Offaly players and board end standoff

THE divisive standoff between the Offaly county board and the striking senior football panel finally came to an end last night.

The two parties reached an agreement on a number of key issues relating to team preparation and other related matters.

Agreement was reached after both parties met with former Offaly manager Eugene McGee who has acted as a mediator over the last few weeks. The football panel has now made itself available for the coming season.

The statement didn’t mention former football manager Gerry Fahy whose decision to stand down earlier this year was as a catalyst to the football panel’s decision to go on strike.

However, it did say that the present system of reviewing the manager’s performances after every season, which has led to much of the recent instability, would come to an end. In the future, the county board will appoint managers for three-year terms with a review after the second season only.

The following is the statement which McGee issued to a special meeting of Offaly County Board yesterday evening. The main points are:

1. A new set of guidelines to govern the Offaly senior panel’s training and preparation to bring Offaly into line with what is best practise in county team preparation at the present time.

2. A comprehensive system is being brought in to ensure players, team management and county board work as a united force in the best interests of Offaly football. Two liaison officers, one of whom will be a selector, will ensure good communications between the various parties are maintained during the season and any grievances will be dealt with expeditiously.

The various items which were of concern to the players regarding training matters have been specifically resolved with the complete co-operation of county board officers and players.

3. New terms for appointing team managers are to be introduced to make appointments for terms of three years with no review until the end of the year two. Senior team management will also have the option to be in charge of the U21 team.

4. It is a crucial part of this agreement that the decision taken in August by Offaly County Board to establish an official supporters club is implemented as soon as possible. The successful implementation of the new systems can only be assured if substantial extra finance is raised on an ongoing basis to supplement normal county board income.

Offaly has two high-profile senior teams to maintain and this requires much more finance than in counties with only one such team. Offaly supporters at home and abroad have been outstanding in their support of their football and hurling teams over the past 30 odd years and we have no doubt they will now respond to well run fund-raising ventures undertaken by the new supporters club.

This agreement specifies that at least 20% of any funds raised by the supporters club should go to developing underage football and hurling. It is the wish of the senior panel that the supporters club and the county board will ensure facilities for underage teams be upgraded as soon as is feasible.”

Following discussions with the Offaly hurling panel, this agreement will also apply to hurling. The senior hurlers are also without a manager at present after Mike McNamara stepped down on the same night as Fahy.

“I want to thank the officials and players for their co-operation with me in difficult circumstances in recent weeks,” McGee’s statement concluded. “It is my earnest wish that the solutions arrived at will herald a new era of stability and progress for Offaly football and hurling teams.”