Mickey Harte has already started preparations for next season, despite the fact that his term as Tyrone manager officially ended with last Sunday's All-Ireland SFC semi-final defeat to Kerry.

Harte signalled his intent to continue in the role for a 14th season immediately after the game and had a meeting with the players on Wednesday night. He will begin the search for new talent when the Tyrone SFC resumes on the weekend after next.

"My mind is already on 2016, my mind is on preparation," he told the Teamtalkmag website.

"My mind is on looking at the club championship to see is there anyone there who is really putting up their hand to say, 'you'd need to be looking at me'. Because I want to be doing that, and that's where we're heading just now."

He added: "I had a meeting with the players last night [Wednesday], and I gave them a briefing of what I thought about their season, and what my intentions are for the following season. And there's nobody under any doubt that we want to be a team to be reckoned with in the season that's coming."

Commenting on being without a term extension for the first time since he became manager in 2002, the Ballygawley man said: "I don't know whether I'm surprised, or disappointed, or whatever it is, but it would be nice to have that invitation for sure because I have worked hard at this for the years that I've been at it, from the minors of 1991.

"I have always put my heart and soul into it. I'm delighted to have had that opportunity and I do appreciate every one of those years that I got the opportunity to do that, and I certainly would appreciate some more years."

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