Mike Mac to make decision
Thursday November 19 2009
THE dispute over Mike McNamara's management of the Clare hurling team has entered a crucial phase, which will decide whether he continues for a third successive season or bows to player pressure and resigns.
McNamara, squad members and officials were due to meet last night in an effort to ascertain where the various parties stood. This meeting comes eight days after a County Board meeting at which the Board gave its full backing to McNamara continuing as manager.
The players later reiterated their call for a change of management, and the temperature was raised further at the weekend by Tony Griffin's announcement that he was retiring at the age of 28.
The squad were criticised at last week's board meeting for failing to catalogue their complaints against McNamara but it's understood that they have since done so and were ready to lay them before the manager last night.
McNamara indicated last week that while he was prepared to see what would unfold he wanted things sorted out pretty quickly. Sources in Clare indicate that the players had expected McNamara to announce his resignation at the board meeting but it was made clear to him by the clubs that they were not only unhappy with the manner in which squad had behaved they also wanted him to continue.
However, the Board's support didn't alter the fact that the squad had made it clear they wanted a change of manager, leaving McNamara in a very difficult position.
He emphasised that he would put the good of Clare hurling ahead of personal considerations which suggested that if the squad maintained their opposition to him he would stand aside.
That would leave Clare seeking their second manager in two years, following the removal of Tony Considine, who was voted out by the County Board in 2007.
Irish Independent
