McGeeney quietly going about business

Anyone expecting Kieran McGeeney to come marching into Kildare blowing his own trumpet while waving some sort of victory flag will be disappointed, at least initially.

The former Armagh captain, who has made arguably the most abrupt switch from player to manager in recent years, is instead playing down all the hype following his formal ratification as Kildare football manager on Tuesday night.

The 35-year-old, who less than a month ago announced his retirement from senior intercounty football after 15 years service to Armagh, was given a three-year term despite his lack of any previous managerial experience.

However, former Armagh assistant coach Paul Grimley, who worked alongside Joe Kernan in Armagh's 2002 All-Ireland success, will act as McGeeney's number two, with a Kildare-based selector also to be added to the backroom team.

"I'm delighted to get the job, and very much looking forward to it," said McGeeney. "But I don't want to say anything more than that at this stage. Obviously I have some ideas about what I'd like to do and where I'd like to go with the county, but I'd rather I told all that to the players first, rather than have them read it in the paper.

"And of course a lot of people have some preconceptions about me, which are usually well off the mark. So the plan now is to meet with the current panel of players next Tuesday or Wednesday, and I'll have a better idea about where things stand after that. But of course I am excited about the challenge."

McGeeney also confirmed he'd be attending this Sunday's Kildare county football final between Newbridge rivals Moorefield and Sarsfields: "I've actually attended a few of the club championship matches down here already," he added, "and Sunday's game should be a good one."

Full details of McGeeney's appointment have emerged. Kildare officials made their initial approach to the 2002 All-Ireland winning captain shortly after Armagh's one-point defeat to Derry in the All-Ireland qualifiers, back on July 8th. At that point he was still unsure about his future playing career, and was inclining towards another year.

That scenario gradually changed over the past number of weeks, starting with Kernan stepping down as Armagh manager. Grimley was understood to have been the first-choice replacement, but the job instead went to Peter McDonnell, an old colleague of McGeeney at the Mullaghbawn club.

In the end McGeeney announced his retirement, at which point Kildare resumed their negotiations to bring him in as their new manager, to replace John Crofton.

For now it appears McGeeney will have all the regular Kildare players at his disposal, with long-time defender Anthony Rainbow among the first to confirm his commitment for another year.

Interestingly, Rainbow turns 36 tomorrow, while McGeeney turns 36 on October 18th, which surely creates the first case of a manager being younger that one of his players.

""I'm very happy with the appointment and especially with Paul Grimley coming in with him," said Rainbow.

"I think Kieran will bring leadership qualities and professionalism. He was a serious trainer and is a serious man when it comes to football and he will bring that into the dressingroom. That alone will motivate everybody and I don't think that you will see anybody retiring."

Among the other seasoned players sure to continue are goalkeeper Enda Murphy and midfielders Killian Brennan and Dermot Earley, with the latter still in his 20s.

Elsewhere, one player who is retiring after 12 years service is Down football goalkeeper Mickey McVeigh.

In further managerial news, John Meyler has been ratified for a second term as Wexford senior hurling manager, while a special committee has been set up to search for a successor to Paul Bealin, who earlier this week ended his term as football manager with the county.