DESSIE FARRELL WILL bring his 14-year stint as CEO of the Gaelic Players Association to an end tomorrow but he insists his decision is not linked to a desire to enter senior inter-county management with Dublin.
It was announced in September that Farrell would be stepping down from his role with the inter-county players body.
He is currently the Dublin U21 football manager, guiding the county to success at that level in the 2014 All-Ireland final along with the last three Leinster titles.
It’s a level of success that has seen Farrell tipped as a potential future Dublin senior manager but he does not envisage himself being able to give that kind of commitment.
“Some people have suggested that that’s the reason that I might have decided to step down. It’s definitely not the reason at all.
“I’m happy to be involved with the U21′s and that’s a big enough commitment as it is. It’s completely unrelated to the decision to step aside.
“No I can’t, to be honest (see himself going senior). I think the commitment is too great.
“I’ve been happy coaching young players and being involved in young players over the years. U21 is probably the limit for me.”
Could he see himself being tempted otherwise if the Dublin senior job was offered?
“No, I don’t think so.”
Farrell expects his replacement to revealed in early January. He has consulted with the sub-committee to find his successor and believes it is ‘likely (to) be a pre-requisite’ that the new CEO is a former county GAA player.
“After being in the role for the last 14 years, you’d have a fair handle on what’s involved and possibly the type of individual who would fit the bill there.
“I’ve made my views known in terms of the workload and the skills needed to a sub group of our board who have been charged with implementing the process and making a recommendation for the new appointment to the board.
“We’d hope to have an announcement very early in the new year as to who the replacement will be.
“I think that (county experience) would most likely be a pre-requisite at this point.
Farrell reveals he has no concrete future plans.
“(I’m) formally finished at Christmas but (it’s) Friday actually, because I’m taking a few days holiday next week.
“I don’t have a new job lined up. A lot of people are surprised at that. I’m probably just going to set something up on my own initially.
“Work on a couple of projects. That will give me the time and flexibility to figure out what career path I hope to pursue in the future.
“Possibly (in sport) and maybe a little bit outside it as well. I should have that figured out at this stage, but I don’t.
“But I’ll get to do that over the Christmas.”
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