McGee and French top the list of applications for Galway United job

THE League of Ireland season might have ended five weeks ago, but it seems the close season is the time when things start getting interesting at Galway United, with the events of the past week bringing to mind one of the more famous malapropisms by US baseball legend Yogi Berra – “it’s like déjà vu all over again”.

Less than 12 months after Jeff Kenna walked out on United after verbally agreeing a new contract, the man chosen to replace him has followed in those same footsteps after Ian Foster tore up the final year on his contract to take the reins at Dundalk.

The Oriel Park club came knocking on the door of United CEO Nick Leeson two weeks ago seeking permission to speak to the league’s youngest manager, but were refused point-blank. A similar request from Foster was also rejected, but the talks went ahead anyway, and late last Friday, Foster was unveiled as the man to take over from Sean Connor at the Lilywhites.

That move has split United followers, with many angry at Foster walking out on the club with one year left on his contract, while others insist that, as he was owed money by the club, he had every right to speak to, and accept, the offer from Dundalk.

Unsurprisingly, Leeson is in the former camp, and has said a compensation claim will be issued against Dundalk, although he did admit that Foster – who was United’s 16th sole permanent manager – was correct to say there was money owed to him.

“Yes, he was owed money, but it was an exceptionally small fraction of the €100,000 he would have got from the club in the past two years. He asked for assurances on wages and on what is going to happen next year, but I couldn’t give him those assurances.

“Times are tough, income is down for everyone and Galway United is the same, but we do our best. I’ll will always try and make sure wages are paid, I’ll always do my best,” Leeson said.

One concern United fans have been raising in the past week is the constant changing of managers – the new man will be United’s fifth manager in two years (Cousins, Billy Clery as caretaker, Kenna and Foster) – and Leeson was asked if he was a hard man to work with.“I don’t think I am a hard person to deal with it, but maybe I am. I tell it as it is so maybe that frightens people away, I don’t know. A lot of people are looking to get as far as they can as quick as they can, and the last two managers we have had thought they could learn the trade with us in 12 months and then move on, but Jeff Kenna and Tony Cousins haven’t done much in football since leaving us,” Leeson said this week.

While all the talk now is of the potential candidates for the job – more than a dozen applications have been received for the post that was officially advertised on Tuesday, with that figure set to double at least before the closing date of Monday December 21 – Leeson said there are more pressing issues at hand.

“The first thing we are looking at is to reach agreement with Revenue on a payment plan for money owed to them. The manager issue has been parked until the closing date (for applications), we’ll look at all the applications, select people for interview, and we hope to make an appointment in the New Year,” he said.

Speaking to Tribune Sport from England this week, Foster refuted suggestions that he was in breach of his contract with United, claiming that the fact he was owed money by the club gave him the right to speak to other interested parties.

“I got advice from the FAI and from the League Managers’ Association (in England) that I was within my rights to speak to whoever I wanted as I was owed money by United. Look, I don’t want to dig out anyone at the club, but I was owed money and I couldn’t get any assurances from the club so I had to make the decision that was right for me.

For more, read page 52 of this week's Galway City Tribune