In what would be a pretty big coup for the Lilywhites, reports suggest that Jack O’Connor is being lined up to replace Kieran McGeeney as manager of the Kildare footballers.
McGeeney was axed as Kildare boss after six years at the helm earlier this month in controversial circumstances as, by a margin of just one vote, the Kildare County Board opted to part company with the Armagh man despite him having huge support from the players, who weren’t shy about expressing their dissatisfaction with the decision afterwards.
McGeeney has left pretty big shoes to fill, but in GAA manager circles, not many managers have bigger feet than Jack O’Connor, a three-time All-Ireland winner in two different spells with his native Kerry.
According to the Irish Independent, O’Connor met Kildare chairman John McMahon to discuss the possibility of succeeding McGeeney earlier this week, although it is reported that Sunday Game analyst and Mayo native Kevin McStay has also been sounded out; McStay guided Roscommon side St. Brigid’s to the All-Ireland Club Championship title earlier this year.
As they did with McGeeney, it seems as if Kildare aren’t afraid to look outside the county’s borders for their new man, although one Kildare man who would be a popular appointment, former Lilywhite captain and former Longford manager Glenn Ryan, is believed to have ruled himself out of contention.
An update on the vacant managerial position should be delivered next week but the mere mention of a name like O’Connor with the position should be enough to generate excitement amongst Kildare supporters after what has been a difficult few weeks.
