By Cathal Dervan

IRELAND manager Sean Boylan, currently preparing for the Compromise Rules series against the Australians, has hit out at the notion of payment for managers in the GAA.

As president Nicky Brennan admitted that some managers are being paid, Boylan hit out at the idea and insisted it will lead to professionalism within the game.

“If it happens with managers it should happen with players. It’s not about being holier than thou, it’s about a level playing pitch,” he said.

“If I was getting paid and I did not deliver, well then I would feel it was a job of work, rather than a job of love. I wouldn’t have done the job. I have no problem with expenses, but when it’s a paid job, that’s a different thing.

“People will say that within the GAA you have various officers being paid, coaches and so on, but that is part of the whole development end of it. Years ago teachers were doing that for free.

“I just don’t think it is good. I remember in 1996 when we won the All-Ireland we asked the players what they’d like and they all said a holiday, some expenses and gear and more importantly, a good job. Twenty of the panel changed jobs around that time.”

New Galway boss Ger Loughnane has also entered the debate and called on county boards to declare if and what they are paying their managers.

“In every county all over the country, managers are being paid –- whether at club or inter-county level. To say otherwise is just a pretense,” said Loughnane.

“Everybody knows it’s going on. There’s under-the-table payments, and the former GAA president Peter Quinn famously once remarked that they couldn’t even find the table.

“Nicky Brennan has raised the issue -– for what reason I don’t know –- but this has been going on for the last 10 to 15 years. Managers are being paid and, funnily enough, the most money is being paid at club level rather than at county level.

“Clubs are desperate for success. If they get a high-profile manager they will raise the level of performance of players within the club and raise morale. If they do that, I can see no reason why they shouldn’t be paid.”

Roe for Offaly

PAT Roe has been confirmed as the new Offaly football manager and wants to turn his new team into Leinster Championship winners next season.

Roe succeeds Kevin Kilmurray and said, “I feel there is very exciting potential in Offaly and that’s one of the reasons I decided to take the job.

“I have always admired Offaly football teams. They have built up a very strong tradition and I’m excited about going in there and doing the best job possible and doing it in a professional manner.

“I expect Offaly supporters to be demanding results next year and I don’t blame them. They are a county who have had success with Leinster and All-Ireland titles, although the last few years have been low-key.

“They managed to get to the Leinster final this summer under Kevin. I expect they will be very keen to improve on that and hopefully I can bring something extra and build on what was done before.”

O’Dwyer for Wicklow

KERRY legend and All-Ireland Mick O’Dwyer is the new manager of the Wicklow football team –- at 70 years of age.

O’Dwyer will be joined by former county star Kevin O’Brien as coach of the Garden County side.

The Kingdom hero admitted, “People will be surprised that I have taken charge of Wicklow but I wanted to stay in the game and I wanted to work with one of the weaker counties.

“Since I left Kerry I have deliberately managed teams who wouldn’t be regarded as big guns at this moment in time and worked hard to turn them around, as happened with Kildare and Laois.

“It will be the same now with Wicklow. They have never even won a provincial title but we will be working hard now to improve things.”

No Storey

ALL-Ireland winner Martin Storey has ruled himself out of the running for the vacant Wexford hurling job.

“I would love to manage Wexford and it would be a great honor. But I would not nearly have enough experience to take charge of an inter-county team at this stage of my life,” said the 42-year-old Storey.

“In order to be able to make progress and win things, the right man would need to have a lot more knowledge of what is required that I do.”

GAA Shorts

MICKEY Moran’s future as manager of the Mayo team is in serious doubt after his All-Ireland final preparations came in for heavy criticism at Monday night’s county board meeting. . .

CLARE hurling legend Seanie McMahon has confirmed his retirement from the game after a 13-year stint at the top that featured two All-Ireland final wins with the Banner . . .

THE Kildare County Board have given the green light to plans to build a school of excellence to develop young players and improve their senior football squad . . .

VETERAN Kildare defender Glenn Ryan has confirmed his decision to retire from inter-county football after 17 years in the Lilywhite colors . . .

THE Westmeath board has ratified the re-appointment of Tomas O Flaharta as their football team boss for 2007 . . .

MAYO and Crossmolina star Michael Moyles has been forced to quit the game due to a serious spine injury . . .

TIPPERARY-born All-Ireland football and hurling final referee John Moloney has died.

Given Improving

IRISH goalkeeper Shay Given hopes to be back in action at the end of the month after his recent horrific stomach injury when he ruptured his small intestine in a freak collision with West Ham United striker Marlon Harewood.

Given was sorely missed by Ireland in Cyprus on Saturday night, but expects to return to full fitness within three weeks.

“I hope to be back by the end of October — touch wood — so that’s the plan,” said Given. “I’ve been on the bike and just doing some gentle walking on the treadmill to just try and get it going again.

“To be honest, it feels really good and I feel really positive about the whole thing and looking forward to be back.”

Holland’s Fight

MATTIE Holland has vowed to fight for his future at Charlton after the club rejected a loan bid from his old side Ipswich Town last week,

“I’ve been in and around the first team this season so it’s not like I’m out of the picture and hopefully I can do enough to win a more permanent role,” Holland said.

“I had a decent pre-season and I’ve been pleased with my form so far. My aim is to help Charlton push up the table and hopefully, whenever I get a chance, I can do enough to make the manager sit up and take notice.”

Soccer Shorts

IRISH winger Martin Rowlands has completed the formalities on a new two-year contract with championship side QPR. Rowlands said, “I feel at home here and, with John Gregory coming in as manager it’s great to be part of a new era. The new gaffer was keen for me to put pen to paper as soon as possible, so now it’s up to me to repay the faith he’s shown in me.” . . .

THE draw for the semi-finals of the Carlsberg FAI Cup has thrown St. Patrick’s Athletic in against Dublin rivals Shamrock Rovers and Sligo Rovers at home to Derry City . . .

FORMER Irish goalkeeper Seamus McDonagh has joined Martin O’Neill at Aston Villa as the Premiership club’s new goalkeeping coach . . .

KILKENNY City have sacked manager Adrian Fitzpatrick in the wake of their First Division defeat at home to Finn Harps on Saturday . . .

FORMER Bohs boss Gareth Farrelly is training with Leicester City in a bid to get back into the professional game in England . . .

SUNDERLAND’S former Ireland captain Kenny Cunningham faces three weeks out of action with a hamstring strain . . .

UCD forward Pat McWalter will sit out the rest of the eircom League season after surgery on a knee injury . . .

WOLVES defender Gary Breen has had his recent red card in the match against Cardiff City overturned . . .

NEWCASTLE United have turned down another bid from Wolves to take Irish winger Alan O’Brien on loan.

Harrington’s Quest

IRISH Ryder Cup star Padraig Harrington has set his sights on the European Order of Merit title after a stunning victory at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland on Sunday.

Harrington won almost $1 million at St. Andrews on Sunday and will now play in next week’s Mallorca Classic in a bid to take the lead in the race for the Order of Merit title ahead of the season finale at Valderrama.

The Dubliner is now second in the table behind England’s Paul Casey with the Order of Merit likely to be decided in the final outing of the season for the Volvo Masters in three weeks.

“Valderrama has not been the happiest hunting ground for me so anything I can get in Mallorca could push me up a bit and I have to give myself the best possible chance,” said Harrington, who has finished second on the Order of Merit in 2001 and 2002 and third the following two years.

“It’s a huge deal for me, it’s got to be something you want to put onto your CV; the Order of Merit is directly behind the majors. This time of year everything is about the Order of Merit, it gets you going again.

“I’ve been using it as motivation after the Ryder Cup to get out on the golf course and push on. If I’d been further back I would have found it harder to come out and play such good golf.”

McBride KOd

HE may have beaten Mike Tyson, but Irish heavyweight Kevin McBride knows his career is at a crossroads after losing to the unheralded Mike Mollo inside two rounds in Chicago at the weekend.

McBride hit the canvas three times inside six minutes of punishment after the lesser experienced Mollo as he lost his 40th fight as a pro.