Mick O'Dwyer was keeping his cards close to his chest yesterday when asked if he was interested in becoming the next Mayo football manager.

The 74-year-old has been nominated along with John Maughan, Anthony McGarry, James Horan and Denis Kearney for the vacancy which has arisen in the wake of John O'Mahony's departure.
O'Dwyer is believed to have the support of members on the Mayo executive, but he said his only focus at the moment was on managing his home club of Waterville.

"I have no decision made," he said yesterday.

"I have had a word with a few in the last six months but I have made no decision. There isn't any timescale. If they can fill out their managerial posts, wouldn't it be great? It'll relieve me for a year and I'll have a rest."

He continued: "The 32 counties in Ireland would be appealing to me. I'd take Kilkenny as quick as I'd take Mayo if I got a notion and I've proven that.

"I took Kildare when they were down, I took Laois when they were down and I took Wicklow. It wouldn't matter one way or the other. I love training teams, I'm back to my old club in Waterville and I still get a buzz out of it."

O'Dwyer did hint that Mayo have a deep pool of talent and should have won at least one All-Ireland since their last success in 1951.

"Mayo think they're up all the time," he said.

"They are producing great underage players and it's amazing they haven't achieved. I suppose they should have won an All-Ireland in 1996 when Meath beat them.

"They have the players, maybe too many players. They have been unlucky a lot of the time. There's a lot of good young players as well." Tweet

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