It’s not dubbed the managerial merry-go-round for nothing. After initially linking himself with the vacant Mayo football position, then finding himself linked with Westmeath, Liam McHale has eventually agreed to link up with Cavan - acting as “player performance coach” for 2015.

Not that the merry-go-round has stopped there. Three counties have yet to confirm their football management teams for next year, including beaten All-Ireland finalists Donegal, where former assistant manager Rory Gallagher is still in the running to come back on board to replace Jim McGuinness.

For McHale, however, the decision to join Terry Hyland’s backroom team in Cavan hasn’t come without some controversy. The former Mayo All Star was originally lined up to succeed James Horan in his native county, as assistant to Kevin McStay, before that ticket was rejected in favour of the joint management team of Pat Holmes and Noel Connelly.

Then, last week, McHale was linked with the vacant Westmeath football position, to come in as a selector under Peter Leahy, who previously managed the Westmeath women’s footballers. Leahy, however, was narrowly voted down by county delegates, 24-19, with McHale then claiming he had never actually committed to the role.

In a statement issued over the weekend, Leahy claimed he stood “100 per cent by my proposed management team” and that he “did not try to mislead any delegates or county board officials”.

What is certain is that Westmeath are effectively back to square one in their efforts to find a replacement for Paul Bealin, who failed to get the necessary backing for a second season in charge. Former county player Jack Cooney, who was also one of the five original candidates interviewed for the position, may yet come back into the reckoning, although the county board has also invited clubs to submit new candidates, ahead of a special county board meeting on Wednesday week, October 22nd, with the hope the new man can still be in place ahead of the Westmeath county football final that Sunday.

McHale, meanwhile, is actually one of three new additions to the Cavan backroom team. Hyland, who is entering his fourth season in charge, lost selector Peter Donnelly (who has returned to work with his native Tyrone), but has now added Eoin Maguire as strength and conditioning coach, Kevin Downes as selector (along with existing selectors Anthony Forde and Padraig Nolan), along with McHale as his player performance coach.

In total, 15 counties have either filled or will fill new football management teams for 2015. In Leinster, Turlough O’Brien (Carlow), Colin Kelly (Louth), and Jonny Magee (Wicklow) have already been ratified for next year. David Power, Tipperary’s former All-Ireland minor winning manager, is also set to be ratified as new Wexford manager, and likewise Pat Flanagan in Offaly, after his services were deemed no longer required in Sligo. That leaves Westmeath as the only Leinster county still seeking a football manager for 2015.

In Munster, Waterford have yet to agree a replacement for Niall Carew, while in Connacht, only Sligo are still without a football manager, as they continue to seek out a replacement for Flanagan. Shane Ward (Leitrim), Kevin Walsh (Galway), and Pat Holmes/Noel Connelly (Mayo) are all entering their first season in charge.

Finally, in Ulster, only Donegal are still on the look-out - although not surprisingly the county board isn’t being rushed into filling the rather large shoes left behind by McGuinness. Among those to already rule themselves out is county minor manager Declan Bonner, although he’s now considering that position, too, after the county board confirmed that nominations were still open for that position for 2015. Bonner, who took Donegal to their first ever All-Ireland minor final, where they lost out to Kerry, had only been given a one-year term, open for review at the end of 2015.

New football managers already agreed in Ulster include Frank Fitzsimons (Antrim), Kieran McGeeney (Armagh), and Jim McCorry (Down).

On the hurling management front, the only outstanding matter for 2015 is the if, or rather when, Brian Cody will commit again as Kilkenny manager for what will be his 17th season in charge. So far all the indications are that Cody will continue.

FOOTBALL MANAGERS 2015-

LEINSTER:

Carlow: Turlough O’Brien (Entering 1st season, replaces Anthony Rainbow)

Dublin: Jim Gavin (Entering 3rd season)

Kildare: Jason Ryan (Entering 2nd season)

Laois: Tomás Ó Flatharta (Entering 2nd season)

Longford: Jack Sheedy (Entering 2nd season)

Louth: Colin Kelly (Entering 1st season, replaces Aidan O’Rourke)

Meath: Mick O’Dowd (Entering 3rd season)

Offaly: Pat Flanagan (TBC, entering 1st season, replaces Emmet McDonnell)

Westmeath: TBC (to replace Paul Bealin)

Wexford: David Power (TBC, entering 1st season, replaces Aidan O’Brien)

Wicklow: Jonny Magee (Entering 1st season, replaces Harry Murphy)

MUNSTER:

Cork: Brian Cuthbert (Entering 2nd season)

Clare: Colm Collins (Entering 2nd season)

Kerry: Eamonn Fitzmaurice (Entering 3rd season)

Limerick: John Brudair (Entering 2nd season)

Tipperary: Peter Creedon (Entering 4th season)

Waterford: TBC (to replace Niall Carew)

ULSTER:

Antrim: Frank Fitzsimons (Entering 1st season, replaces Liam Bradley)

Armagh: Kieran McGeeney (Entering 1st season, replaces Paul Grimley)

Cavan: Terry Hyland (Entering 4th season)

Monaghan: Malachy O’Rourke (Entering 3rd season)

Tyrone: Mickey Harte (Entering 13th season)

Derry: Brian McIver (Entering 3rd season)

Down: Jim McCorry (Entering 1st season, replaces James McCartan)

Donegal: TBC (to replace Jim McGuinness)

Fermanagh: Pete McGrath (Entering 2nd season)

CONNACHT:

Leitrim: Shane Ward (Entering 1st season, replaces Sean Hagan)

Galway: Kevin Walsh (Entering 1st season, replaces Alan Mulholland)

London: Paul Coggins (Entering 5th season)

Mayo: Pat Holmes/Noel Connelly (Entering 1st season, replaces James Horan)

Roscommon: John Evans (Entering 3rd season)

Sligo: TBC (to replace Pat Flanagan)

HURLING MANAGERS 2015-

(Liam McCarthy only)

Dublin: Ger Cunningham (Entering 1st season, replaces Anthony Daly)

Kilkenny: Brian Cody (Entering 17th season)

Laois: Seamus Plunkett (Entering 3rd season)

Offaly: Brian Whelahan (Entering 2nd season)

Antrim: Kevin Ryan (Entering 3rd season)

Carlow: Pat English (Entering 1st season, replaces John Meyler)

Galway: Anthony Cunningham (Entering 4th season)

Westmeath: Michael Ryan (Entering 1st season, replaces Brian Hanley)

Clare: Davy Fitzgerald (Entering 4th season)

Cork: Jimmy Barry-Murphy (Entering 4th season)

Wexford: Liam Dunne (Entering 4th season)

Limerick: TJ Ryan (Entering 2nd season)

Tipperary: Eamon O’Shea (Entering 3rd season)

Waterford: Derek McGrath (Entering 2nd season)