Ryan set to link up with the Lilywhites

The former Wexford manager has insisted that he will not be managing any intercounty side in 2013 but hinted that he could be persuaded to join a county in a coaching capacity and McGeeney is still on the lookout for a team trainer to replace John Rafferty, who left after a single season in Kildare.

REVERSED

McGeeney also lost the services of selector Niall Carew, who had committed for a sixth year but later reversed his decision and decided to end his association with the Kildare senior footballers.

Ryan, who turned down the opportunity to manage his native Waterford after deciding not to seek a sixth year in Wexford, spent five seasons with the Slaneysiders and brought them to two Leinster finals as well as an All-Ireland semi-final in his first year, 2008 (when they lost to Tyrone).

He has, in the past, also served as a selector with the Leinster interprovincial setup and is highly-regarded as one of the game's best and brightest coaches.

The Kildare county board, meanwhile, have agreed a loan of €500,000 from Croke Park in order to wipe the county's troublesome debts.

Chairman John McMahon insisted the loan - which will be paid back over a yet-to-be-agreed number of years - would allow Kildare to begin 2013 with "a clean slate".

CRIPPLED

The board has been crippled with debt over the past couple of seasons and have made significant cut-backs to their expenditure in order to curb their outgoings.

Bryan Murphy, meanwhile, will manage the Kildare minor footballers for a fifth consecutive year in 2013.

The former Lilywhite forward who previously represented his native Cork had indicated that he was stepping down after this year's Leinster championship defeat to eventual All-Ireland minor champions, Dublin, but underwent ratification at Tuesday's board meeting.