LEE KEEGAN EXPECTS to come to a decision about his Mayo future in a ‘couple of weeks’ after he has held summit discussions with new manager Kevin McStay.
The 33-year-old defender and recent county title winner with Westport acknowledged that he has lots to consider but, crucially, said he hasn’t retired yet.
His comments follow a Connaught Telegraph report last weekend which stated that his retirement ‘is imminent’. The regional media outlet also claimed that Keegan’s defensive colleague Oisin Mullin is set to join an AFL club.
Speaking on new podcast The Inside Line with Alan Brogan, All-Star nominee Keegan said that while football is ‘not my sole purpose in life’ as it once was, he hasn’t called it quits yet either.
“I’ll take a bit of time, digest what has gone on this year, review how I am, how things are going in life, what are priorities, what are not priorities and make a decision with Kevin then probably in the next couple of weeks,” said Keegan.
“(I’ll consider) How I’m feeling, do I feel up to another year? Am I ready for another year? Do I have everything in place that I could give everything for another year with Mayo?
“So there’s a lot of big questions to ask Kevin and to discuss and see where all that is. I know one thing, I’m going to enjoy the winter, enjoy the downtime from football.
“I think that’s a really important thing. When I was first involved, although I liked going out and enjoying myself, football was always in the back of your mind whereas now I totally switch off from football and I’ve been pretty clear about that with a lot of people that football is not really my sole priority anymore.
“Although I love it to bits, don’t get me wrong, it’s not my sole purpose in life. There’s so much more bigger things I need to look after and make sure they’re in place.
“Football for me is a fun factor, it’s meant to be an enjoyable thing whereas before, in my mid-20s, it was nearly like a job. That was all I was thinking about, all I was breathing, living. So it’s funny when you get a bit older you see the realities of life and it comes more in perspective of what you need to give your sole purpose to.”
Losing both Mullin and five-time All-Star Keegan would be a giant blow to McStay’s hopes of ending the county’s All-Ireland famine.
Keegan said that whatever decision he comes to regarding his Mayo future, he will definitely take it easy over winter after what felt like a particularly tough season.
“I’ll digest the year I’ve had, it’s been a long, long season,” he said. “It felt longer this year probably more than most because we had a break from the Kerry game (with Mayo) to the club and then we went through the club campaign and we only finished up there last week.”
