Mattie Murphy: Galway hurling needs a 'ruthless' boss

Former Galway boss, Mattie Murphy

Former Galway hurling manager Mattie Murphy has urged the county to appoint a 'ruthless' new boss to whip the underperforming players into shape.

The 2017 All-Ireland winners are the only MacCarthy Cup county without a manager following Shane O'Neill's departure all of six weeks ago.

An appointment is anticipated at some stage this week and ex-senior boss Murphy, who enjoyed multiple All-Ireland wins with Galway minor teams, indicated that a disciplinarian may be required.

Asked who should fill the vacancy, Murphy told RTÉ Radio: "God, I don't know, somebody that would be fairly ruthless and that wouldn't take any, you know yourself, there are a lot of adjectives that I can't use on air. But the players need to realise that most of the matches we have lost in the last three or four years are because of them. Management didn't lose those couple of games."

With former All-Ireland winning manager Micheal Donoghue apparently out of the race, Jeffrey Lynskey or Brian Hanley, both of whom have enjoyed successes with Galway underage teams, would be popular choices.

"We have to drive on," continued Murphy. "We're after winning a lot of underage titles and maybe now is the time to go looking for a few of them lads and see have they (any interest). It's very hard to step up to the plate if you don't get an opportunity."