AS John Cleary mulls over his future as Cork senior football manager, former All-Ireland winner John Hayes believes the current Rebels boss is still the best man for the job.
Defeat to Dublin in last weekend’s All-Ireland senior football preliminary quarter-final marked the end of Cleary’s three-year term as manager. In total, the Castlehaven man has been at the helm for four championship campaigns, stretching back to 2022.
Cleary will take time to decide whether to stay or go, remarking after the loss to Dublin: ‘My term is up now, I've been four years in it, and as anyone will know it's tough going, but look, we'll see during the week, or we'll talk to the relevant parties or whatever.’
Former Cork footballer and selector John Hayes, reflecting on Cork’s season on this week’s Star Sport Podcast, said Cleary has earned the right to decide whether he wants to stay in the role. Hayes also feels the current Cork boss is still the best candidate for the job.
‘When the players played well this year, the signs that they showed against Kerry and against Dublin, Cavan in the league, certain games like that, the players seemed to be behind him,’ Hayes said.
‘I do think he has (done) enough and I don’t see a plethora of candidates out there queuing up either who are better than John Cleary. That’s just to be straight about it. It’s well flagged.
‘It’s widely thought within Cork football that the problems go far deeper than whoever’s in charge of the Cork senior football team. There are not the results and players coming through at underage that we would like to see. Having said that, Cork is a big county and we can still find footballers. You saw it this year. Brady. McDonnell. Walsh. All these guys. So there are still footballers out there.
‘I think John Cleary has earned the right to make his own decision. I don’t see a queue of candidates that are better than John Cleary to take them forward. I think it’s up to himself. If he wants to go again, he’ll probably be given the option.’
