Mickey Harte’s time with Tyrone could be coming to an end sooner rather than later.
The three-time All-Ireland winner is said to have had a request for an immediate extension on his contract rebuffed by the county board.
Tyrone officials are believed to have met on Tuesday night to deliberate on the manager’s wishes.
Harte’s current deal expires in 2017 – at the end of next season – and was reportedly seeking a one-year extension that would see him through to 2018 with the county side.
But the BBC are reporting that the legendary boss has been denied his wishes.
“Last month, he asked for a further one-year extension but in an unexpected twist on Tuesday night, Tyrone officials did not agree to his request,” the BBC have stated.
Mickey Harte has been with Tyrone since the end of 2002. He built that outstanding team that shook the island and delivered Sam Maguire to the Red Hand county in 2003 for the first time in their history.
In the wake of Cormac McAnallen’s tragic loss in the spring that followed, Harte kept his side together and made good of their former captain’s dream not to leave it at one All-Ireland. The manager cried in 2005 as Brian Dooher held aloft the trophy on the Hogan Stand steps and he did it all again three years later.
When things looked like they had gone stale in the O’Neill county more recently, Harte galvanised the troops again. He created another new force and brought them Ulster again this season. It was clear for everyone to see that Tyrone were returning to the top – they were the side touted to challenge Dublin and the young, fresh team is a project that won’t end with last month’s quarter-final loss to Mayo.
The manager had just guided the county to four successive titles as Tyrone lifted the O’Fiaich Cup, the McKenna Cup, the Division Two league title, and the Ulster championship and Harte’s apparent assurances that he could extend his future and build on the momentum seemed warranted.
Not so.
The GAA Hour Hurling Show relives Tipperary’s sensational All-Ireland victory with Paidí Maher. Listen below or subscribe on iTunes.
