Finding right man for the job toughest of county tasks

AS was mentioned here a few weeks ago, the annual race by county boards to fill vacant managerial posts at senior inter-county level is in full swing.

Officials too often seek a speedy appointment. Their attitude is that the sooner the position is filled, the sooner fans forget about past failures and start dreaming of future glories. But does it lead to progress? Unfortunately, in many cases, the answer is no.

Firstly, there is no clear pathway to becoming an inter-county manager. To qualify you don’t sit an exam and you don’t need any coaching qualification. Some come up through the ranks, starting with club or school teams, and if they win something of consequence they will be spoken of as top-flight managerial material.