It looks like the end for O Se

Gaelic Games: Paidi Ó Sé's eight-year tenure as manager of Kerry is ending in chaos. In a statement released yesterday evening, Ó Sé claimed that he had been given an ultimatum to "resign or be fired" by the county board.

County chairman Seán Walsh has denied that an ultimatum was issued, but confirmed that he spoke to Ó Sé - whose latest term of office has expired - on Thursday about the county board's intention "to appoint a new management, without any members of the present set-up".

And in a parallel development, John O'Keeffe, Ó Sé's assistant and current manager of Ireland's International Rules team, confirmed that he had communicated to Walsh his desire not to be considered for a position in any new management, citing the need for "a fresh approach".

The terminology of firing and resigning is inaccurate given that Ó Sé and his management's term concluded and a fresh appointment is to be made at the end of the month.

Discontent had been building in the county over the disappointing championship defeats of the past three years, culminating in August's comprehensive All-Ireland semi-final defeat by eventual champions Tyrone.

Delegates to last Monday week's county board meeting made no secret of their feelings.

But within the county the view persisted that Ó Sé would nonetheless be re-appointed and yesterday's developments came as a surprise to most.

"Maybe the county board discussion was the first time the officers noticed the full extent of the disenchantment and maybe that changed their attitude," said one delegate to last week's meeting.

Sources close to Ó Sé say that he is deeply upset at developments, having understood after a casual meeting with Walsh at the Listowel races that he could have a further year in charge if he wished.

According to Ó Sé's statement: "I received a phone call from the chairman of Coiste Chontae Chiarraí (Walsh) on Thursday evening giving me, in effect, the choice of resigning my position as manager of the Kerry Senior football team or of being fired."

He added that, after many years of unlimited service both as a player and as manager, he was extremely upset and hurt by both what he was told and by the summary nature in which it was conveyed. He said at this stage he did not wish to add any further comment.

Responding, Walsh said that he had not contacted Ó Sé with a view to terminating his involvement with the senior team.

"I did contact Páidí on Thursday," he said, "with the intention of arranging a meeting for today, Friday, where we could discuss further the issue of the Kerry football management for next year.

"Páidí then pushed the matter, and I told him that his most recent two-year term was up, and the county board was intending to appoint a new management, without any members of the present set up. But at no point did I tell him he was being fired, or that he had to resign.

"At that point it was clear Páidí was not willing to discuss the matter any further. And that's why I'm still very anxious to meet up with him, so we can try to work something out. But the fact is we have to put a name before the county board for ratification in two weeks time.

"Right now there are no other names in contention, but that's because we really haven't started looking. And it could be that Páidí's name will yet be among them. I had wanted to discuss it with him first, purely out of courtesy."

Asked where the situation leads from here, Walsh was uncertain.

"For now, it seems there has been some breakdown in communication and I'm not sure where we take it from here. But Páidí has not been fired, he's not been asked to resign, and it may be a case where his name will yet go forward.

"That's why I'm so anxious that we can discuss the matter and try clear up the unfortunate situation we find ourselves in."

Fitness coach and selector John O'Keeffe said yesterday that he had already made up his mind on the matter. "I have informed Sean Walsh that I don't wish to be considered in relation to the new management appointments," he said.

"I felt that the team would need a fresh approach and that it was time to let somebody else get a chance.

"I have been four years with Kerry and before that four years with Clare and another four with Limerick.

"That's a long time in inter-county management and I felt it was time for a break".

The controversy may get worse if Ó Sé persists in the stand-off. Although he plainly feels upset at what is a messy end to a tenure that brought Kerry football back in from the cold, there would seem little point in trying to bring his case to the wider audience of the county board given the stated feelings of delegates.