The Tyrone footballers will play no part in deciding the future of manager Mickey Harte, according to Frank Burns.
He insisted it’s entirely up to the Red Hand boss to decide whether he wants to extend his reign to a 19th season.
Sunday’s Ulster Championship defeat to Donegal ended Tyrone’s season and sparked speculation over Harte’s position.
The treble All-Ireland winner declined to comment on his plans in the immediate aftermath of the narrow loss at Ballybofey, saying he has not considered the matter.
“It’s entirely Mickey’s decision,” said Burns.
“Mickey’s a good man and has done a lot for Tyrone over the years so that’s his call, not ours.
“I suppose if it’s the end of the three years it’s something that’ll be talked about, I would say plenty of players would be happy enough to go again with him.”
Burns sees a bright future for a Tyrone side fortified by the arrival of some exciting new attacking talents in Conor McKenna and Darragh Canavan, who have between them scored five of their six goals since the season resumed.
And the attack will be further strengthened by the imminent return from injury of All-Star full forward Cathal McShane.
“We’ve some new men coming in, the likes of Darragh, a serious player, and we’ve Conor back, which is great. We’ve Cathal back as well so it’s going to be a short turnaround. We’ll rest up and go again.
“We’re a young team with plenty of potential and serious competition every week.”
And the Pomeroy clubman expects competition for places to be fiercer than ever in 2021.
“You have to work to get that jersey and when you get it you have to work hard to keep it. There’s a lot of good players and we’re still building.”
Decisive incidents meant all the difference in a contest of fine margins at Pairc MacCumhaill, and Donegal made more of their big moments.
They used Michael Langan’s goal as a platform to build a lead, whereas the Red Hands failed to harness the energy from Darragh Canavan’s second half strike, which in contrast prompted a bounce from the home side.
“Small margins in games like that. We’d a four-point lead at one stage but they nipped in at the back for that goal, they have that long kick-out.
“We’d prepared for it but unfortunately they still got behind us, that turned the game. If we’d prevented that I think we could’ve pushed on.
“They got a few points and went in ahead at half-time when it probably should’ve been the other way around.”
As the boots go into storage for a winter of undetermined duration, Burns has positive reflections on a season like no other.
He’s grateful that gaelic football returned from lockdown, primarily for the comfort it provided and the morale it built among GAA communities.
“I’m happy at the minute. It gave you something to focus and work towards. With everything going on at the minute, it’s good for people to have something to watch.
“I know personally a few elderly ones close to me, that it gives them a lift having football there to watch at the weekend.”
