On Field action could be returning very soon, and that means managers will be calling players to get back to work. What we want to know is, do clubs and counties need managers from outside their area?

Dermot McAleese (Antrim)

“A new face and clean slate will always

make players raise their game that bit more”

Do teams need outside managers?

The majority of teams will go for the manager they think will get the most out of them and give them the greatest chance of success, regardless of whether they are from that club/county. In some cases an outside manager will be needed to achieve this and in others it will not.

What are the pros of having an outside manager (one not from the club or county)?

An outside manager can bring fresh ideas and different approaches that have been successful at other clubs/counties and use them to get more out of a team. A new face and clean slate will always make players raise their game that bit more.

What are the cons of having an outside manager?

There will always be the argument that an outside manager is doing it for their own personal benefit. But most good football men will take a job with the sole purpose of improving a team and making them the best they can be. As a player that’s all you really want.

What are the alternatives to having an outside manager and are they realistic?

Obviously clubs coaching their own internal managers would be ideal, giving those that have aspirations to be managers the best possible chance.

Do you see outside managers as something that will continue to happen?

Yes.

Niall Delargy (Antrim)

“They also bring fresh

ideas and tactics”

Do teams need outside managers?

If there is no one better available within the club for the job, then the simple answer is yes.

What are the pros of having an outside manager (one not from the club or county)?

An outside manager will have more experience and knowledge of what works well in other clubs. They also bring fresh ideas and tactics. For club players an outside manager is a clean slate. It offers a new chance to impress and stake a claim under a new manager with no internal influences. The reason why you need one is that sometimes there is a lack of credible managers within your own club. Finally, what you often find is that an outside manager will have no favouritism.

What are the cons of having an outside manager?

The first point is that I suppose there are costs involved which could you be used elsewhere in the club. An outside manger may also take some bedding in time to get to know the players. The other thing is that they may have limited knowledge of other teams in the county.

What are the alternatives to having an outside manager and are they realistic?

A talented/successful bunch of juveniles could let the same manager coach them through the age groups and possibly that person might get the chance to take the senior job once they reach the age.

The other thing that clubs could do is to ensure there are proper coaching pathways throughout club.

They could also encourage club members to undertake their coaching badges and be actively involved in managing to gain most experience.

Do you see outside managers as something that will continue to happen?

Yes, clubs are always going to want managers that will give their club the best chance of success and often this means seeking external managers that have credible CVs and can deliver considerable improvements.

Mark McKeever (Cavan)

“They can speak the

truth without worrying

of offending someone”

What are the pros of having an outside manager (one not from the club or county)?

They can speak the truth without worrying of offending someone and then having to meet them everyday.

There are no hidden agendas so players can decide their own fate

When a manager has relatives or good friends on team, that can lead to hard decisions when it comes to team selection.

What are the cons of having an outside manager?

The big one is the cost.

But they maybe won’t have much of knowledge of the team or the players, and that means that it will take them a few months to get to know the players.

If they don’t know their own players they might not also know the teams that they are playing and who their danger men are.

What are the alternatives to having an outside manager and are they realistic?

I don’t know if internal coaching would be that big in most clubs. Managers want to do their own thing or have their own stamp on things. If you have an internal manager that person might feel he can’t tell the harsh truth or say what needs to be said to his own friends or relatives. For that reason if they want to coach, then they would probably prefer to coach outside their own club.

Do you see outside managers as something that will continue to happen?

I can see outside management still being big for a while yet.