FORMER Monaghan manager Séamus McEnaney says he would be prepared to talk to Derry officials about the vacant managerial position.
The Corduff man, who is currently involved with his own club as they prepare for their Championship campaign, managed Monaghan from 2004 until 2010. He is credited with putting in place the foundations upon which Malachy O’Rourke has built to win two Ulster titles in the last three years.
McEnaney also had a spell in charge of Meath, but failed to taste any success in his two years at the helm. He has been out of inter-county management since stepping down from that post at the end of their 2012 campaign, but in recent times has voiced his willingness to return to the scene.
With Brian McIver stepping down as Derry boss earlier this month following their All-Ireland qualifier defeat by Galway, McEnaney says he would be interested in discussing the role, but would only take it under the right circumstances.
“I do intend to go back into inter-county management some time shortly, if the right job comes around,” he said.
“A lot of boxes would need to be ticked for me to be interested in an inter-county job. I’m very busy at my own job, so for a job to attract me, it would need all the boxes ticked. What I mean by that is for the quality of players to be available to that county, the facilities to be available.
“The crucial thing, in any inter-county job and in Derry, is that you would have to be confident that you would get every single player within that county playing for him.
“If all those boxes are ticked in a job in Ulster, that’s probably where my preference would be to go back into management. I’d certainly consider it,” he said.
As things stand, McEnaney – whose name has been mooted on the last three occasions that the job has been available, but who has never been involved in the process - appears to head a very modest list of interested parties.
The Irish News understands neither Enda Gormley nor Séamus Downey is interested in taking the position. Downey and his brother Henry have overseen the development of a strong underage crop coming through in Lavey the past few years. The duo also managed their seniors a few years back, with Henry leading, but it’s believed that their concentration will stay with their club in the meantime.
Gormley oversaw Glen’s underage revolution before moving into senior management, since when he has taken his own club, followed by Tyrone sides Galbally and Carrickmore. Another of the 1993 All-Ireland winning side, Gary Coleman, ruled himself out of the running last weekend and said Derry will “never make the breakthrough” unless the players “change their attitude”.
Liam Bradley last week appeared to rule himself out of contention when he told The Irish News that the job, for which he was interviewed in 2012 and has been nominated on several occasions, was no longer on his radar.
“I am not interested. I was interested in the job 10 years ago, but not now. It’s not a job that would interest me at all. I am happy enough where I am at in Donegal,” said the current Malin boss.
Kevin Madden – who assisted Bradley when Glenullin won the Derry Senior Football Championship in 2007, their first in 22 years – says he is “flattered” to be linked to the role, but that his focus is on Dungiven’s upcoming championship opener with neighbours Banagher. However, the Portglenone native didn’t rule himself out.
Madden, who served as second-in-command to Damian Cassidy during his time at the helm of the county side, has been managing in Derry since joining up with Glenullin, having also taken the Loup.
Former Allstar Derry defender Tony Scullion didn’t rule out the prospect of going for it when contacted, but said “I genuinely haven’t thought about it”.
