Weeks before Tipp seniors’ new manager known

NICKY ENGLISH’S successor as manager of the Tipperary senior hurling team will not be appointed for several weeks.

It was expected that an announcement would be made at last night’s meeting of the Tipperary County Board, but it was not made.

However, board secretary Michael O’Brien, a member of the special eight-man committee given the responsibility to select the new manager, revealed yesterday that the committee had not yet completed its work.

“We are still interviewing candidates. We are taking things nice and slowly and won’t be rushed into anything,” O’Brien said.

He added: “It is quite possible that we may still not have arrived at our decision before the next board meeting in a month’s time.”

The eight-man committee consists of O’Brien, county chairman Con Hogan, vice-chairman Donie Shanahan, treasurer Michael Nolan, and the four chairmen of the divisional boards, Michael Burke (Mid-Tipp), James O’Donnell (West Tipp), Willie Barrett (South Tipp) and Tom Slattery (North Tipp).

Although the special committee was keeping its cards close to its chest, beyond saying “we are still interviewing a number of candidates”, the general opinion in Tipperary was that Michael Doyle was the man most likely to get the job, and if selected, he would appoint former stars Pat Fox and Bobby Ryan as his right-hand men.

Doyle, son of legendary John from Holycross, co-holder of a record eight All-Ireland senior championship medals with the late Christy Ring, is manager of Nenagh.

A former player of renown himself, Doyle has vast experience in club management and led Tipp to an Under 21 championship title.

Antrim manager Donie Cahill has ruled himself out of the race and there have been reports that Ken Hogan, who acted as a selector with English, has also dropped out.

Other names being mentioned are Galway-based journalist John McIntyre, minor manager Paddy McCormack, camogie manager Michael Cleary, and Liam Sheedy, manager of the intermediate team this season.

Meanwhile, English himself categorically denied yesterday that he had received overtures from Dublin to give them a helping hand.

“No approaches whatsoever have been made to me by Dublin,” English said.