
Share
17th December 2016
09:56am GMT

Holmes and Connelly had kept quiet on the player revolt that cost them their jobs but there are silent no more. The Irish Independent's Martin Breheny sat down with both men for a 5,000-word article on 2015 [the good, bad and ugly] and how Mayo have moved on since then.
Both men claim a small cadre of players are the main influencers over the wider squad. They comment:
"If a small group within the squad are allowed to dictate the way they tried when we were there, it’s not good for Mayo football. If that situation is still there, the likelihood is that they will win nothing. That’s the bottom line as we see it."Speaking, again, as a pair, Connelly and Holmes believe the players should concentrate on football and leave managing to the coaches and backroom staff. They also claim players are having their heads turned by "outside influences".
"If they don’t [keep those influences away], it’s unlikely they will be successful. "Mayo have been in ten All-Ireland finals since 1989 and won none. That won’t change until attitudes change."Many thought that Rochford had revived Mayo. Others feel the county is one free-scoring forward away from the Sam Maguire, their first since 1951. Raking the coals on this old feud will help matters little but perhaps both men felt it was better to speak now rather than forever hold their peace.
Explore more on these topics: