Offaly management 2027

[Thomas mc]

I think the reality in offaly is that unrealistic expectations will make it impossible for any manager.. weve just got rid of the only manager who had any kind of success over the last 20 years with offaly and not only that but he has been destroyed and completely disrespected by some people on here and in the real world. Player power is still a big issue and pandering to certain players and clubs who frankly have achieved fuck all! I recall back in the day gettin an instrucion to play a certain role in a challenge game, 5 minutes in to the game a "senior player" told me he was taking over my role and that was that, a lovely example of the player power, training being dictated, game plans thrown out the window, strops being thrown, young talent walkin away year after year, secondary competitions dismissed and treated as a bit of craic, respect being demanded and managers afraid to drop players and quotos to be met for certain clubs but these "senior players" know best apparently and every manager was wrong... similar at u21 and u20 level.. its been a rot and a stain and a mantle handed down over the last 20 years a 20 year period where we won nothing.. at any level really, is it just pure coincdence that Kelly addressed this issue, took no shite and was manager of the 2 biggest successes offaly football has had in the last 20 years? Is that really a coincidence?? Lads come on here tell me i have a vested interest in the management and i dont know what it takes to be a county player while crying out for lads to be brought in or back to the panel, a lot of the names mentioned were lads who barely committed to their clubs .. players who feel they have a God given right to have a starting jersey and who were done without in 2025 our most successful year in yonks. I dont know declan kelly and i dont like mickey harte but it appears certain players who are now becoming "more senior" are gone too big for their boots and the management have been pushed out AGAIN! Offaly have had proven successful mangers over the years who have not had any success with offaly and there was always a strop thrown during every managers term, they cant all be wrong! If a manager comes in next year and panders to certain players, clubs or other "influences" in the county, it will be back to division 4 and more lost years and talent.. we need 30 committed players pushing in the same direction who trust the manager and do what they are asked! Today is a huge step backwards for Offaly football.. for those who want to slate DK and MH and tell me every manger has been wrong for 20 years and who want to state the importance of the "senior" players, if ye had a look behins the scenes over the last 20 years ye would be in a much better position to understand the problem.. 20 years of successful managers passing through with no success and then 2 managers have some or our only success and they all get the boot and most of them drove out by players and player power and ye are still telling me that player power isnt an issue, it has been the managers all along? Come on, seriously?

[Anon444]

There definitely is an element that the players need to reflect themselves on why there seems to be no signs of progress. It’s always a step forward and then a step back.

But management needed to own up to their own shortcomings too. Blaming injuries (yes, I know we probably can’t afford to be down the lads we were down) in the public eye is not in my opinion the correct way to digest every game. Frankly, the sheer amount of negative news coming out from the camp does not reflect well on the players, but also the management.

And I’ll finish saying that DK should still be remembered and applauded as a man who managed Offaly to an All Ireland U20.

[Offaly Hero]

Stephen Rochford would be a fantastic appointment.
Whether he'd want to do it is another question. It's a long way from Crossmolina and lets be honest, we're not exactly an 'on broadway' proposition.

You do realise he’s training tullamore don’t you?

Amazingly, I do.

I also realise that being a manager for a division 3 intercounty team is a completely different level of commitment and scrutiny to being a coach (not manager) for a very successful club team. Hence my comment. Perhaps you might realise it yourself too.

[Bord na Mona man]

I think the reality in offaly is that unrealistic expectations will make it impossible for any manager.. weve just got rid of the only manager who had any kind of success over the last 20 years with offaly and not only that but he has been destroyed and completely disrespected by some people on here and in the real world. Player power is still a big issue and pandering to certain players and clubs who frankly have achieved fuck all! I recall back in the day gettin an instrucion to play a certain role in a challenge game, 5 minutes in to the game a "senior player" told me he was taking over my role and that was that, a lovely example of the player power, training being dictated, game plans thrown out the window, strops being thrown, young talent walkin away year after year, secondary competitions dismissed and treated as a bit of craic, respect being demanded and managers afraid to drop players and quotos to be met for certain clubs but these "senior players" know best apparently and every manager was wrong... similar at u21 and u20 level.. its been a rot and a stain and a mantle handed down over the last 20 years a 20 year period where we won nothing.. at any level really, is it just pure coincdence that Kelly addressed this issue, took no shite and was manager of the 2 biggest successes offaly football has had in the last 20 years? Is that really a coincidence?? Lads come on here tell me i have a vested interest in the management and i dont know what it takes to be a county player while crying out for lads to be brought in or back to the panel, a lot of the names mentioned were lads who barely committed to their clubs .. players who feel they have a God given right to have a starting jersey and who were done without in 2025 our most successful year in yonks. I dont know declan kelly and i dont like mickey harte but it appears certain players who are now becoming "more senior" are gone too big for their boots and the management have been pushed out AGAIN! Offaly have had proven successful mangers over the years who have not had any success with offaly and there was always a strop thrown during every managers term, they cant all be wrong! If a manager comes in next year and panders to certain players, clubs or other "influences" in the county, it will be back to division 4 and more lost years and talent.. we need 30 committed players pushing in the same direction who trust the manager and do what they are asked! Today is a huge step backwards for Offaly football.. for those who want to slate DK and MH and tell me every manger has been wrong for 20 years and who want to state the importance of the "senior" players, if ye had a look behins the scenes over the last 20 years ye would be in a much better position to understand the problem.. 20 years of successful managers passing through with no success and then 2 managers have some or our only success and they all get the boot and most of them drove out by players and player power and ye are still telling me that player power isnt an issue, it has been the managers all along? Come on, seriously?

You can stop now.
The two men have moved on, and so should you.

[Thomas mc]

I think the reality in offaly is that unrealistic expectations will make it impossible for any manager.. weve just got rid of the only manager who had any kind of success over the last 20 years with offaly and not only that but he has been destroyed and completely disrespected by some people on here and in the real world. Player power is still a big issue and pandering to certain players and clubs who frankly have achieved fuck all! I recall back in the day gettin an instrucion to play a certain role in a challenge game, 5 minutes in to the game a "senior player" told me he was taking over my role and that was that, a lovely example of the player power, training being dictated, game plans thrown out the window, strops being thrown, young talent walkin away year after year, secondary competitions dismissed and treated as a bit of craic, respect being demanded and managers afraid to drop players and quotos to be met for certain clubs but these "senior players" know best apparently and every manager was wrong... similar at u21 and u20 level.. its been a rot and a stain and a mantle handed down over the last 20 years a 20 year period where we won nothing.. at any level really, is it just pure coincdence that Kelly addressed this issue, took no shite and was manager of the 2 biggest successes offaly football has had in the last 20 years? Is that really a coincidence?? Lads come on here tell me i have a vested interest in the management and i dont know what it takes to be a county player while crying out for lads to be brought in or back to the panel, a lot of the names mentioned were lads who barely committed to their clubs .. players who feel they have a God given right to have a starting jersey and who were done without in 2025 our most successful year in yonks. I dont know declan kelly and i dont like mickey harte but it appears certain players who are now becoming "more senior" are gone too big for their boots and the management have been pushed out AGAIN! Offaly have had proven successful mangers over the years who have not had any success with offaly and there was always a strop thrown during every managers term, they cant all be wrong! If a manager comes in next year and panders to certain players, clubs or other "influences" in the county, it will be back to division 4 and more lost years and talent.. we need 30 committed players pushing in the same direction who trust the manager and do what they are asked! Today is a huge step backwards for Offaly football.. for those who want to slate DK and MH and tell me every manger has been wrong for 20 years and who want to state the importance of the "senior" players, if ye had a look behins the scenes over the last 20 years ye would be in a much better position to understand the problem.. 20 years of successful managers passing through with no success and then 2 managers have some or our only success and they all get the boot and most of them drove out by players and player power and ye are still telling me that player power isnt an issue, it has been the managers all along? Come on, seriously?

You can stop now.
The two men have moved on, and so should you.

So you jusy focus on the current management and completely ignore the rest of my post and what has clearly been an issue for every manager offaly have had in the past 20 years?

[Bord na Mona man]

Colm O Rourke and McEntee from Meath being linked to the job.

Unlikely the search has even got off the ground. Neither would (or at least should) be contenders.
O'Rourke had a go at management. It didn't work out. I doubt he is interested in going again.
McEntee is not the type of character to bring harmony to an Offaly dressing room. I think the word I'm looking for is 'looper'.

[Bord na Mona man]

I think the reality in offaly is that unrealistic expectations will make it impossible for any manager.. weve just got rid of the only manager who had any kind of success over the last 20 years with offaly and not only that but he has been destroyed and completely disrespected by some people on here and in the real world. Player power is still a big issue and pandering to certain players and clubs who frankly have achieved fuck all! I recall back in the day gettin an instrucion to play a certain role in a challenge game, 5 minutes in to the game a "senior player" told me he was taking over my role and that was that, a lovely example of the player power, training being dictated, game plans thrown out the window, strops being thrown, young talent walkin away year after year, secondary competitions dismissed and treated as a bit of craic, respect being demanded and managers afraid to drop players and quotos to be met for certain clubs but these "senior players" know best apparently and every manager was wrong... similar at u21 and u20 level.. its been a rot and a stain and a mantle handed down over the last 20 years a 20 year period where we won nothing.. at any level really, is it just pure coincdence that Kelly addressed this issue, took no shite and was manager of the 2 biggest successes offaly football has had in the last 20 years? Is that really a coincidence?? Lads come on here tell me i have a vested interest in the management and i dont know what it takes to be a county player while crying out for lads to be brought in or back to the panel, a lot of the names mentioned were lads who barely committed to their clubs .. players who feel they have a God given right to have a starting jersey and who were done without in 2025 our most successful year in yonks. I dont know declan kelly and i dont like mickey harte but it appears certain players who are now becoming "more senior" are gone too big for their boots and the management have been pushed out AGAIN! Offaly have had proven successful mangers over the years who have not had any success with offaly and there was always a strop thrown during every managers term, they cant all be wrong! If a manager comes in next year and panders to certain players, clubs or other "influences" in the county, it will be back to division 4 and more lost years and talent.. we need 30 committed players pushing in the same direction who trust the manager and do what they are asked! Today is a huge step backwards for Offaly football.. for those who want to slate DK and MH and tell me every manger has been wrong for 20 years and who want to state the importance of the "senior" players, if ye had a look behins the scenes over the last 20 years ye would be in a much better position to understand the problem.. 20 years of successful managers passing through with no success and then 2 managers have some or our only success and they all get the boot and most of them drove out by players and player power and ye are still telling me that player power isnt an issue, it has been the managers all along? Come on, seriously?

You can stop now.
The two men have moved on, and so should you.

So you jusy focus on the current management and completely ignore the rest of my post and what has clearly been an issue for every manager offaly have had in the past 20 years?

The current management had run out of road. No point in sticking with men who were no longer getting a tune out of the players. Simple as.

[Thomas mc]

You can stop now.
The two men have moved on, and so should you.

So you jusy focus on the current management and completely ignore the rest of my post and what has clearly been an issue for every manager offaly have had in the past 20 years?

The current management had run out of road. No point in sticking with men who were no longer getting a tune out of the players. Simple as.

And you dont think the players are or have been an issue? Its always the management? Like the stuff i told you that has happened down the years is clearly still happening , how do you propose we solve that?

[Thomas mc]

We had the whole cian farrell and anton sullivan whinge last year, 2020 it was tierney and Joe maher who hardly ever bothered, 2018 incident with nigel and wallace and the following year with maughan, 2009 richie connor, 2022 the development squad, 2017 pat flanagan, 2014 emmet mcdonell, 2011 gerry cooney.. a small sample of issues over the last 20 years of player power, fall outs, public whinging, managers being thrown under the bus, what will be different with the next manager?

[Behindthegoal]

List of potential managers / coaches

Stephen rochford
Lar wall
Kevin walsh
Jason sherlock
Declan darcy
Davy burke
Jason ryan
Anthony cunningham
Frank Canning
Eamon Fitzmaurice
Andy Mcentee
Conleith Gilligan
Glen Ryan
Mick Dempsey
Brendan Hackett
Turlough O’Brien
Peter creedon
Peter Keane
Ray Dempsey
Billy Lee
John Evan’s
David power
Ronan sweeney
James Horan
Kevin Mcstay

[faithfulfanatic]

Stephen Rochford would be a fantastic appointment.
Whether he'd want to do it is another question. It's a long way from Crossmolina and lets be honest, we're not exactly an 'on broadway' proposition.

You do realise he’s training tullamore don’t you?

Amazingly, I do.

I also realise that being a manager for a division 3 intercounty team is a completely different level of commitment and scrutiny to being a coach (not manager) for a very successful club team. Hence my comment. Perhaps you might realise it yourself too.

Stephen Rochford managed one of the biggest club teams in the country, Corofin, to an all Ireland title.
He took the poisoned chalice of his home county, Mayo, to 2 all ireland finals.

I don’t think he would be too worried about the ‘commitment and scrutiny’ of the Offaly football gig.

[DurrowBoy17]

So you jusy focus on the current management and completely ignore the rest of my post and what has clearly been an issue for every manager offaly have had in the past 20 years?

The current management had run out of road. No point in sticking with men who were no longer getting a tune out of the players. Simple as.

And you dont think the players are or have been an issue? Its always the management? Like the stuff i told you that has happened down the years is clearly still happening , how do you propose we solve that?

It's not always players Tmac. Liam Kearns (RIP) was adored by players a couple of years ago, plainly down to the fact he treated every lad with a bit of respect and just asked 100% honesty of lads, not anything else.

Kelly & Harte (99% Kelly) are well known to be cold with fellas, not treat them with basic respect on a human level and instead of pointing out areas for a young fella to improve, slating them and tell them of their lack of worth. Some of the most honest of fellas in there have informed me of bad stories. So good riddance to them.

As for our future man. I think we really need to look at our neighbours in Westmeath winning a Leinster with Westmeath with Mark McHugh. A young, energetic and passionate football man who is not stuck in archaic ways is a must.
Look across the country even with who's taking over teams and getting success... Ger Brennan - Dublin, Andy Moran - Mayo etc.
An ex inter-county player with some good insight with what it takes to win with a big county or more importantly, that he's energetic, passionate with MODERN ideas would certainly be my preference.

[Superhans75]

Too many names being put around this forum
Some good
Some carry more baggage than Ryanair
I personally think
Oisin McConville would be great manager for offaly
If Wicklow don't win the tailteann cup
I think he is a perfect fit for the county.

[Offaly Hero]

You do realise he’s training tullamore don’t you?

Amazingly, I do.

I also realise that being a manager for a division 3 intercounty team is a completely different level of commitment and scrutiny to being a coach (not manager) for a very successful club team. Hence my comment. Perhaps you might realise it yourself too.

Stephen Rochford managed one of the biggest club teams in the country, Corofin, to an all Ireland title.
He took the poisoned chalice of his home county, Mayo, to 2 all ireland finals.

I don’t think he would be too worried about the ‘commitment and scrutiny’ of the Offaly football gig.

Corofin were All-Ireland contenders and….much closer to Crossmolina.
Mayo are his home county, perennial division one team and/or All Ireland contenders (and my god he got them close) and…….much closer to Crossmolina.

Offaly haven’t won a provincial title in decades and have spent the vast majority of the last 15 years in division three. Crossmolina in 2 hours and 36 minutes from Faithful fields.

Realistically what is success for Offaly, a provincial title, and maybe get to play in the Sam Maguire competition for a few years? It remains to be seen if thats enough to motivate him or anybody in that position to make the journey. Just because Mark McHugh is mad enough to do it doesn’t mean everybody is.

[Lone Shark]

I don't know Stephen Rochford's personal circumstances, I've never met the man, I've no idea if he'd be the right person for the job or if he'd be interested.


I would however, STRONGLY push back on the idea that this isn't an attractive gig for an ambitious, progressive manager. It's a dream gig, in that you have a team in Division Three that has proven that they are capable of getting out of it, you have the possibility of bolstering the 2026 squad with players returning from injury and players that didn't play in the past for non-football reasons, and you have a panel backboned by a cohort of All-Ireland winning U20s that are just coming into their peak.

You have a good group of natural leaders, most of which will benefit from not having to play every minute of every game, as was the case in 2026 because of the chronic lack of depth.

For good measure, you have a Division Three campaign in 2027 which is full of local derbies, that are great games to draw a crowd - and if you want to get positive momentum going again, it's a big help to have people in the door, and for your road trips to mostly be less than an hour away.

I would even go so far as to say that over the next four or five months, there are very few senior intercounty football jobs in the top two tiers going to be there for the taking. Even if Jack O'Connor steps away, it'll be one of Kieran Donaghy or Tomás Ó Sé who takes that on. I don't know if Jim McGuinness or Kieran McGeeney will stay on or not, but following either of those two is a poisoned chalice.

Pádraic Joyce has said he's staying on and I don't expect there to be any change in Tyrone/Mayo/Roscommon/Louth/Meath/Dublin/Derry/Cork/Down/Westmeath.

Notwithstanding any geographical factors (as in, a Kerry man might be more drawn to managing Tipp or Limerick, a Tyrone or Armagh man might look at Antrim or Cavan before coming further south) or any personal connections, I would confidently state that Offaly is the most attractive intercounty football management role that's going to come on offer this Autumn.

So it's over to our county board to take advantage of this.