THE LEITRIM SENIOR football side are on the lookout for a new manager with confirmation that Brendan Guckian has not put his name forward for another term.
The Carrick-on-Shannon native’s initial two-year term came to an end after the team’s All-Ireland SFC exit, which came at the hands of Monaghan in the qualifiers.
Leitrim GAA yesterday released a statement, noting that the application process was open to the public looking towards next year and thanking Guckian for his work.
The statement in full from Leitrim GAA reads:
“As the two year term of the outgoing Senior Team Management has come to an end, following exit from the Championship earlier this month with the AIFQ Qualifier defeat to Monaghan, Leitrim GAA has decided to open up the process in looking towards the 2019 season.
“This decision had been intended to be inclusive of the outgoing management if they so decided to remain involved. Outgoing Team Manager Brendan Guckian has informed Leitrim GAA that he is not putting his name forward for consideration in this process.
“Leitrim GAA would like to thank Brendan Guckian, Seamus Quinn, John O Mahony, Michael Moyles and their extended management backroom team for their selfless dedication and energy towards the cause of Leitrim GAA over the past two seasons.
“These people have all dedicated numerous hours and sacrificed much of their spare time in an effort to improve an evolving squad. Over this period they have presided over the introduction of a large number of young players to inter-county action, players who have made steady positive progress, as Leitrim Senior Team reached AIFQ Round 3 for the first time recently and in doing so were the last remaining Division 4 team to exit the championship, having reached the last 16.
“We thank this outgoing management team for their most valued contribution over the last two seasons in facilitating this progress, which included victories over London in 2017 and New York last May in the Connacht SFC and an AIFQ Rd 2 victory over Louth last month.
“A committee has been put in place to preside over the next steps as we look towards finalising a management team for 2019, and clubs have been invited, as part of this process, to submit team management nominees, conditional on having sought a nominee’s permission.”
The Leitrim Observer first broke the news yesterday, and reported that Guckian was in the process of assembling his backroom team for the 2019 season, but was informed by the county board that he would have to reapply for the position.
He decided against putting his name forward.
“I spoke with the management team,” he said. “I needed to source a new trainer, I did that. I was happy with the new person.
“I let the county chairman know that and he told me that our two year term was up and it would be open to the public. It has been a long, demanding year and I don’t have the energy to go through an interview process again so I won’t be putting [my] name forward.”
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