There was no 'anti-Mullins factor '

Q: What was the exact chronology of events that led to Brian Mullins not being appointed as Dublin football manager?

A: "Well if people want to spin this thing they can spin it, but I'm only interested in facts. And I think there's been an awful lot of misleading information being put out there. And it's been a total distortion of what's going on.

"On the night that Brian Mullins was interviewed for the job, he was also informed that there would be no decision before November 8th, as that was the next county board meeting. When he was then offered the job, he took two weeks to think about it.

"That was perfectly fair, very reasonable and very understandable. There was no problem with that.

"From that moment on I never once met Brian Mullins. The county secretary (John Costello) met him on a few occasions and also had several telephone conversations and that culminated with his final offer last Friday.

"And the most misleading thing of all is that Brian Mullins did not withdraw from the job. I called an emergency meeting of management for last Friday night at 7.0, and the management committee unanimously withdrew the offer from Brian Mullins on the basis of what he was looking for. So the management committee withdrew the job, Brian Mullins did not withdraw. There's a big difference."

Q: What happened then, was there no room for compromise?

A: "The secretary gave a full, detailed and comprehensive report to management on his negotiations and talks with Brian Mullins, and based on that information the management withdrew the offer. So management then instructed the county secretary to inform Brian Mullins that he was no longer the candidate for the job."

Q: Can you be more specific about the problems with the package that Mullins presented?

A: "Well money was not the issue. Money has never been an issue with Dublin. We've eight intercounty teams and any request that any manager has ever asked us within reason has been granted. We've always sat down and negotiated it, and worked out a plan.

"And money was certainly not the issue here. It was the total package which was unacceptable to the county board. He wanted to put his own personal assistants in place. He also wanted to appoint a public relations company. He also wanted his own secretary. He also wanted to implement a scientific programme at UCD, and we had no problem with that.

"I mean Keith Barr coming out with €50,000 (suggested amount to fund sports science cost) was not the issue. You could look at our accounts and see the money that was spent on our senior football team last year. We've no regrets about that because we'll spend what's best for the county.

"So it was the package. He also came back with one selector, and didn't know when he'd have the other selectors in place. This after all the deliberation. That's not a sound package or a sound footing to go forward on.

"And first of all he wanted the job for one year only. Then he came back to us to say he wanted it for three years, so there was no consistency with that."

Q: Still, was there no chance of reaching some sort of compromise on his package?

A: "We did go back with that formula. It was the total package or nothing, that was his last words to us. He told the secretary it was totally or nothing, that nothing would be compromised. So that's not a negotiating position."

Q: What about the suggestion that you didn't want Brian Mullins as manager?

A: "I did not even meet the man after that formal interview. The county secretary reported to me last Friday morning that he had received the package from Brian Mullins, and I immediately called a management meeting for that night, to deal with the thing urgently and expediently. Within six hours that meeting took place.

"So I had nothing to do with these negotiations. The interview was perfectly cordial and professional, and I hold no animosity whatsoever to Brian Mullins. There was never any friction, and there was never a row. I wanted the whole thing done professionally, and that's why the only contact with Brian Mullins was with the county secretary. Not me.

"It was an absolutely unanimous decision by management to withdraw the offer given to Brian Mullins. There was no dissenting voice. The county secretary was then instructed to tell Mullins that on Saturday morning."

Q: Were you surprised when Brian Mullins went on national radio on Sunday to say he was the one withdrawing?

A: "I was astonished. But I'm sorry for what has gone on for the last few days, and I fully respect everybody to make their own decision. I've no axes to grind with anyone, and I've no personality row with anybody. There wasn't an anti-Mullins factor."

Q: Where does this leave you and the county management committee?

A: "Well up until the time Brian Mullins was out of the equation I couldn't talk to anyone else. I fully respect the contribution he's made to Dublin. He was a player I admired and had great respect for. I believe he conducted this in a professional manner, it's just his package wasn't acceptable. That's not being personal.

"So it's only been since Saturday morning, and because it's so serious I've put the whole management committee onto this. People have to be allowed a reasonable amount of time. I wasn't approaching anyone else while Mullins was in the picture, because I fully expected that was the package.

"But it was all done professionally, so all the stuff that's been going on for the last 48 hours is absolutely bullshit. There's a lot of soft interviews going on but I'm not getting involved with that. I'm focused on the Dublin scene. So we're looking within the county, and have already set that in train, and are actively pursuing that.

All that's gone on for the last 48 hours has not done the county, or the players, or the people we're approaching any good. It's sending out the wrong message."

Q: What about the criticism of the Dublin County Board's handling of previous managers?

A: "There is some perception out there that there was a row with Tommy Lyons and me. There was never a row. He served his three years, he stepped down, and there was no animosity. Mickey Whelan stepped down of his own accord. Pat O'Neill stepped down of his own accord. Management withdrew the offer to Tommy Carr after four years, not John Bailey.

Q: Did you ever contemplate stepping down over the last couple of days?

A: "Never. I'm elected by the clubs to do my job and I'll do it. I've done nothing wrong and I'm very proud of what I've achieved. We built Parnell Park and got the floodlights in and we've a massive incentive now because of the negotiations of the SRC (Strategic Review Committee), and Dublin is going forward. I'm going to stay focused on what I'm doing.

"If people want to attack me they can, but Ireland on Sunday attacked me, I took them on legally, and you saw the withdrawal last Sunday. And they've paid compensation into charity. I don't mind if people have a cut at me or the county board, but there is a level I will not let them go.

"There was no point in me getting involved in a slagging match on radio or television. We should be sending out the right signals. So we're going through it as quickly as possible. We are working on a particular programme now, and I'm hopeful that within the next week or 10 days there will be resolution. It will be as quick as I can get the thing together."

Q: How soon can you realistically get the new management team in place?

A: "People will want some time to consider it. It's a high-powered job, and the expectations are extremely high. But of course the other issue here is that Dublin don't pay theirmanagers. I'm happy now with the people I've contacted, and we're striving towards some continuity.

"Of course I'm very conscious of the concerns of the players, of the supporters, and of the clubs. But at the end of the day the clubs didn't nominate anybody. People can criticise me, but there are 92 clubs in Dublin and if they don't nominate anyone you can't criticise me."