Where next for Mick O’Dwyer?
 The free bus
pass Mick O’Dwyer collected on his 65th birthday five years ago
could come in handy for the most in-demand manager in GAA history —
with five different counties apparently seeking to appoint the Kerry great
as their boss for the new season.
Efforts are under way by the Laois County Board to retain the services
of the manager who guided them to their first Leinster title in more than
four decades but it’s thought likely that O’Dwyer will stick
by his original intention to move on to pastures new next season.
With that in mind individual bookmakers make the Waterville native simultaneously
favourite for no less than four inter-county management jobs.
Cavan, Wicklow and Carlow are all reportedly interested in availing of
the services of the GAA’s manager of the millennium.
Having won Leinster titles with Kildare and Laois in recent years O’Dwyer
would be well aware of the task facing him if he were to try to make either
of the Leinster minnows a force in Gaelic football while Cavan have also
struggled in recent years.
With Jack O’Connor likely to step down from the Kerry hotseat no
matter what the outcome of Sunday’s All-Ireland final strong speculation
in the Kingdom links O’Dwyer with a fairytale return to manage his
native county in conjunction with either Paidi O’Se or Eoin ‘The
Bomber’ Liston.
O’Dwyer led Kerry to eight All-Ireland titles in his decade in charge
until he stood down in 1988.
Both Liston, a former manager of the Kerry minors, and O’Se, who
managed Kerry to double All-Ireland glory himself, began their playing
careers under O’Dwyer and both men would relish the opportunity
to work with their former mentor once again.
Wherever the road leads for Mick O’Dywer it’s unlikely the
greatest manager in GAA history will be resting by his fireside for a
very long time.
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