McGUINNESS/CASSIDY ROW: COMMENTATOR CALLS FOR MANAGER’S POWERS TO BE CURBED

ONE of the GAA’s leading commentators has questioned the decision of Donegal manager Jim McGuinness to expel Kevin Cassidy from the county panel.

Eugene McGee was writing extensively on the subject in today’s Irish Independent newspaper – and said he would have handled it differently.

Cassidy, 30, a two-time All Star winner, was thrown out of the squad because of comments he made in the writing of a book by a journalist from Gaelic Life.

Said McGee: “As a manager I had a simple rule about disciplining a player who had flouted team rules: never punish the player if it means punishing the team as well; there will always be an opportunity later for disciplining the guilty player but not at the expense of the team directly.

“Losing such a pivotal performer as Cassidy, holder of two Allstars, now at the height of his power will certainly punish Donegal more than Cassidy. Above all else, Donegal people need to ponder that.”

The full article is here:

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/eugene-mcgee/eugene-mcgee-time-for-officials-to-curb-the-power-of-managers-2933873.html