THE OFFALY county committee will stage an emergency meeting this evening to address the fallout from yesterday’s resignation of football manager Richie Connor, who was officially appointed to the job last September. In another incidence of player power, Connor resigned following a breakdown in the players’ confidence in his ability to manage, just five weeks into the new season.

Connor first informed county chairman Pat Teehan of his decision, and then in a statement issued yesterday, gave his account of the crisis and apparent split in the county panel between those who did and didn’t want him to continue as manager.

“While I regret this course of action I feel it is in the best interest of Offaly football,” started Connor. “I considered my position earlier in the week when nine players contacted the county chairman, withdrawing from the panel on Monday last.

“However, as three of those players were not on the official panel of 30, only two of the players lined out against Roscommon, two more appeared as subs, while the other two were not part of the 24-man league panel for Sunday last, I felt that I could continue to progress Offaly football without these players.

“Two of the more influential players of this group had a history of leaving county panels in the past. On Tuesday, a team player and a fringe panel player also contacted the county chairman, withdrawing. The team player had no issue with the team management, but felt he could not afford the time away from his business if there was not a full commitment from all players.

“I called a meeting for Tuesday evening when all but one of the aggrieved players failed to turn up and this player had very few concerns, all of which could be addressed. His main grievance was he felt he was overlooked for a first-team position the previous Sunday. Therefore I was still not in a position to assess the situation in full.

“On Wednesday, I met the county chairman and we agreed that the chairman should meet the players to discuss their grievances, given that the players had made the unusual step of contacting the chairman in the first instance.”

Teehan met with the panel on Saturday afternoon in an effort to broker some agreement to allow Connor to continue, but it wasn’t to be: “At their meeting with the chairman, following his address to them, they failed to engage with him other than to say they had not confidence in the management team and 20 of the 24 players walked out of the meeting,” stated Connor.

“Despite this, a number of players subsequently distanced themselves from this action and at least 19 players had committed to train in Walsh Island on Sunday morning. This was cancelled due to snow.

“I and my team management have now decided that in order to avoid conflict among the footballers themselves we will step aside. I would sincerely hope that if players have a grievance in the future they afford the manager the courtesy of bringing it to his attention, before putting it in the public domain.

“I wish to thank all of my backroom staff . . . I wish the players and whoever takes over every success in the future.”

Teehan was a little more critical of the players: “While I always respected and indeed expected players to air any grievances they had, I was greatly disappointed that they did not at least give Richie Connor or county board officials the courtesy of discussing these grievances with them.”

Offaly play Longford next Sunday in a NFL Division Three second-round clash.