AIDAN O’ROURKE HAS said he is unsure if he would like to take charge of the Donegal footballers on a permanent basis following a “chaotic week” which ended with a heavy defeat to Roscommon on Sunday.
O’Rourke and Paddy Bradley took charge of the squad on an interim basis after Paddy Carr resigned as manager last week, his tenure coming to an end after just five months and six league games in charge.
A disappointing league campaign ended with Donegal relegated from Division 1, losing by 12 points to Roscommon at Dr Hyde Park yesterday.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport after the game, O’Rourke admitted it had been a challenging week for all involved.
“It’s been a tumultuous environment for the last number of weeks,” said O’Rourke, who had been part of Carr’s backroom team.
There is no doubt that has affected the players and their focus. This week was really all about moving it forward. It was a chaotic week and emotionally, a tough week for everybody.
“It’s hard to know where you’re head would be at. I undertook to coach the team this year, working with Paddy at the outset and a backroom team built around it. That dynamic has changed this week. There are a lot of moving parts in all that.”
O’Rourke was asked if he would like to take on the Donegal job on a permanent basis.
“To be straight, I don’t know where my head would be at the minute,” he said.
“I didn’t focus on anything bar trying to get this game played and trying to get a performance out of them, which didn’t happen.”
Former Donegal forward Mark McHugh, who is part of Davy Burke’s Roscommon backroom team, admitted to mixed emotions after the game.
“It’s a bittersweet day as a Donegal man,” McHugh told Ocean FM.
“You don’t ever want to see Donegal like that, and unfortunately that’s just the way it is.
“Listen, I didn’t enjoy today, I’m not going to lie. I didn’t enjoy being against some of my clubmates there.
“It’s not easy, but you do a professional job and that’s part of the gig. I just hope it doesn’t happen again.”
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