Brian McEniff has stressed the need for Donegal officials and supporters to show patience while Jim McGuinness considers his future as manager.

McEniff, who led Donegal to their first All-Ireland title in 1992, says McGuinness should be given all the time he needs to decide on whether to remain at the helm.

"Jim has to be given time," McEniff told the Belfast Telegraph at yesterday's 'Game for 'Anto' launch at Ravenhill.

"I did an article for the Donegal Democrat and the headline of my piece was, 'Unfinished Business'. I took him in as a 19-year-old, and when the then-county chairman asked me to appoint an U21 manager, I appointed Jim. So I have a great interest.

"It's a hard decision, he had five children, a part-time, full-time job at Celtic Park (in Glasgow), but his heart's in Donegal, so maybe that will be enough to stay."

The Bundoran hotelier added: "Sometimes managers need to freshen up, they need to freshen the backroom like Jim did and he had a couple of new players coming in with Ryan McHugh and Odhran MacNiallais and the returning Christy Toye.

"But we lost an U21 final, we had a minor side in the All-Ireland final and there are sizeable players. As far as I see, Jim needs some time to freshen himself up.

"He's going back to Celtic Park, and Celtic are in Europe and struggling a bit in the league so there is pressure on him."

• McEniff will take charge of an Ulster selection against Leinster champions Dublin in the 'Game for Anto' at Ravenhill, or Kingspan Stadium as it's now called, on November 15.

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