A difference of opinion on training schedules for the 2014 season led to the shock departures of the Donegal GAA team’s backroom team.
The trio overlook the warm up prior to the Ulster championship clash with Down earlier the season.
There was shock amongst GAA fans yesterday when assistant manager Rory Gallagher, video analyst Maxi Curran and kit-man Francie Friel were told they would not be part of the management team next season.
It came days after Jim McGuinness said there would be no changes following his decision to remain on as Donegal manager for the season ahead.
However within 48 hours the sensational news broke that the trio had all stepped down citing personal reasons such as work and family commitments.
Then there was another twist in this sensational story however when McGuinness issued a statement last night through the county board.
The trio overlook the warm up prior to the Ulster championship clash with Down earlier the season.
In the statement it said ”CLG Dhún na nGall were informed by Senior Football Team Manager, Jim McGuinness of his intention to make changes in his management & support team.”
Donegal fans are now scratching their heads in dismay at the decision to dismantle his backroom staff and there is differing opinions across the county as to why the trio were sacked by McGuinness.
Donegal Daily has learned that Gallagher and Curran didn’t agree with McGuinness’s blueprint for the season ahead and wanted the manager to go down a different route than that of the previous three years.
It is understood Gallagher and Curran felt several players on the current panel had a lot of mileage on the clock and they needed to be trained differently than some of the younger members of the panel.
The duo felt that the punishing training regime could be too much for some of the players in the 28-31 age brackets in the squad.
However McGuinness dismissed the views of his backroom staff and after a short consultation with them it was decided they would part company.
The news has stunned supporters in Donegal. It is not yet known if Maxi Curran will continue as Donegal U21 manager.
Reports are linking Gallagher to the vacant positions in both his native Fermanagh and Sligo.