Davy Fitzgerald is still Clare manager as of Wednesday lunchtime, but by all accounts the writing is on the wall.
The players have had a meeting, some of them are unhappy and the Banner boss is expected to fall on his sword in a timely fashion.
It is, after the Galway hurlers and Mayo footballers, another victory for player power. It is also a victory for the hurlers on the ditch, who have been snapping at Fitzgerald’s heels almost since the champagne was drained from Liam McCarthy following their 2013 All-Ireland win.
While the Clare boss has had some run-ins with the local press his most vocal advisor/critic in the national media has been Ger Loughnane – his manager when the then goalkeeper won two All-Ireland with Clare back in the 1990s.
In Wednesday’s Irish Daily Star Loughnane reflects on a resignation that has yet to come,. He starts by praising Fitzgerald’s contribution to Clare hurling, saying it would be unfair to “project this as a lack of success” before going on to describe the last two years as “terrible”.
You were so close, Ger.
“Davy Fitzgerald has made an unmatched contribution to Clare hurling over so many years.
“But everybody realised at the end of this year’s Championship that the show was over. Supporters realised it and players realised it.
“It is unfair to project this as a lack of success. It’s a failure to get the best out of the talent that’s there over the last two years especially.
“You get one year’s grace after winning an All-Ireland, but the displays this year and last year in the Championship have been terrible.
“Davy going now will avoid division among players, which is something that nobody wants to see.
“The smoothness and speed with which this is happening is very good for Davy, the players and Clare hurling in general.”
One last gift from the 1995 and 1997 All-Ireland winner, who last year accused Fitzgerald of “pouring petrol on to a dying fire” with his handling of the Davy O’Halloran-Nicky O’Connell situation.
The man who wound up the county of Galway by describing their senior hurlers as gutless, before Clare had to meet them in an All-Ireland quarter-final. Clare subsequently lost the match that will seemingly be Fitzgerald’s last in charge.
“Ger must of had a fair idea Clare could end up playing Galway in the next match. And for a Clare man to say that, it’s, Jesus, it’s tough enough for us to beat Galway without thinking that that’s what we think,” said Fitzgerald at the time.
“I’ll always have great time for Ger Loughnane for what he did for us in Clare. Sometimes I just don’t know why he does stuff like that, whether it’s to keep in the media or something like that.”
Fitzgerald is reportedly in the United States. He might want to avoid the papers on his return.
We review a crazy All-Ireland final and chat to Lee Keegan about his special relationship with Diarmuid Connolly. Listen below or subscribe here on iTunes.
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