FORMER Tyrone star Enda McGinley feels the situation surrounding Mickey Harte’s request for an extension to his term as Red Hand boss “could have been handled better”.
It was confirmed on Tuesday night that the Tyrone County Board had decided against granting Harte a further season, with his current two-year term due to come to an end at the conclusion of the 2017 campaign.
That decision is unlikely to sit well with the Tyrone boss, especially considering the Red Hands achieved promotion to Division One earlier this year before winning a first Ulster title in six years.
And McGinley has some sympathy for his former boss as any uncertainty surrounding Harte’s future beyond next year could lead to unwanted speculation throughout the season.
“Mickey, on the back of 2015, was given a two-year extension but on the strength of this year he wanted to push on and get the 2018 year included as well,” said the three-time All-Ireland winner.
“I can see the benefit of that because when you’re in the middle of a season, if this is hanging over you at the end of the year and your future is depending on how that season goes, it’s not ideal for the team.
“You see it in other sports where people try to avoid it getting to the last year of the contract because then you have speculation and the question is constantly there during the year.
“That can become an undercurrent to the season and that’s not ideal for players or the manager. So I can understand Mickey trying to secure his position.
“If ever the decision day does come, you want to see it managed well, with due respect to the parties involved. I suppose even in this scenario you just feel it could have been handled better.
“I’m sure the county board don’t mean any disrespect to Mickey but maybe felt pressured into this decision.”
There have been murmurings within the county in recent years about life after Harte, but McGinley says his fellow Errigal Ciaran clubman remains hugely ambitious.
The nature of the All-Ireland quarter-final exit to Mayo was hard to take, with Tyrone criticised in some quarters for having no ‘plan B’ as the westerners got to grips with their running game.
In spite of that defeat, McGinley feels the Red Hands can look back on a successful season, with a return to Gaelic football’s top tier standing them in good stead heading into next year’s Championship.
“Everybody leaving Croke Park was disappointed, I’m sure nobody more than the team and management but, when you look back, the team has come a long way,” added the 2008 Allstar.
“If you look at the Championship run in 2015 [Tyrone reached the All-Ireland semi-final], their performances in the League to get back up to Division One, the winning of the Ulster title… yes, the Championship fell short but only for one or two points it would’ve been a very different year. You would have probably been sitting preparing for an All-Ireland final.
“There is work to be done, but the best place for that work and improvement is in Division One next year. It would be harsh to deny Mickey that chance to develop the team further.”
