Joe Brolly almost left speechless as Mickey Harte rips up the script

Niall McIntyre

The Gaelic football community was united in a state of ‘where did that come from?’ on Monday night.

Mickey Harte, it has been confirmed by the Louth county board, is set to become the new Derry manager. Strange and all has that sounds, on one manic Monday in the GAA, Louth chairperson Peter Fitzpatrick informed his committee of the news.

“The Louth GAA Management Committee would like to sincerely thank Mickey, Gavin and his backroom team for their efforts in propelling Louth Senior Footballers into Div. 2 football from Div. 4 in 2020,” it read.

“Mickey Harte and Senior Team Coach Gavin Devlin will be standing down from their role’s with Louth GAA with immediate effect, and taking over with Derry Senior Footballers.”

Derry GAA have yet to confirm the news but, according to the Gaelic life, they will have a meeting on Tuesday night where it is expected to do just that. Harte, the Tyrone legend, took Louth from Division Four to Division Two and also brought them to a first Leinster final since 2010.

He will bring his right-hand-man, Gavin Devlin with him to Derry. Harte and Devlin have worked together for years in management and at times, their approach has earned them criticism from the likes of Joe Brolly.

“Mickey Harte said ‘we’re not in the business of entertainment,” said Brolly in 2015 during Harte’s tenure as Tyrone manager.

“Well then f**k off and play behind closed doors if you’re not in the business of entertainment.”

Harte of course, never took Brolly’s criticism lying down.

“The barking dog won’t bite you because he is just barking all the time,” he said in 2018. “And I don’t know does anyone really listen authentically to what people like him (Joe Brolly) say now.”

This, of course, made Derryman’s reaction to Harte’s appointment all the more interesting. He did not disappoint, tweeting simply, ‘what in the name of f***’.

What in the name of fuck

— Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) September 18, 2023

Eamon McGee, meanwhile, is looking forward to Mickey’s clash with Jimmy McGuinness.

With Jim and Mickey Harte patrolling the line you can now be sure of a first round championship game of Donegal/Derry. https://t.co/9RAbQJ6KcA

— Eamon Mc Gee (@EamonMcGee) September 18, 2023

Aren’t we all.

Looking forward to Ulster draw,
Derry ( Mickey Harte) V Donegal ( Jimmy Mc Guinness) you couldn’t make it up. Bring it on !!!!

— Tony Davis (@allireland1) September 18, 2023

Owen Mulligan, meanwhile, says that Mickey ‘might as well have joined Rangers.’