Micko agreed to coach Dubs but changed mind

MICK O’DWYER repeated claims he once accepted the Dublin manager’s job only to change his mind the following day.

The former Kerry, Kildare, Laois and Wicklow boss said last night he had a clandestine meeting with the then chairman of Dublin County Board John Bailey in 2004 where he was offered the job.

“That’s true,” he said. “At the time I met with John Bailey in the K Club and agreed to do the job. Originally I had scheduled a meeting with the junior and intermediate clubs to see if we could find some footballers but when I got home I said to myself ‘am I crazy?’

“Then a few Dublin ex-players and managers started kicking up fuss and I rang John and told him it wasn’t for me.”

Rumours surfaced immediately afterwards which Dublin County Board denied repeatedly.

Recently chief executive John Costello said: “Without fear of contradiction we totally refute the allegation that Mick O’Dwyer was offered the Dublin senior job last year. No member of the county board’s management committee or no one on the sub-committee appointed to find the new manager, at the time, spoke to him.”

Micko was firm in his belief that he had been offered the Dublin job but admitted it was highly unlikely he’d be offered it again. “They need a bit of luck [to win an All-Ireland]. Dublin haven’t got luck but they are a good side. I don’t think Dublin will come in for me.”

However he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of managing the International Rules side.

“At the time they thought I was so involved in Kerry I didn’t get an offer but you never know in the future.

“I’ll be taking a rest now looking at matches around South Kerry and we’ll see how things go. You never know what will happen.”