Paddy Bradley linked to role on Donegal backroom team

The Donegal senior panel will be back training this Friday night as the new management of Paddy Carr and Aidan O’Rourke continue their work in progressing the backroom team.

The panel have been working in recent weeks on their own individual programmes and it is planned to have a full panel meeting early in December when players involved in the county final and Ulster club championships as well as those away from home will be able to attend.

At present Hugh McFadden, Stephen McMenamin and Peadar Mogan are overseas. McFadden and McMenamin will be back in early December while plans are being put in place to have Mogan available for the National League when it begins at the end of January. Mogan is presently pursuing a Masters in Liverpool.

There was strong speculation from good sources in the past week that former Derry footballer, Paddy Bradley, is set to join the Donegal backroom team for 2023.

Bradley was manager of his club team, Glenullin, in 2022 and he has vast experience as a player with Derry. Speaking to Donegal Live, Donegal Co chairman, Mick McGrath said that the full make-up of the backroom team would not be revealed until later next week, but he added that it was more than 90% per cent complete.

“All of last year’s panel have been contacted and apart from the retirements and those with long-term injuries, all have given a commitment to the new management.

“The first full training session takes place this Friday night, November 25th. Team management have met all of last year’s panel at this stage and there is a commitment to return to train from all of them,” said McGrath. "The county finalists have been given an extra couple of weeks to take a break, but they will be back in December. The management are very happy with the response they have received."

Meanwhile, the final Co Executive and Co Committee meetings will be held on Monday night next, ahead of Co Convention, which is fixed for December 14th.

There will be competition for at least two positions on the Executive with chairman Mick McGrath and PRO John McEniff stepping down. The names in the hat for the top position of chairman are Fergal McGee of St Eunan’s and Paul McGonigle of Buncrana, while the position of PRO will see Sinead Breen of Convoy and Fiona Shiels of Gaeil Fhánada in the hat.