Flanagan in Faithful frame as Sligo wait

By Frank Roche

OFFALY hope to unveil their new football manager early next week, but they aren't the only county keeping an eagle eye on the appointment.

Clara native Pat Flanagan (pictured, below) managed Sligo this season but he has been interviewed for the Offaly vacancy.

He is viewed locally as a front-runner, although the process is still ongoing and county board officials have remained tight-lipped.

Kildare icon and former Longford boss Glenn Ryan is also reportedly among the candidates.

The presumption is that, if successful, Flanagan will opt for his home county - leaving Sligo with their own vacancy to fill.

Sligo chairman Joe Taaffe told this week's Sligo Champion: "Pat has said he will let me know one way or another this week ... we have to have the situation sorted out one way or the other by then."

Contacted by The Herald, Taaffe reported no new developments ahead of an executive meeting last night. "We will see how it will pan out," he added.

Flanagan was controversially ousted as Westmeath boss last autumn despite sealing top-flight promotion that spring. He was given just a one-year term by Sligo last November.

Offaly's appointments committee hopes to have a recommendation for the county board next Tuesday. Along with Flanagan and Ryan, Niall Carew, Peter Brady and Pádraig Dunne have all been linked with a role vacated by Emmet McDonnell last June.