Mick O'Dwyer's position as manager of Laois remains shrouded in uncertainty. At last night's meeting of the Laois county board, officials said that they had heard nothing from O'Dwyer since Sunday, but the tone of the meeting was downbeat and many delegates privately conceded that it was unlikely the manager would return.
Nonetheless, the meeting passed a vote of confidence in O'Dwyer as manager, but there was also anger at the circumstances in which the county now finds itself.
"His last words were 'I'll see you at training on Tuesday night'," said Joe Dwyer, chair of the county football board. "I hope to see him but I won't be holding my breath".
County chair Dick Miller told the meeting that no one individual was bigger than Laois football and that if the manager had indeed decided to leave the county would have to move on.
It was disclosed that O'Dwyer had originally resigned three weeks ago, but that a delegation from the football board had thrashed out a number of problems and agreed such matters as the appointment of a new trainer. According to officials, the manager then signed up for a further two years.
Asked by a delegate what had happened to undermine that arrangement, Dwyer told the meeting that in his opinion it had been an approach from Dublin.
"Something must be in the air when Micko has gone from 6 to 1 to 2 to 1 on for the Dublin job," he said. "He appeared to be happy here, though there were a few small problems.
Three weeks ago the executive met in an emergency meeting and gave 100 per cent support to Micko.
"He was delighted with that. He would hear stories from time to time and think he wasn't getting full support.
"Micko wants total loyalty from those around him. The attendances at two players meeting recently weren't good, but those players who didn't attend had excuses and they all told Micko later.
"He seemed to be delighted with the way the players had explained why they hadn't attended the meetings. I really thought it was all systems go for next year."
It was known that the Kerry man, the most successful manager in football history, had become disillusioned in the position - due, amongst other things, to compliance issues with players - after a disappointing season saw the county lose their Leinster title but after the recent new arrangement he went back to work with the panel.
There was a poor turnout at training on Thursday night with 19 out of 32 players attending. Matters reached crisis point on Saturday night when a number of players failed to turn up for a team meeting, amongst them some of the Portlaoise players, including next season's captain Colm Parkinson.
O'Dwyer had intended to release the club's players in order to allow them take part in the Leinster championships given that Portlaoise have won both the football and hurling titles in the county.
There were angry exchanges after the poorly attended Saturday meeting and O'Dwyer told county officials that he was resigning. On Sunday morning a deputation of three senior players was organised at short notice to meet the manager and make clear their desire for the manager to remain.
Later on Sunday O'Dwyer travelled to Dublin for the International Rules first Test. He also spoke to Laois county chairman Dick Miller and announced his decision to stay on in charge of the county footballers.
Yet, on Sunday night he appears to have changed his mind.
This looks like a controversial end to a momentous two years in charge. When O'Dwyer took over Laois for the 2003 season the county had been threatening to achieve senior success for a while on the basis of two successful All-Ireland winning minor teams.
Straight away he took them to the National League final where they were well beaten by Tyrone. But it was that summer that the Waterville man made his biggest impact, leading the county to victory over reigning Leinster champions Dublin and beating his old team Kildare in a thrilling provincial final.
Meanwhile, there is speculation in Mayo that the management team of John Maughan, Liam McHale and George Golden will be offered a new three-year term.
They brought the county to two All-Ireland finals this season, but lost both - to Kerry at senior level, and to Armagh at under-21. To date, the management has served two years, although Maughan was also senior manager between 1995-99.
