EAMON Coleman and Adrian McGuckin have been unveiled as the new joint-managers of the Derry senior football team.
The formidable double appointment was confirmed following a county board meeting in Swatragh last night.
Coleman had been the hot favourite to succeed Brian Mullins as manager of the Ulster champions, but McGuckin’s involvement has come as a surprise after he ruled himself out of the running several weeks ago.
McGuckin is understood to have only come back into the reckoning within the last couple of days following lengthy discussions with Coleman and county board officials.
An appointment was supposed to be announced over the weekend but was delayed until last night while the finer details were ironed out.
The backroom team will be bolstered by Dessie Ryan, who is very familiar to the Derry players. The Ballyronan man was involved in the Tyrone set-up with Art McRory and Eugene McKenna in 1995 but is better known for coaching several Queen’s Sigerson Cup teams, including the winning side of 1990.
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SEAMUS Elliot confirmed last night that he has been approached by Antrim officials about becoming the county’s new senior hurling manager.
However, the 53-year-old Dunloy boss said he won’t take the job unless he has the full backing of the county board.
“I’ve been asked to think about it and I won’t be making a decision until later in the week, but I have to admit I’m tempted,” he said.
“If I took the job, there’d be a whole lot of things I would like sorted out in the county.
“For a start I’d want the full backing of the board which is something I don’t think some of the previous managers have had.”
Elliot was speaking just 24 hours after guiding Dunloy to their fifth Antrim senior title under his stewardship, beating Ballycastle in the county final.
“I have a fair record and after yesterday’s game, I’m looking to go places to be honest.
“When I watched Dunloy yesterday I thought we were something special and there’s no reason why, if we can combine all the clubs together, that Antrim can’t put on a display like that.”
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GAMEKEEPER turned poacher Peter Ridsdale faces an unenviable test of his diplomatic skills as he tries to secure Martin O’Neill as the new manager of Leeds.
Ridsdale, the Elland Road chairman who came out of the George Graham debacle with such credit, took time out from his official duties at the Yorkshire club to conduct business dealings of his own yesterday.
But the vacant Leeds job was never far from his thoughts. After a long board meeting on Sunday, the Leeds directors were in contact again yesterday, confirming their original belief that O’Neill was the man they wanted to fill their top job.
A statement is expected today outlining latest developments and in the meantime Ridsdale is preparing to walk on broken glass.
“We came to a unanimous decision yesterday and now we will take a day or two to reflect on it,” he said.
“I would expect things to become clearer, and maybe something to be made public tomorrow or Wednesday.
“If it’s an internal candidate, then obviously it will all be done very quickly. If it isn’t, then I would also want to speak to David to explain the board’s reasons why.
“If it’s an external candidate, then I would still want things to be made public. I want to do things in a proper manner.”
The revelation that a clause in O’Neill’s contract allowing him to leave for just £250,000 compensation if he quits after the end of October has tipped the balance further in his favour.
