Kevin McStay to be named as Roscommon manager

Willie Joe

Kevin McStay

Photo: The Journal

It’s been an open secret for some time but the Irish Times is reporting tonight that Kevin McStay will be unveiled, possibly inside the next 24 hours, as the new manager of the Roscommon senior football team. The paper reports that the Ballina native is expected to take on a co-manager role with the Rossies along with former senior boss Fergal O’Donnell, while Liam McHale will also join the new backroom team, as will David Casey and Stephen Bohan.

In that piece linked above, Kevin talks about his immediate aims in the position he’s about to take on. He says, in relation to next spring’s Division One campaign, that “we are going to give it a fantastic cut” but stresses that “the focus is going to be on re-establishing our pedigree and reputation as a championship team.”

Football in Connacht looks like it’s about to get a bit more interesting in light of this impending development. While we obviously will be doing all we can to ensure that the current pecking order west of the Shannon remains as it is, it’d be churlish not to wish Kevin and Liam well in the roles they’re about to take on. Had things not turned out the way they did twelve months ago, they could well have ended up in a very different place in the world of football management but that’s all water under the bridge now, I guess.

Well, it is in one sense but the news emerging from the world of Mayo GAA tonight would appear to indicate that, after weeks of backstairs whispering, it’s far from certain that the management team we ended up appointing this time last year will be there for the long haul. The Mayo News will have more on this story in the morning as this tweet confirms.

43 thoughts on “Kevin McStay to be named as Roscommon manager”

  1. McStay can talk the talk, from our point of view I hope he can walk the walk. Very ironic the timing of the announcement in light of what is about to go down in Mayo.

  2. Went to bed early after a long weekend. …wake up to a bad nightmare!…Player power equals disaster…We can kiss goodbye to 2016!!!….& Rossies all loved up:-(

  3. You will probably block me for this Willie Joe but the Rossies are welcome to him he was Joint manager in 95 with Anthony Egan when we were relegated to Division 3 of the league and bate out the gate by Galway by ten points down in Tuam I was a young buck 21 shifting a girl from Claregalway at the time it was torture

  5. Agreed Team Sheet…look at cork hurlers who are still suffering the after effects of the revolt 10 years ago. Maybe the players should have had a little look at themselves before rushing to judgement, after all they are the ones there for 5 years of near misses, not Pat and Noel. As for McStay….please take another look at his (very) short CV people

  6. Thanks Willie Joe, however this pans out I’d like to see Holmes and Connelly depart with dignity and respect they have been great servants to Mayo delivered a league and an U 21 title and another Nestor

  8. It’s show time now for sure.

    Player power doesn’t normally equal good news, but you know what, sometimes you just have to take a stand if you believe enough in what you’re about. I hope the players, if they are demanding certain standards, don’t just stop at management. And that their attitude will continue to be as it has been for the past five years: exemplary. Those lads are no Cork hurlers.

    There is no official confirmation of resignations yet, but Backdoor Sam is right re treating the lads with respect. If there is going to be a break let it be swift and clean. And for the love of God, let us not go from the frying pan into the fire when – if – it comes to appointing a new manager. Some of the names I’ve heard floated tonight are setting my teeth on edge. It’s forward we want to be going, not backwards.

    Good luck to McStay and McHale … I hope the Rossie’s relegation from division 1 is also swift and painless for them. 😉

  10. Wasn’t it only after the quarter final we were singing their praise…”Mayo look a different animal this year”..they surely have to be given a second season.

  11. The fortunes of the Mayo team at the time Claregalway girl was the one cool thing about that roasting hot Summer remember we lost an U 21 final to Kerry that year too 95 down in Thurles after a replay was at that match think Martin Carney was the manager

  12. I see the Cork hurlers are being referenced a lot with regard to our current panel. Well history records the Cork hurlers first went on strike in 2002. Then they won the All Ireland in 2004 and 2005 not to mention they left one behind them in 2003. I think we would take that outcome if it happened to Mayo???

  13. They also went on strike in 2007/08 creteboom and won nothing. Reality is anything can happen when a team revolts and there is no precendent where any conclusions can be drawn as to how it may play out. I think whatever happens it’s going to be an ugly period for Mayo football with all our dirty laundry aired in public yet again. I find the comments and abuse towards Holmes and connolly on Facebook already on the Mayo gaa banter page right now quite shocking. Some of our ‘fans’ really are f**king animals, to borrow a phrase from the late Paudi o Se.

  14. Backdoor Sam says:
    September 28, 2015 at 11:54 pm
    You will probably block me for this Willie Joe but the Rossies are welcome to him he was Joint manager in 95 with Anthony Egan when we were relegated to Division 3 of the league and bate out the gate by Galway by ten points down in Tuam

    —————————
    Not correct. Anthony Egan was outright manager in 1995 while McStay was trainer not joint manager, since then he (McStay) has left the training to MacHale and has become a good manager.

    Its a good management team with two Mayo men and O Donnell,Casey the Rossies now have in place and they could very well be a team to look out for in the championship in the years ahead.

    Not sure about this player power thing with Mayo it rarely ends well. Mayo just missed out on semi final spot in the league when some fear relegation. Dublin needed a replay to reach the final. I honestly feel C&H deserve at least another year in charge.

  15. I stand corrected Mayomagic I thought he was joint manager whether or not he still had a major input and Mayo were a disaster back then. I’m not mad about player power myself but we are where we are lets hope it’s resolved speedily

  16. Have to admit i will be shocked to see pat and noel out the door if that is what happens …must have been a number of key players for 2016 involved in e mail to get to this point …

  20. Is it ok to discuss this WJ.? Already in papers.
    Frankly these lads have been let down by inept managers for the last few years.Horan blew an All Ireland by not dealing with Donaghy and the high.ball and H & C simply are not in my view county standard.
    I know there will be exaggerations but what went on is horrific e.g training the week of the replay like an u14 team would whereas Dublin were recovering properly from Sunday evening.Mayo club football is strong at the moment but we need to capitalise now!

  21. I agree with all Anne Marie has posted
    I think it is very hard to have confidence in a management who start Vaughan 6 days after dislocating his shoulder and not fit to start. S O Shea gets a black card and they are aware that Parsons is playing with a broken finger but they take off Barry Moran, They keep the same plan which failed in the first game : long ball into A O Shea which did not work in the first game , They fail to go man to man for Dublin Kick Outs after gifting possition {Mayo had 52% in first half} to Dublin.long balls into AIDAN which he fails to collect or long balls into Cluxtons hands. Connelly and Holmes won a under 21 Final in 2006 but there was never a Under 21 team in Ireland who had so many players make the Senior Team at the level that this Mayo Team has reached and they were lucky enough to win , i have no confidence in them what so ever. We know how hard it is to win a Final but no team ever wins one unless the sideline team is up to the job Some teams do win Sam with maybe not the best 21 panel but with a shrew management.

    This group of Players are giving up some of the best days of their lives to try and win SAM and deserve the best management , The are the one training seven days a week.

  22. McStay wasn’t joint manager in 95. He was actually shafted back then. He helped out the county . Anthony Egan was the manager. McStay managed a great U21 team in 2001. The foot and mouth cost them an all Ireland. He also led Brigids to an All Irl club title. He owes Mayo nothing.

  23. Just be careful what you wish for, I don’t see any glaringly obvious candidate who is going to make the difference. But would agree it needs to be someone with a totally professional attitude, this is a high profile, and now high pressure position, one which also demands a bit of media sauvy. Holmes looked a bit lost in that regard.

  25. This will not end well I’m afraid.

    Holmes and Connelly were a better choice than mc stay and Mchale, players wouldn’t buy into m&ms I would have feared. Mchale is great guy but might not have worked as a trainer.

    The no confidence I don’t think relates to the games but to the setup throughout the year. If you read higgens interview (our captain) before the semi you will notice it was strange when questioned about the setup, didn’t read that positively, basically said it was getting better (wouldn’t have said that under horan) . I’m sure Alan dillions been excluded wouldn’t have helped.

    There position will be untenable now but I think we’re in for a big stand off.
    Tom Connelly chairman and Noel his brother the manager (hollymount debacle comes to mind also). I just fear the best thing for mayo football will not be the vision as blood is thicker than water

  27. Morning Ireland reporting that issues developed over season and aspects of player preparations. Not just recent development. K Higgins & Cillian notified managers on sun that majority of players have no confidence in them. Ironic that Kevin McStay takes on Roscommon job on this very day! It goes to show bad things can happen when County Board won’t follow correct processes with appointments whatever the outcome. Coming back to bite them.

  28. Are these the same players that didn’t want McStay/MacHale ticket? So dunno why people are going about about McStay.

  29. I feel for you today Willie Joe. I’m sure you were pulling your hair out last night hearing that there was to be no down-season on this forum. Thanks for providing it for us.

    This is a case of what you reap you sow. Mayo County Board created this problem with a shambolic process last year and lack of support for years and years. Many stayed quiet last year when somebody tried to do something here about it.

    Pat and Noel need to do the decent thing now and walk. This problem has been brewing all year. Many decided to ignore it. It was no secret. I was ridiculed myself for mentioning it. The players have been unhappy with the way the setup has operated since the get-go and did not feel that they were treated with respect and given the best resources to cross that line. It makes their achievements all the more remarkable.

    I feel very sorry for Pat and Noel. They deserve better but they tried to piggy back on the Horan years and sneak an easy All Ireland. Great servants

    The players deserve support though. Our full support. This is a unanimous and hard decision by them, but they want to succeed and need to be given the best chance of doing that. They are putting their hands up and saying that they are not giving up on their dream and our dream of Sam. We need to trust in them. Once they lost faith in this management that chance was gone and it does not matter who comes in, they have a better chance of succeeding. The players will realise that they are not all irreplaceable and this makes their decision all the more selfless.

    But the main people that need to go are the Board officials. Mick Connelly cannot oversee the appointment of a new manager. He has a conflict and we cannot be assured of his best intentions given what has happened.

    We are living in interesting times

  30. Earlier in the summer off the ball had a series of interview with players about classic games from the 90s. Conor Deegan of Down talked about how the Down players did exactly this in 1993. They were unhappy with tactics and training. They had there vote of no confidence. Pete Mcgrath managed to convince them and they went on to win the all Ireland in 1994. I for one thing this is a good thing. The players expect the highest of standards like we had over Horan. If you look back at the Donegal game and Dublin game we were slow to start. I remember being at the game training we so look like we know our roles. Any team with Cillian O Connor has a good change of getting into a quarter or semi. Its then that you need the leadership both from Management and players on the pitch. So this vote could be an opportunity for everyone player, management, county board to look at what can we do to improve, to give us the extra few percent chance we need to win Sam. So I feel this is a good opportunity.

  32. Disgraceful comments Hill St Boy. McStay wanted the Mayo job. He was made a fool of by the County Chairman and PRO last year

  33. I said it here before, and I include Horan in this even though I was a big fan of his, if Mickey Harte or Jim McGuinness had this squad of players at their disposal I believe they would have won 2 All Irelands with them. There is no doubt in my mind that the current squad are as good as anything in the country (maybe we don’t have the numbers of Dublin but our first 17 are as good) but also, there is now no doubt in my mind that our inability to get 2 back to back winning performances in Croke Park is a mental and tactical stumbling block that, I fear, this squad will never get over. That’s all we need. 2 back to back top class performances and we have Sam. That’s all. We will get to a semi-final again next year and should win it. But getting to that second consecutive win is proving elusive. The players MUST take responsibility in the failure of this squad to win Sam. It wasn’t H&C that kicked 3 stupid wides – one after the other – in the first game v Dublin. 2 of those coming from tight angles and the players in question deciding to kick with their weak foot!!! FFS!!! It wasn’t H&C that kicked a “gimme” wide when 30 yards out and in front of goal – also in the first Dublin game. It wasn’t H&C that had 6 consecutive attacks but turned over and kicked wide on all 6 occasions – in the second Dublin game. It wasn’t H&C that got taken for 5 points from play in the second Dublin game. It wasn’t Horan that kicked 6 very scorable wides in the first half v Dublin in the 2013 final. The players MUST take their share of the blame for the failure to win Sam.
    It doesn’t matter what any of us think about the current management team. Whether we think that they were appointed under a cloud of controversy or not, whether we think their underage success is relevant or not, whether we think they got it spot on v Donegal or not, whether we think they got it wrong v Dublin or not, whether all the rumors are true or not. All what we think is irelevant. We are all on the outside looking in, thinking we know. The only thing that matters is whether the players believe in the management team. The players must believe and trust that the plans/tactics/training/organisational capabilities of that management team are what is needed and will bring success. That basic rule of team management runs for all sports, all teams, irrespective of the level or age group. And whether we like it or not, the players will not perform to the utmost of the ability – and that is what is needed to win Sam – unless they believe and trust implicitly in the management team. That does not appear to be the case at present.

  34. Agree with Ger Bohan McStay was made a fool of by Mayo gaa

    The behavior of the PRO last year was comical..

  35. Hill St Boy – don’t ever attempt to post another comment on here after that disgusting, disgraceful one that I’ve since deleted. How dare you come on here and abuse this site in that way. You’re banned, for good.

  36. Think they should all go into a locked room and trash it out and come out with some sort of plan.there is nobody available if the boys step down.let them put as much money and resources as possible to get the job done once and for all.there’s far to much bullshit in mayo football on and off the field.every year there something or someone new to blame.money talks and bullshit walks.

  40. Best of luck to Mcstay and Mchale, Ann Marie, A better chance of Mayo going down next year after this mess.

  41. Mickey Harte or Jim McGuinness had solid defensive units the years they won sam. Regardless of the management I’m not sure have Mayo got the right individuals to form a solid defence? And the best defender Mayo have looked in decline this summer.

    Ball in players court now by the looks of it and it remains to be seen if this is the right call to remove a management team after just one year. Was it necessary to wash the dirty linen in public though?

  42. He should have been our guy last year. This has all turned out as predicted, unfortunately.

    County board have really messed up. What a shame.

  43. In today’s Independent, Mc Stay has practically stated that he doesn’t believe that he will ever get the Mayo job.. Have to say, imo, that’s a very impressive looking Roscommon management team. Have an uneasy feeling that this move is going to come back to haunt Mayo in next few years.

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