Hanley claims Tribe being hamstrung by own board
The Salthill-Knocknacarra man was reacting to the news that manager Tomás Ó Flatharta had beenremoved by the executive on Friday after just one season in charge.
Hanley also suggests there was little consideration put into judging the Kerry native’s season in charge, which ended with a narrow defeat to Meath in a second round All-Ireland qualifier.
“There have been decisions made over the last few days and decisions made over the appointments of the last number of managers very quickly without a review, from what I can see,” said Hanley.
“A couple of people are making the decisions and that’s it. I have my doubts that the best interests of Galway football are at heart there, to be honest. It’s always coming back on the players. Galway footballers, whoever they are, have to start new every year with a new manager.
“The players have to get to know him and that takes a couple of months and it’s the same for the manager to know the players and his surroundings.
“So you have to ask questions of the people who are making these decisions at the top table. I would certainly ask why these managers are being appointed as quickly as they are being let go because it’s a massive blow for any hope of making progress in the county.”
Hanley also believes the managerial casualty could make a number of established players consider their inter-county futures.
“Definitely, yeah. You can see it around, just how disappointed players are to see yet another manager go. It’s the same with clubs, you want to have a couple of years to play under the one manager to have some sort of consistency.
“We’ve a conveyor belt of talent with a lot of under-age success but we’re not getting the best out of these players and we’re not going to if we keep losing managers. A lot of them will go by the wayside.”
Hanley said none of the players had any issue with Ó Flatharta, who they found to be an excellent manager.
“Players make no excuses for the year that we had and I’m sure the management don’t either but it’s difficult for a manager to come in and in his first year change everything around.
“He had to work with much-publicised injuries this year, the likes of Michael [Meehan] and Sean [Armstrong] being injured.
“Tomás was trying to get to know a lot of the team over nine months. He got to blood a lot of U21 players as well and it looked like it was picking up and he had found out an awful lot about Galway football.
“He hasn’t been offered another year for whatever reason it is and it means we’ve had three managers in as many years.”
In a statement released on Saturday, Ó Flatharta said: “I don’t want to become a focus of discontent or to cause dissent about the process by which that decision was arrived at. For that reason and with extreme reluctance, I accept the decision.
“When I was appointed last year I set out with a plan. A key part of that plan was building relationships with other sectors of the GAA in Galway, and in particular focusing on the development of younger players.
“As part of this, I developed a working relationship with the U21 management, resulting in the integration of a large number of U21 players into the senior set-up, which will show positive results in the next number of years.”
Ó Flatharta pointed out that he brought 10 of the All-Ireland-winning U21 team into the senior panel.
He explained he had a great relationship with the players, despite the decision of Kieran Fitzgerald and Niall Coleman to leave the panel in February.
“My management philosophy has always been based on the principles of player involvement, building a game plan by consensus, regular feedback and putting the team before the individual.
“This involves empowerment and players’ input into the process. This was beginning to work in Galway and, despite media speculation during the early stages of my tenure, I’ve had a positive relationship with all of the players and this continued unchanged.”
Ó Flatharta also insisted he was building towards something tangible on the premise he was working on the three-year term (with annual review) he had been given.
“This approach cannot guarantee instant success. Look at, for example, the situation in Roscommon and Kildare in year one of a new manager taking over.
“In Galway, performance on the field, particularly in the Connacht championship, did not always match my expectations or those of the players.
“There were, however, clear indications at the latter stages of the league and in the championship game against Meath of substantial improvement.
“Hence my conviction that, over the three-year period I would absolutely have brought long-overdue success to the Galway football team.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
