WEXFORD FOOTBALL BOSS Paul Galvin has responded to rumours of discord, following some personnel changes in the squad at the outset of the season.
Wexford football manager Paul Galvin. Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO
Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO
It was reported last month that Galvin was in danger of facing a backlash from the team after removing some experienced players from the panel.
Midfielder Daithí Waters and last year’s captain Michael Furlong were apparently among those who were cut from the squad, according to the Irish Independent. Kevin O’Grady and Tiernan Rossiter are believed to have left the panel in solidarity with those who were dropped.
Galvin, who was appointed as manager last September, says he thought the reporting of the situation was “disappointing” and clarified some of the details regarding his decisions as Wexford manager.
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“Some of this was out of my hands,” the four-time All-Ireland winner told OTBAM. “Two players departed of their own accord that were on the fringes of things maybe. They left and they created a bit of noise maybe.
“I made a few decisions on two players that had been there for a while that I respected and had honest conversations with. Really, I never closed the door as such on those players.
“It’s not part of my brief or my role to close doors on anybody down in Wexford. I think it is part of my brief to open doors and to give guys opportunities. So, I made a decision on a couple of players. A couple of other players decided to leave and [it] created a bit of a ruckus down there.”
Remarking on his thoughts about the departures of those players, Galvin added:
“I thought it cast a bit of a poor reflection on everybody, which was disappointing for the work we’ve all been doing. The guys that are in there so far have been really committed.
Two guys left kind of by the back door. I had heard about it before they actually told me about it which was a disappointment. It created all this noise which I think was a pity.”
Wexford concluded their O’Byrne Cup campaign with a defeat to Offaly earlier this month, and will face Antrim in their Divison 4 opener on Sunday, 26 January.
Galvin says he thought the departure of some of the players 'cast a bit of a poor reflection on everybody.' Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO
Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO
The Model County finished fifth in the bottom tier division last year.
Galvin says there’s plenty of interest among club players in Wexford who are eager to break into the inter-county squad as the season progresses.
When asked about the added scrutiny that comes with being a high-profile former player taking over as manager, Galvin said:
“I was surprised, and maybe I shouldn’t be, but I was surprised at kind of the instant attention. I thought the reporting on it was disappointing from the point of view that there was a group there doing lots of good work and lots of guys really keen to get into the squad.
Almost daily and weekly, there’s guys putting their hands up from various clubs and their managers are saying ‘will you have a look?’ [They] really want to come in, but then it becomes about two guys who didn’t want to be there, and whose attitudes told me as much anyway.
“But that’s the way of it and you have to adapt to it. The thing needed a shake-up, I’ve looked at years of footage. People probably thought I came down and made rash decisions. I didn’t, I based my decisions on years of championship games, National League games, county championship and the training I was seeing in front of my eyes.”
Galvin reiterated his position on operating an open door policy in the Wexford panel, but added that relations with some of the departed players could be difficult to repair should they look to make a return to the fold.
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“Probably my gut was telling me about one or two of the guys who left, and I didn’t follow my gut on that. I waited and waited, and the boys eventually kind of pushed the button. They made it difficult for everybody.
“Like I said, I didn’t close doors but the boys’ actions and all the noise around it probably closed doors in a manner where it would be difficult to open them again.”
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'Two guys left by the back door. I heard about it before they told me' - Galvin
WEXFORD FOOTBALL BOSS Paul Galvin has responded to rumours of discord, following some personnel changes in the squad at the outset of the season.
It was reported last month that Galvin was in danger of facing a backlash from the team after removing some experienced players from the panel.
Midfielder Daithí Waters and last year’s captain Michael Furlong were apparently among those who were cut from the squad, according to the Irish Independent. Kevin O’Grady and Tiernan Rossiter are believed to have left the panel in solidarity with those who were dropped.
Galvin, who was appointed as manager last September, says he thought the reporting of the situation was “disappointing” and clarified some of the details regarding his decisions as Wexford manager.
“Some of this was out of my hands,” the four-time All-Ireland winner told OTBAM. “Two players departed of their own accord that were on the fringes of things maybe. They left and they created a bit of noise maybe.
“I made a few decisions on two players that had been there for a while that I respected and had honest conversations with. Really, I never closed the door as such on those players.
“It’s not part of my brief or my role to close doors on anybody down in Wexford. I think it is part of my brief to open doors and to give guys opportunities. So, I made a decision on a couple of players. A couple of other players decided to leave and [it] created a bit of a ruckus down there.”
Remarking on his thoughts about the departures of those players, Galvin added:
“I thought it cast a bit of a poor reflection on everybody, which was disappointing for the work we’ve all been doing. The guys that are in there so far have been really committed.
Wexford concluded their O’Byrne Cup campaign with a defeat to Offaly earlier this month, and will face Antrim in their Divison 4 opener on Sunday, 26 January.
The Model County finished fifth in the bottom tier division last year.
Galvin says there’s plenty of interest among club players in Wexford who are eager to break into the inter-county squad as the season progresses.
When asked about the added scrutiny that comes with being a high-profile former player taking over as manager, Galvin said:
“I was surprised, and maybe I shouldn’t be, but I was surprised at kind of the instant attention. I thought the reporting on it was disappointing from the point of view that there was a group there doing lots of good work and lots of guys really keen to get into the squad.
“But that’s the way of it and you have to adapt to it. The thing needed a shake-up, I’ve looked at years of footage. People probably thought I came down and made rash decisions. I didn’t, I based my decisions on years of championship games, National League games, county championship and the training I was seeing in front of my eyes.”
Galvin reiterated his position on operating an open door policy in the Wexford panel, but added that relations with some of the departed players could be difficult to repair should they look to make a return to the fold.
“Probably my gut was telling me about one or two of the guys who left, and I didn’t follow my gut on that. I waited and waited, and the boys eventually kind of pushed the button. They made it difficult for everybody.
“Like I said, I didn’t close doors but the boys’ actions and all the noise around it probably closed doors in a manner where it would be difficult to open them again.”
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