BERNARD BROGAN expects a decision from Pat Gilroy on his managerial future in the next week – and has pleaded with him to remain at the helm of the All-Ireland champions.
After weeks of speculation about whether or not Gilroy will opt out of the chance to build on Dublin’s All-Ireland breakthrough, it’s understood a decision is due before a county board management meeting at Parnell Park next Monday night.
Bernard Brogan is the latest member of the All-Ireland winning squad to publicly declare their support for Gilroy to stay on.
“I think Pat is making a call over the next week, so we are hoping everything goes well.
“We’ve given him our thoughts as players and we want him there and we are hoping he takes it on board and comes with us again, because we know he has a lot more to give us and we’ve a lot more we can learn from him and you never know where the team could go,” said Brogan.
Brogan was speaking after he kicked 1-7 (1-5 from play) for St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh against Lucan on Saturday to clinch a date next Sunday in the county final with neighbours St Brigid’s.
Sources close to Gilroy believe the St Vincent’s man wants to stay on but has a number of off-field issues he wants addressed by the Dublin County Board.
Chief among them is understood to be a request for more rounds of club championship to be played before Dublin’s defence of Sam Maguire begins and to fill in the break between the inter-county league and championship.
It’s also understood there will be a meeting between Dublin County Board officials and Gilroy in the coming days with news on the management teams for 2012 expected next Monday night.
Meanwhile, a star-studded Plunkett’s will be seeking their first ever Dublin senior crown in next Sunday’s decider.
“It would be unbelievable to bring the championship home to Plunkett’s. It would be the first championship they had and it would mean a lot. I’ve had a great year so far with the Dubs so to do it with the club and the lads you grew up with – that’s what it’s all about,” says Bernard Brogan.
“We probably should have one at this stage if you look back at the teams we’ve had over the years, but we’ve just been unlucky and haven’t had the bounce of the ball and are just hoping this year will be different. It’s not going to be an easy final against Brigid’s but, it never is, and we’ll give it everything we’ve got.
“It’s been a great year and we’ve had a great time but we said when we came back to the club that we want the championship and we’ll give it everything we’ve got to get over that line.”
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)