Michael Meehan: Jim Gavin taking up role with Galway would be a surprise

Outside of Galway, Eamonn Fitzmaurice, Enda McGinley and Stephen Rochford are among the names to have been mentioned, while former Dublin manager Jim Gavin has also emerged as a surprising link in the past week.

Gavin guided Dublin to six All-Ireland titles, but a move west still appears somewhat unrealistic. The Round Towers Clondalkin clubman led the Dubs to a historic five-in-a-row and he stepped down away from inter-county management in 2019.

Former Galway footballer Michael Meehan admitted he would be surprised to see Gavin in charge of the Tribesmen for the 2027 season.

“I don’t know what foundation it has. But when the biggest name is linked, albeit pie in the sky, to your county, of course it’s going to spark interest,” said Stream Sport ambassador Michael Meehan speaking at the launch ofStream Sport's coverage of the knock-out stages of the GAA clubchampionships in Galway, Clare, Limerick and Donegal.

“I can’t see where it’s come from or how far it will go. Even if he’s interested, who’s the interested party, if there is any? Obviously, he’s done it all, hands down with Dublin. I struggle to see where that one might go. It’s a bit too left-field for me.

“He’s the Pep Guardiola who’s sitting on the sidelines across the water for a vacancy that might come up in time. He certainly would be, if he were to ever manage again, the dream manager.But I don’t know where that’s come from. I genuinely don’t know where that’s come from,” added the Caltra clubman.

Padraic Joyce stepped down as Galway senior football manager last Thursday evening after seven seasons in charge. Meehan, who won three Connacht titles during his time with Galway, believes the race to succeed Joyce is wide open. Joyce led the Tribesmen to four successive Connacht SFC titles between 2022 and 2025. Galway fell short in the 2022 and 2024 All-Ireland finals under Joyce.

Galway GAA are inviting nominations and expressions of interest for the position of Galway Senior Football Manager. Nominations may be submitted through clubs, with the consent of the proposed candidate. Expressions of interest may also be submitted directly and in confidence to [email protected]. The closing date for receipt of nominations and expressions of interest is Friday, 18 September.

“I think in the last two or three appointments, they’ve been Galway managers.Galway famously, under John O’Mahony, had an outside manager to great success, and then there were others who followed after him to far less success.

“There’s no right or wrong answer there. I think if there is someone within the county who’s an outstanding candidate, then that person will get it. But for Galway, and for a lot of other counties, that’s not always the case,” said the former Galway footballer.

“I’d say typically there is a look to try to appoint from within, for most counties. But it has to work for all parties, the county board and the people who are looking to get those positions. I think it’s horses for courses a little bit. Whoever is right, I think that person is going to get it.”

There are four preliminary quarter-finals down for decision this weekend in the Galway SFC across Saturday and Sunday. All four preliminary quarter-finals are available to watch on Galway GAA TV.

However, Meehan believes there is a gap between the top teams and the chasing pack in the Galway SFC. Corofin, Salthill Knocknacarra, Moycullen and Tuam Stars have contested county semi-finals in the last two seasons.

“There probably is three tiers, similar in a lot of county competitions . If one of those three (Corofin, Moycullen and Salthill Knocknacarra) don’t win it, it’s a massive shock, you have a co-hort of teams under them that are strong that could get to a semi-final or maybe a final. In Galway, you certainly have a co-hort that there objective number one is to avoid relegation and they’re not going to feature towards the latter stages.

“Moycullen, Salthill Knocknacarra and Corofin are the top three, Annaghdown upset Tuam by topping the group. I don’t think Tuam are out of the mix yet, they obviously have a difficult fixture with Mountbellew Moylough this weekend, it’s probably the biggest game in the preliminary quarter-finals,” concluded Meehan.

Stream Sport ambassador Michael Meehan was speaking at the launch of Stream Sport's coverage of the knock-out stages of the GAA clubchampionships in Galway, Clare, Limerick and Donegal. Go to streamsport.ie for more details.