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Clare panel object to McNamara
Clare hurling could be heading for a standoff if Mike McNamara is reappointed manager of the senior hurling panel.
McNamara has another year left to run on his three-year deal with the Banner county and his reappointment is one of the issues due to be discussed by the Clare County Board on Tuesday night, but members of the 2009 panel have written a letter outlining their objections to the manager.
Clare were relegated from Division One of the National Hurling League and struggled in the Championship, losing to Tipperary in the Munster semi-final before being dumped out of the competition by Galway.
Members of the 2009 panel were contacted in recent weeks to find out their opinion on McNamara's reappointment and the majority of them agreed to send the letter to the County Board calling for a change in the manager.
McNamara's position will be discussed at Tuesday's meeting, but County Board PRO Syl O'Connor is unsure if his reappointment will go ahead as planned.
"This is a standard county board meeting. However, it is expected that this topic will come to the surface during the course of the meeting, " O'Connor is quoted as saying in the Irish Examiner.
"As of now, Mike McNamara is still the manager. He was appointed on a two-year term and has another year to run on that term.
"Now, it would be remiss of me not to say that there isn't talk in the country, but talk is cheap and everyone can talk. There is speculation that there is unrest with Mike McNamara. While there may be question marks amongst certain groups as to the continued management of Mike and his team, it is only talk.
"The fact of the matter is that there isn't a single person in the county that would be happy with Clare's senior season in 2009. There is also a responsibility across a wide group of people that that form doesn't continue in 2010. The county at the moment is looking forward to a Clare team back at the highest level after out U21 success over Kilkenny in September."
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