Interim Management Team for Offaly Senior Football Panel

[GreatDayForTheParish]

The following is taken from rte.ie:

'Offaly executives have appointed an interim management team of Tom Coffey, Phil O'Reilly and Vinny Claffey to replace Richie Connor who stepped down on Sunday.

The trio have also been included on a committee given the task of finding a new Offaly football manager.

Connor tendered his resignation after a number of players withdrew from the county panel '.

[Bord na Mona man]

I think the trio should consider staying in charge for the rest of the year.
There is no use bringing in someone who might be less familiar with the players who will spend weeks trying to get to grips with the job.
Time is not on Offaly's side if the league campaign is to be rescued.

[azoffaly]

I think O'Reilly and Coffey are managing Tullamore and Rhode respectively though. There's probably no way they could combine both.

[Coolestown1562]

It will be interesting to see if the same 30 players are retained as part of the panel.

[True Red]

From the Times

Offaly call in Coffey to lead in short term
GAVIN CUMMISKEYGAELIC GAMES: IN THE wake of the player revolt which led to Richie Connor’s resignation as Offaly football manager last Sunday, after just three games in charge, the county board last night appointed an interim team headed up by Rhode manager Tom Coffey to take the players through next weekend’s National League Division Three encounter against Longford.

Tullamore manager Phil O’Reilly and another well known former player, Vinny Claffey from the Doon club, have been named as Coffey’s selectors.

Coffey was part of the 1997 Leinster title-winning panel, and won a league title in 1998.

All three men have been added to a new, five-man committee to find a permanent replacement for Connor, who stepped down after a number of prominent players refused to play under him.

That drew immediate comparisons to the stand-off in Cork between the hurlers, county executive and manager Gerald McCarthy.

Offaly County Board chairman Pat Teehan and secretary Martin Boland are also on the committee formed at last night’s meeting.

One thing is certain – the various factions in Offaly football are determined not to become as entrenched as in the Cork scenario.

There appears to be an enthusiasm on both sides – players and county board – to stop a public relations war before it accelerates out of control. The county board and Connor released statements on Sunday, criticising the players, while several players aired their grievances, mostly anonymously, in print.

“There has been a week lost in mid-February,” said panel member Ger Rafferty yesterday. “We’re going back training ourselves (last night) and looking forward to playing football again. We normally have a gym session on a Monday night so that’s where we’ll be.

“It’s not up to the players to select a manager. We don’t seek to have a hand in that process. I can’t see us being asked and I wouldn’t want to be involved in selecting a manager.

“The players are united. Richie is gone and we wish him well. We’re not going to start taking pot-shots or getting involved in tit-for-tat stuff. What we want is what’s best for Offaly football, and that’s getting down to some serious training after playing Longford next Sunday.”

Also speaking in conciliatory tones, county board press officer Brendan Minnock added: “Offaly is a small county. We don’t want any lingering bitterness or to engage in a points-scoring process. It’s not something we want.

“Richie Connor is gone and a new interim management has been appointed to get us through the weekend against Longford, at the very least.”

[Silken Thomas]

So the new 5 man manager selection commitee is;

Pat Teehan
Martin Boland
Vinny Claffey
Tom Coffey
Phil O' Reilly

Martin was very much involved in the club scene during the nineties with Killeigh/Raheen.
Vinny leaving aside his dismal coaching record would have his heart in the right place. Was and remains a real fitness fanatic.
Tom despite his transfering philosophy is a very progressive coach whilst
Phil has been doing a lot of good things this decade.

I'm reasonably happy.
Surely the selection commitee are comprimised?
My idea though would be since Tom and Philly, can't leave their clubs nilly willy they won't be taking the job
Vinny Claffey's record surely leaves him well and truly out.

Stephen Darby might not fancy the job so much now but his obsession with football has no bounds so I presume it's himself.

[Lone Shark]

Stephen Darby might not fancy the job so much now but his obsession with football has no bounds so I presume it's himself.

His obsessions with football might know no bounds while also I'd suggest that he'd be a bigger man than to turn down a job he wanted simply because he didn't get it in an appropriate fashion, however his commitment to Carbury might not be something that he'd walk out on without a second though. We're all discounting O'Reilly and Coffey because they are committed to Tullamore and Rhode respectively and that's fair enough, however Darby might not want to leave either in the sense that any man is only as good as his word.

Just pointing out that this mightn't be the open goal everyone appears to be presuming.

[loyal offaly]

Folks
Im new to the site and Im looking foward to a year of discussions.
I like the look of the tempory managers but they are club tied and Stephen Darby obviously looks like the automatic choice but I agree he will not leave his current club.
So based on that watch out for the name Brendan Hackett.

[Kevin]

Welcome aboard loyal Offaly.

I am a bit removed. WHo is Brendan Hackett??

[Oceans 15]

Welcome aboard loyal Offaly.

I am a bit removed. WHo is Brendan Hackett??

He was Manager of offaly in the early 90's.

[Kevin]

THX!

[sIR bIFFSALOT]

Awful punnery aside do you think Brendan could 'hack it' as manager? Has he won anything of note?

[Bord na Mona man]

Welcome aboard loyal Offaly.

I am a bit removed. WHo is Brendan Hackett??

This is him:
http://www.rte.ie/sport/athletics/2005/ ... etics.html
He managed Offaly in the early 90s.
He did ok, but then again Offaly football was at a low ebb - a bit like today I suppose.
In 1991-2 Offaly took Donegal to extra time in the league quarter final.
However we then got spanked by Dublin in the championship, while Donegal went on to win the All Ireland.
Turk would be able to fill us in better as he was more familiar with his coaching.

I've heard his name mentioned in connection with the vacant Offaly job. I suppose he'd had have the knowledge for the physical preparation aspects of the job. An area where Offaly are very deficient in these days and other counties are pulling ahead.

On a different subject, perhaps he is the sort of person needed to mentor players from 16-23 years of age? Guide players to 2 or 3 year plans to improve aspects of their game. The sort of polishing work that you don't really get under current county managers, who have short term goals.
From what I can see, too many promising Offaly players seem to be left drift from year to year without much evidence of proper development. A promising group of minors 3 years ago losing by a cricket score to Westmeath at U21s seems to bear this point out.

Back to the point. I'm not sure if he is ideal for the Offaly manager's job.
He record is moderate, he hasn't been a front line manager recently that I'm aware of - though he has helped out with teams. Being from Offaly tends to be a slight hindrance too as your cards are often marked before you start.

If he got the job he could well be a success, but I wouldn't be surprised if he got fooked out on his ear like Richie Connor was either!

[Bord na Mona man]

Awful punnery aside do you think Brendan could 'hack it' as manager? Has he won anything of note?

Football panel gets Hackett wielded on them!

[sIR bIFFSALOT]

Football panel gets Hackett wielded on them!

Is this him?!