JIM McGUINNESS has insisted he hasn’t been offered any positions at Celtic or Liverpool, but wouldn’t rule out considering any offers if he was given them in the future.
The Donegal manager has been linked in various newspapers with jobs in soccer in Britain since winning the All-Ireland.
The sports psychologist told the Shaun Doherty Show today that he has had no approaches from any teams but found the links “very flattering.”
“I was invited over to Celtic a few weeks ago to a Champions League match and I went to the training grounds. It was a fantastic set-up,” he said.
But there were no offers of jobs, pointing out that he would look at any that were made.
“I suppose if Highland offered me a position you’d have to sit down and talk to them,” said McGuinness.
“If a professional football team and came in and said they were interested in talking to you then it is something you’d have to consider. I am a young man with three children and you would consider it,” he said.
The All-Ireland winner said he had worked with golfers, Derry City and Finn Harps but added: “If something came up I’d talk it over with my wife – that would be the approach.”
Jim is a big Celtic and Arsenal fan – and he praised Neil Lennon for how he ran his team in Glasgow.
The manager gave a wide-ranging interview on the success at Croke Park.
Asked if he realised that he was being hero-worshipped by Donegal fans all over the world, he said: “It’s not something I’m even aware of because you live in your own wee bubble.”
He said he had heard all sorts of stories about fans before and after the match and how they had celebrated.
But he said he had never experienced Donegal as a supporter – always as a player or as a manager.
McGuinness spoke again of his satisfaction in seeing his players climb the Hogan Stand to lift the Sam Maguire, a satisfaction shared by his assistant Rory Gallagher and the rest of the backroom team.
Asked about walking out of the Croke Park press conference until Declan Bogue – the journalist – had left, the Donegal manager again referred to Bogue’s book and insisted he had got several things wrong.
“If you are a Christian you have to forgive people; it was about people wanting the bread buttered on both sides. There were things that weren’t true in his book,” he said.
“This fella can write x, y and z and then expect to come in to fill their back pages on the back of our All-Ireland success….I wasn’t happy to do that interview.”
McGuinness said it was now “water under the bridge”.
“Even if there was a full page apology the people who read the book wouldn’t see the apology,” he said.
He went on: “You have to have your principles and you have to stand up for yourself.”
The Donegal manager also praised his team members for their dedication to the county.
He also promised fans abroad that they may take the Sam Maguire to Boston and New York in the coming months.
Asked about the Late Late Show visit – which was just four minutes – Jim refused to become embroiled in the controversy.
He said they had been in RTE for three or four hours and the team enjoyed the experience and meeting other guests.
“It was a good experience for them (the players),” he said.
He said people in Donegal probably wanted more on the programme because the appetite was so strong.
The manager said he wanted to say ‘thank you’ to all of the fans for their support and messages of congratulations.
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