Caffrey appointed Dubs' boss

ONLY last weekend, it seemed you couldn't give the job of Dublin manager away. But last night in Parnell Park Paul Caffrey was officially rubber-stamped as the man to take over the capital's senior footballers.

Caffrey, a former selector under Tommy Lyons, will take the job on a three-year term after an in camera Dublin county board meeting in Donnycarney.

Afterwards, county chairman John Bailey, who was criticised for his role in the attempt to find Tommy Lyons' successor, delivered the news.

"The county committee tonight endorsed Paddy Canning, Shane O'Hanlon and Cyril Kirwan as manager and selectors of the U21 team," Bailey began, a little elusively.

"Paul Caffrey was announced as manager (of the senior team), Dave Billings, Brian Talty and Paul Clarke as selectors for a three-year period.

"It's a major new beginning. Brian Talty is one of the best coaches in Dublin. He's been here for the last 20 years. I'm delighted he's on board. Paul Clarke is a shining example. Paul has been a player with an exceptional record. He's taken over a team in Whitehall. Paul Caffrey managed a Na Fianna team to a Leinster title.

"Dave Billings works 24 hours a day, seven days a week for GAA in UCD and Dublin at all levels. It's a fantastic time. Major things will happen. There's a bit of passion, a bit of enthusiasm, a bit of determination."

Bailey insisted all was sweetness and light behind the closed doors.

"There was a full discussion on everything that took place tonight. The county committee fully endorsed and gave a vote of confidence to the management committee in the manner in which they handled the whole affair.

"Everybody fully endorsed every step we took for the last three weeks. Nothing happened behind the scenes. There was no underhand deal. It was all done up front. I don't need quotes of the week, I tell it as it is. Accept it or reject it."

Bailey also thanked Mullins for his application and insisted delegates were happy with the management committee's decision to reject the demands made by the former Derry manager prior to last weekend.

"Delegates got a full report on that. All the delegates were very happy with it. The county secretary outlined all the details, the whole sequence of events and the county board were fully happy with that."

Although Bailey didn't say what the problem was with the Mullins' wish-list he did say: "Money was never an issue. There was nearly €500,000 spent on inter-county teams last year in Dublin. Money has never been an issue and it won't be an issue. The players have been consulted and everyone is very happy."

Caffrey cut his teeth in the managerial game with the Na Fianna club, winning the Dublin and Leinster championships in 1999.

That run of success ended only the following March when they lost the All-Ireland final to Crossmaglen in Croke Park, but Caffrey led them to a three-in-a-row of county titles in 2001.

Later in 2001, Caffrey was named as a Dublin selector under Tommy Lyons, along with Dave Billings and Paddy Canning. Billed as a Dublin manager-in-waiting, the county's surge to the Leinster title and through to the All-Ireland semi-final in 2002 did his future prospects no harm.

However, Dublin's struggles since then dampened his chances of succeeding Lyons and, while his name floated about in recent months with regard to the vacant post, it was doing so more as an outsider or a selector before that all changed this week.