is coming under increasing scrutiny in their efforts to make an appointment, with Tullamore native Gerry Cooney having emerged as a possible contender, but he has since ruled himself out. Cooney has previous knowledge of the Offaly set-up, having been a selector under Kevin Kilmurray . Tom Coffey was first to withdraw his name from the running, following an interview, after a three-month process dragged on too long for his liking. Stephen Darby and Jack Sheedy also withdrew from contention, although it's believed Sheedy wasn't likely to be chosen by the seven-man committee charged with appointing a new manager. Meanwhile, star player Niall McNamee has further fuelled suggestions he could quit county football with a 'tweet' yesterday (Thursday) on social networking medium, twitter. Responding to a 'tweet' by Midlands 103 Sport - which related to an interview given by McNamee to the Irish Independent, during which he threatened to call a halt to his inter-county career - McNamee tweeted "I've already quit". When contacted this week by the Offaly Independent, McNamee was not in a position to discuss the matter further. The committee charged with finding a suitable replacement to Tom Cribbin consists of county board chairman, Pat Teehan, secretary, Martin Boland, vice-chairman, Padraig Boland, and club representatives, Mick Casey and Laz Molloy (St Brigid's), Ger Noonan (Rhode), and Jim Kelly (Ballycumber).