KIERAN MCGEENEY HAS been axed as Kildare senior football manager tonight.
The Armagh native lost a ballot by county delegates by one vote — 29 to 28 — at an executive meeting at St Conleth’s this evening.
McGeeney has been in charge for six seasons and also recently had responsibility for the county’s U21s.
The senior side failed to win a Leinster title or an All-Ireland during his tenure but McGeeney did guide Kildare to five quarter-final and a semi-final in a half a dozen years.
Kildare player Emmet Bolton tweeted afterwards: “58 club delegates who have never seen us train went into a room tonight and decided what was best for us. They totally disregarded our [o]pinions over the last couple of weeks. A disgraceful way to treat a man who put so much heart and effort into Kildare football.”
Panelist Hugh Lynch added: “So much for player power #gutted”.
During the meeting County Board chairman John McMahon asked members of the press to remain outside while a decision was taken on the matter. News quickly filtered out after intensive discussion that McGeeney had lost the vote and the reaction on social media from players past and present, inside and outside Kildare was one of disbelief.
After the vote County Board officials remained tight-lipped as to their thoughts on the decision and a short statement thanking Kieran McGeeney for his hard work was released close to midnight. A further statement is expected to be released later today.
The dramatic events bring down the curtain on McGeeney’s six-year association with the Lilywhites which saw him guide the county to quarter final appearances in five of the last six years as well as an All-Ireland semi-final appearance in 2010 when they narrowly lost to Down. However despite a Division Two title last year provincial silverware eluded McGeeney with just one appearance in a Leinster final in 2009.
Having guided Kildare back to Division One of the National Football League in 2012 they reached the semi-finals of the competition earlier this season but were defeated by Tyrone who would also go on to knock them out of the All-Ireland qualifiers after Dublin ended their Leinster campaign in June.
The Compromise Rules veteran did manage to bring Kildare to provincial glory at under 21 level this year, his first season with that age-group, but he suffered heavy criticism from within the county for their defeat to Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final. He integrated several of the successful under 21 team into the starting line-up for the seniors this year including Paul Cribbin, Niall Kelly, Daniel Flynn, David Hyland and Sean Hurley.
There was no discussion as to a successor to the Kildare hotseat after last night’s vote, and the county board have as of yet given no indication as to when a successor will be appointed.
What do you think of the decision?
Pity, Did a lot for Kildare football, Just couldn’t get us across the line!
Will be a better team without him . Wanted machines, not footballers.If you were not with his way of thinking you were out of the frame . And when all is said and done won nothing and leaves kildare in no better a position than when he arrived.The Dubs are the rulers of lenister and were never under threat from his kildare side….#upthedubs
Did Kildare not win both underage codes this year, u21 and minor leinsters
They won the U21 Leinster final, the Seniors beat Donegal and Cork in the League.
One line shows how much you know about football – “Leaves Kildare in no better position than when he arrived”. 4 Quarter Finals & a Semi Final, yeah that’s worse than what they did the years before he arrived. Clown
As a Meath man on the outside looking in, it’s laughable to say he hasn’t improved Kildare. Where were you before he took over? Sounds to me like a lot of people commenting only started following the county in the last number of years… You know, when Kildare started to show promise?
That being said I think, tactically, he has been found our a few times for which he deserves to be criticised by you would imagine he’ll learn from that.
The players were overwhelmingly in favour of keeping him on, which says everything in my book, but were ignored. Club delegates went and voted on their own preference as usual.
He did a great job for Kildare but really they need someone now to let the talent come to the fore if it exists. Nothing wrong with having someone come in and create discipline, work rate etc but a belief in skill should be built.
They’ve been unlucky too. That quarter final with Donegal in 2011 will go down as one of the most tense and amazing finishes I’ve witnessed – extreme defending where the scores had to be magnificent on both sides.
Now we know why his buddy seanie Johnston went back to his club in Cavan.must have known it was coming
A really bad decision,he did a great job for Kildare and the Kildare u-21s
Glen Ryan could be a suitable candidate as the new manager.
Agreed
I think Meath’s performance against Dublin did McGeeney no favours as it showed that it is possible for a Leinster team to go toe to toe with the blues but Kildare haven’t done that in the last while. Also Seanie Johnston was a really, really poor idea.
Feel bad for him,you can’t make a silk purse out of a sows ear.
I’m gutted. There has been so much development in the last few years. We may not have had silverware but we’ve gotten used to long football summers. Well they’ve made their bed now they can lie in it! I wish the county board all the best in finding someone else who takes such a broad view instead of simply focusing on the senior panel. There are some super players coming up the ranks. Whatever you think of the decision you can’t argue that Kieran McGeeney gave great commitment to Kildare GAA and just think where we were before he arrived. He had the courage of his convictions , stood by his decisions & defended his squad. Few have done more for Kildare GAA. I’ll be sorry to see him go & I’m thankful we had him for as long as we did. Good look to you Kieran in the future. And to whomever is waiting in the wings….. You’d better buy a few pairs of thick socks ‘cos you’ve some big boots to fill!!!!!
All someone has to do is get a team able to compete with the top teams regularly to have made more progress for Kildare than McGeeney, his “commitment” was well rewarded financially by Kildare. A huge amount of money was pumped into his time there and there was no reward, he got 3 years more than he deserved
Derek , I assume that all any of other county managers see for their commitment is an odd apple tart and his nicks washed after training???Get real they’re all being well ” looked after”. Six years is not that long ago and all Ireland quarter finals were hard to come by in those days.
In fairness he had to put in the hours to justify his “expenses”
Libby, if All Ireland quarter finals are good enough for Kildare then that’s grand, ye had it cracked, but at least get there with 1 provincial title. McGeeney, Jason Ryan and Niall Carew are good football men who know there stuff but instead of slating Co Board, maybe the players need to take responsibility for been useless every time they had to perform. The whole thing is a shambles in Kildare who will never fail to disappoint, or maybe never surprise us by winning something meaningful!
Good guy! Appreciated else where!
Give the job to seanie Johnston ! Not doing anything now!!
Poor decision. Not done in the best interests of Kildare GAA. Clubs merely wanted to stick it to McGeeney.
He had six years to prove himself. Was supposed to go last year but was given a reprieve because we got into div 1. Mediocre league performance and abysmal championship performance. Time for change.
As long as he gets to keep those guns and that jaw line, he’ll be grand.
Kildare are as far away from being a top team now as they were when he took over, they are a poor 2nd division team and he has made no progress in the 6 years except add to the usual Kildare hype nonsense the rest of use have to listen to. I’m sure his bank balance was well rewarded for his 6 years of no trophies and very little progress.
I’m confused. Are they not a Division 1 team who won division 2 last year beating Tyrone in the final? How can you say no progress has been made, 4 wins in 3 years before he arrived and he’s brought them to 4 Quarter Finals and a Semi. Also this year they’ve won Leinster Minor, U21 & Junior titles. People can say a lot of things about him but to say no progress has been made is pure stupid. The only ones who have built Kildare up are the media, not him nor the players – when have you ever heard either say they were going to win Leinsters or All Ireland’s? Take the square ball goal v Down out and he had them in an All Ireland final a few years back. If you’re going to comment on issues at least make a valid point
Well said Joe. Derek hasn’t a clue.
Count O’Callaghan’s steps for his goal against Down and then talk about Coulter’s position for his goal.
Results business, no complaints, change needed.
Six years and nothing to show for it. Best of luck to him. But the county can’t afford his services anymore. Ciaran whelan would be perfect for Kildare .
He would definitely add something to their mid-field
Six years with no results. This year’s championship campaign was a joke. Time to go.
I just woke up my Dad (biggest Kildare fan I know who has followed them since he was a boy) and read out what Bolton said and he replied saying “All they did was train”. From what I have heard and read that from numerous people and newspapers that seems to be the case. Kildare have come on leaps and bounds since Johnny Crofton was there in terms of fitness and quality. However McGeeney’s decision making cost him.
Great example was last Sunday. Kevin O’Brien was having a mare and was taken off straight away. McGeeney would of kept him on for another twenty minutes to see if it would work out.
With the same training but with better guidance Kildare will be a major force to deal with. I as a Dublin fan is more fearful of Kildare next summer than what I was a half an hour ago.
Wat about Earley for the job
Kildare need a Kildare man managing them. No disrespect to McGeeney, he did his best with what he had, he’s still learning his trade. The Lilywhites are always coming but they never arrive.
Change needed ……..
The players unanimously supported Geezer to stay on as their manager and yet they didn’t even have a say in the outcome of the vote to ousted him as manager. The so-called delegates must have a very short memories as Kildare were a very mediocre team until his arrival.
Overrated, overhyped, overpayed underachiever! 6 years and not even a provincial title! Anyone who says he did a great job obviously has no ambition!
Agree. Six years in charge and new approach required
Seanie Johnson had the deciding vote. He was meant to drop it in the yes box but put it over the bar and into the no box
This is the problem with county boards, a lot of the time made up of people who never played the game at the highest level and can’t appreciate the levels of dedication and sacrifice the modern inter county player/managers put into the game. If the players all backed him can’t see the problem with keeping him on. It’s not like soccer where you can buy the best players to fix the problems, you have to deal with the cards you have. He won’t be idle
For long I reckon the home county will come knocking.
“Not like soccer” “play the cards you’re dealt” ha ha! Was seanie Johnson an apparition? Was that not an attempt to “buy” a forward who could actually put a ball over the bar?
Watch Kildare over the last number of years. Supported them longer. Kildare playing div. 1 needed no change just needed confidence. Thank you Kiernan mcGeeney you brought football in Kildare to another level.
Done a great job for Kildare football. I think his time was up a fresh face will maybe push them the final yard to win a championship onwards and upwards.
Bad choice should have kept him on for another year.
Poor decision.Deserved better!
No job for Arsene Wenger in Kildare so !
Decent man. Football mad. Yes progress made over the few years and Ryan was the fresh voice. Part of me thinks the Clubs had likely become cheesed off with little football from May on. I can’t blame them really. In every county there is the same issue. Ordinary club players are being totally disenfranchised all over the Country. Kildare will always be thereabouts in Leinster without winning for foreseeable future and worth a decent run in qualifiers.
I think hes one of most committed, technical, and researched managers ever. But results r results!! kilare r better than kildare think!
That’s a bit unfair one more year and kildare would be all Ireland basketball champions McGeeney had there hand pass down to a fine art
From the hype all day, it seems Kildare are happy been mediocre, quarter finals without been provincial champions, having beaten teams who were even poorer than them, been happy winning division 2
But in fairness to McGeeney, the only group who let him down were the players, they’re ranting about the great training etc, pity the baulked every time they met a good team. If the players had his heart and passion he might still be in a job and they’d have more than a Div 2 and O’Byrne cup medal.
Nice road from Armagh to Mullingar now and less traveling time than to Kildare.
Just sayin’ is all.
Go on de bomber..