Kernan - To Leave Galway

[Armaghgeddon_02]

JOE Kernan’s brief reign as Galway football manager is likely to end this evening. It is believed Kernan has issued a letter of resignation but this could not be confirmed yesterday.

Kernan was unavailable for comment and a brief statement from Galway Football Board said the matter would be raised this evening.

“At our last meeting we gave an undertaking to the clubs that we were going to review the situation with the manager. We have done that and we will be reporting back tomorrow night at our meeting with the clubs,” said the statement yesterday.

The meeting of Galway Football Board this evening in Loughgeorge will deal with the issue after which the search is likely to begin for Galway’s fourth manager since 2007.

Sligo boss and former double Galway All-Ireland winner Kevin Walsh is likely to be installed as the firm favourite to take over.

- Taken from Irish Times.

[Begbie]

Hardly a surprise.

[bennydorano]

A morsel of story in today's Irish Star saying he's handed in a letter of resignation.

Seems strange enough to me, I thought he'd be given another year at least to try and do something. Maybe they've got a whisper of Kevin Walsh's interest?

[Begbie]

I moved your post to here bnenydorano as there were two threads on the one topic.

[AFS]

Hardly a surprise.

Well it is I would've thought. He was never going to work miracles in his first year over there, so the assumption would've been that he was there for a few years. I find it a bit odd that whoever it was, Kernan or Galway, pulled the plug so early.

[Rufus T Firefly]

Well it is I would've thought. He was never going to work miracles in his first year over there, so the assumption would've been that he was there for a few years. I find it a bit odd that whoever it was, Kernan or Galway, pulled the plug so early.

Reports suggest Big Joe handed in a letter of resignation. Is it possible he felt that he didn't have the support of the players? I'm sure the 'success' of Kevin Walsh in Sligo has been noted by many within Galway.

I think Galway are ordinary enough to be honest - and without a fit Michael Meehan (did they have him at all?) they were never going to break any delph. Even taking that into account, Galway's Championship performances were absolutely rank!!

[Begbie]

Well it is I would've thought. He was never going to work miracles in his first year over there, so the assumption would've been that he was there for a few years. I find it a bit odd that whoever it was, Kernan or Galway, pulled the plug so early.

I personally don't. They had a disasterous year. In a large number of counties his head would be called for after that showing whether it's his first year or not. Indeed watching their game against Wexford two things were clear. 1. Joyce, Clancy and Bergin were carrying them so the future looked bleak and 2. There was little over 2,000 at the game so the Galway faithful thought little of this current regime.

They actually took huge steps backwards IMO. It's only two years since they gave Kerry that huge test in the rain. They were a long way short of that this year. Also the major money Kernan was on wouldn't have left the people in Galway, let alone the county board, too impressed. I'm not surprised at all, infact after the Wexford game I expected it that very weekend.

[AFS]

They actually took huge steps backwards IMO. It's only two years since they gave Kerry that huge test in the rain. They were a long way short of that this year. Also the major money Kernan was on wouldn't have left the people in Galway, let alone the county board, too impressed. I'm not surprised at all, infact after the Wexford game I expected it that very weekend.

To what extent was that a one off performance, though? Galway haven't won a single game outside of Connacht in six years, and have only beaten one team, Louth, outside of Connacht since 2001. This record would indicate that Kernan was taking over a fairly average, mid-ranking team. In fact, you could almost argue that the defeat to Wexford wasn't that surprising, given that Wexford have more impressive recent Championship pedigree.

Point is that Galway are very ordinary, and Kernan was never going to instantly transform them into AI contenders. Surely all involved realised that this task was going to take, not months, but years. With this in mind, I'm surprised that one, if not both parties, have decided to call it quits without giving the partnership a fair go. Makes this year a bit pointless.

[stevie06]

Galway were a disaster this year and not really surprised Kernan has stepped down.

[Rufus T Firefly]

They actually took huge steps backwards IMO. It's only two years since they gave Kerry that huge test in the rain. They were a long way short of that this year.

I think you're reading too much into that performance to be honest. That was a score fest, with defence taking a back seat on both sides. You don't get into a match like that with Kerry - they simply have the greater number of better forwards. At no point in that match - despite the individual brilliance of Meehan - did I think Kerry were seriously threatened.

Galway haven't won a single game outside of Connacht in six years, and have only beaten one team, Louth, outside of Connacht since 2001.

Amazing stats that.

I honestly believe that without Meehan, Galway were going nowhere, no matter who was in charge.