Manchester United, Juventus set date at Giants Stadium

HAMILTON BACKS KEANE RETURN
Bryan Hamilton, the man brought in to help the FAI find a new manager, has been talking about what his role will be in the process. Hamilton, who managed Northern Ireland from 1994-96, has ruled himself out of the job by taking the advisory role.
“It’s a very interesting and responsible role and I am looking forward to it,” he said. “This is a big job as the Republic have come on a lot under Mick McCarthy and a number of very good quality people have already showed their interest in managing the team. My role will be on an informal basis, just two football people sitting down and talking. I will be asking the candidates how they plan do the job and what they can bring to it. Then I will bring that information back to the FAI.”
When quizzed on the possible return of Roy Keane, Hamilton hinted that he would like to see the Corkman back.
“One of the tasks involved in a job like this is to bring harmony to the squad and get the best out of the available players,” he said. “I would have thought that it’s in everybody’s interest, not least the new manager’s, if a way could be found to bring Roy back on board.”

MORAN INTERESTED
Kevin Moran is the latest former Irish international to declare an interest in replacing Mick McCarthy as senior manager. And the man who won All-Ireland Gaelic football medals with Dublin, an FA Cup medal with Manchester United and 71 Irish caps, says that if successful he will bring in current Leeds United coach Brian Kidd as his assistant.
“If I am successful I would ask Brian Kidd to work with me as coach as he has a breadth of experience in working with top-class players, most notably at
Manchester United, where he enjoyed great success,” he said.
Since he retired from playing, Moran has been involved with a Sports management company in Manchester, which he partly owns, and he has also done some media work.
Meanwhile, Jason McAteer is unlikely to figure in the new manager’s first game in charge, against Scotland on Feb. 12. The Sunderland midfielder recently had a second hernia operation which will keep him out of action until the end of
February. And if Roy Keane comes back, McAteer could be on his way out anyway.

DERRY CAN COLEMAN
Gary Coleman has been omitted from the Derry squad for next year by new manager Mickey Moran. There had been speculation that 30-year-old Coleman, the son of former Derry boss Eamonn was going to retire from intercounty football, but the player himself has denied that. There is history between the families, with Moran taking over as Derry manager in controversial circumstances from Eamonn Coleman in 1994.
“We didn’t get on back then,’ Coleman said. “I didn’t speak to him and he didn’t speak to me, but I didn’t give him any hassle. Obviously I didn’t play well against Tyrone this year, but I was out of position and I played there because we were stuck. But I feel that I have played better football in the last two years than I did in the five or six before that. Thirty years of age is too young to be retiring. I would have been expecting to have been a Derry player next year again.”

LONDON TABS O’SHEA
London Irish Rugby club have appointed Conor O’Shea as their managing director. The former Irish full-back has been Rugby director with the club for the past year.
“My first 12 months in management at the club has provided me with sufficient insight to the business to want to take on this demanding new role,” he said.

COMPETITION FOR O’NEILL’S
The Laois County Board will be putting a motion to next year’s GAA Congress that could end the monopoly of O’Neill’s as suppliers of jerseys to GAA teams. A motion from the Shanahoe club to amend Rule 14, which regulates GAA playing gear, was passed unanimously at the recent Laois County Board’s annual convention. Shanahoe’s motion was partly prompted by the revelation at the convention that the much-touted Puma sponsorship of the new stand in O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, was rejected by the GAA’s Central Council last summer because it was in contravention of Rule 14. Even without amending Rule 14, O’Neill’s already face growing competition in a market which they have dominated for so long. Adidas, who had a deal with Kerry for many years, have temporarily opted out, but Waterford-based company Azzuri are making inroads in the market.

McNIFF FOR DONEGAL
Brian McEniff is the new chairman of the Donegal County Board. The popular
Bundoran hotelier beat outgoing chairman Danny Harkin in vote for the top job at the recent Donegal Convention. And McEniff has installed P.J. McGowan and himself as caretaker managers of the county senior football team. It was thought that Michael Oliver McIntyre, who was a selector with previous manager Mickey Moran, would get the job, but he pulled out at the last minute. Now McEniff and McGowan, who have both managed the county in the past, are taking charge temporarily, while the County Board search for a permanent manager. McEniff said he failed to persuade Martin McHugh to take the job.

GALLAGHER FOR DUBLIN?
It looks like Fermanagh’s Raymond Gallagher could be lining out for the Dublin senior footballers next year. Gallagher joined the St. Brigid’s club in Blanchardstown earlier this year and is now working as a development officer with the north Dublin side. At the weekend Gallagher stopped short of saying that he was going to declare for the Dubs, but he did say: “I have told Fermanagh manager Dom Corrigan that I will not be going back, but the reasons are private.” So that would seem to indicate that Raymond will be lining out for Tommy Lyons team, who could certainly do with a forward of his stature.
Coincidentally, Gallagher equaled Dubliner Johnny Joyce’s 42-year-old record when he scored 3-9 against Monaghan in the Ulster Championship last May.