Morrison resigns in Mayo

Mayo have lost at least one member of their senior football management team after coach John Morrison yesterday informed the county board of his decision to resign.

There is now increasing doubt over the future of manager and friend Mickey Moran, who must renew discussions with county board officials before the end of the week if he still wishes to continue in the position for another year.

Morrison's decision to step down comes just under a month after the harrowing defeat to Kerry in the All-Ireland final, and while earlier indications were that the management team would remain on for another year, having received the backing of county officials, that scene changed significantly in the past 48 hours following a full meeting of the county board on Monday night.

Several delegates raised their dissatisfaction with Mayo's All-Ireland preparations, one of them suggesting they "looked like ladeens" alongside the Kerry players.

Yesterday, county board chairman James Waldron only went as far as to confirm that Morrison had contacted him yesterday afternoon to relay his decision to step aside.

However, county board secretary Seán Feeney said there were "definite implications" following Morrison's decision to step down. "The position right now is that Mickey Moran and John Morrison were interviewed as a team, and were going forward as a team. So there are definite implications now that Morrison has decided to step down.

"I was only informed of this late this afternoon, and will have to discuss this with the county chairman over the coming days. But as I said, Moran and Morrison were interviewed again in the recent weeks as a team, so this does change things."

The third member of the management team, selector Kieran Gallagher, has yet to state his ambitions for next year, but clearly Morrison's decision to walk will also play a part in that.

Feeney made it clear there were no doubts about all members of Mayo's football management team.

"The initial agreement was for two years, but that the positions would be reviewed after the first year, and which was done in the recent interviews with Moran and Morrison. Kieran Gallagher's name was later added again as the county board nomination. Part of the agreement all along was that if they did want out after one year then we'd shake hands on it."

Waldron spoke with Moran over the weekend and didn't get a definite expression of interest in going on for another year, something which he hopes to get when he contacts him in the coming days.

In the meantime, he confirmed Morrison's decision to step down: "I would like to pay tribute to John for the work he did with the team and for helping us to get to an All-Ireland final," said Waldren. "We were all disappointed by the defeat, but we had a great year before that."

Moran and Morrison were always viewed as a close team, having worked together in Derry. They always travelled the 300-mile round-trip from the north to Mayo's training in Castlebar together.

Former player Liam McHale, a selector with the previous management team, last night stated his willingness to go forward as a candidate should the current management's reign come to an end.

Elsewhere, neither of the All-Ireland-winning managers of 2006 have confirmed their position for next year. Brian Cody, who guided Kilkenny to the hurling title, and Kerry's Jack O'Connor will take another few weeks before deciding whether to continue through 2007.

In both cases the job is theirs if they want it, and the expectation is Cody will continue for another year at least, though things are a little less clear with O'Connor.

Yet, Cody was typically cautious about committing for 2007 at this stage, and explained his feelings at yesterday's Vodafone lunch in Dublin where two of his All-Ireland-winning team, forwards Henry Shefflin and Aidan Fogarty, collected the player of the month awards for August and September respectively.

"There's no decision on that, no," said Cody. "To be honest I haven't even thought about it too much. It usually takes a few weeks, and I haven't talked to anyone about it yet. It won't be that long, but there's nothing in my head at the moment."

Cody has held the Kilkenny post since 1999, and boasts AllIreland wins of 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2006.

Kerry chairman Seán Walsh, also present yesterday to see Kieran Donaghy and Séamus Moynihan collect the football player of the month awards for August and September, confirmed O'Connor had been offered the position for another year, and would be sitting down with his selectors in the next two weeks to discuss 2007.