Paul Hegarty Resigns

**A N Mouse** · 12/05/2009, 4:54 PM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

Like all Derry people - I realised I was sh!t young.

I just had the sense to get out afterwards.

So what's your excuse...?

Your 'original' joke may have been funny two year ago when some bloke was making a sharp exit from the Brandywell.

But frankly I find it offensive. Higgsy is a gent, and if he says its personal reasons then you can believe it. Despite your apparent knowledge of everything, I believe you to be ignorant of many facts in this case - including, seemingly, the high regard which many Derry supporters still have for the man.

**wonder88** · 12/05/2009, 4:58 PM

Really sad if Harps go out of business, and as someone else has pointed out it is unfair to blame it all on Hegarty, although he seem like a useless manager going on some of the players he signed. Time has come for clubs to be realistic in what they pay players. It is unbelieveable what some, who would not be nowhere near conferance standard get paid in Ireland, and to think that someone at Bohes thought Sean Connor was worth 3grand a week, crazy. Unless wages are sorted out the league will always be in crisis and no progress will be made.

**DaveyCakes** · 12/05/2009, 5:28 PM

A bad manager, not matter how bad, isn't going to destroy a club in the space of a year and a half unless the club is already on very shaky foundations.

**cestlavie** · 12/05/2009, 6:55 PM

Will be missed like a hole in the head

**dcfcsteve** · 12/05/2009, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by A N Mouse

Your 'original' joke may have been funny two year ago when some bloke was making a sharp exit from the Brandywell.

But frankly I find it offensive. Higgsy is a gent, and if he says its personal reasons then you can believe it. Despite your apparent knowledge of everything, I believe you to be ignorant of many facts in this case - including, seemingly, the high regard which many Derry supporters still have for the man.

And the award for taking themselves far too seriously goes to.....

"Frankly" - you need to dry yer eyes, cheer up, and not take a joke too seriously.....

**dcfcsteve** · 12/05/2009, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by DaveyCakes

A bad manager, not matter how bad, isn't going to destroy a club in the space of a year and a half unless the club is already on very shaky foundations.

Agreed.

To paraphrase South Wales's finest musical combination, Goldie Looking Chain :

'Managers don't kill clubs, Boards do.....'.

**Mr A** · 12/05/2009, 10:21 PM

Very true, but managers with their own 'guardian angel' + some blind followers on the board can do one hell of a lot of damage.

**dcfcsteve** · 13/05/2009, 9:46 AM

Originally Posted by Mr A

Very true, but managers with their own 'guardian angel' + some blind followers on the board can do one hell of a lot of damage.

Indeed - but that just proves the point.

The buck stops with the Board, as they're the ones who hold the purse strings and make the financial decisions.

It's difficult to take threats of clubs disappearing from LOI football all that seriously though, as we hear them so often these days and most never transpire. That said - I hope Harps make it through this, as they're my second team. Though I still think the club would have a better future if it moved to Letterkenny...

**Sam_Heggy** · 13/05/2009, 10:18 AM

Is it coincidence that Reynolds is leaving Derry and Hegarty quits Harps all in around the same space of time?

**corkharps** · 13/05/2009, 1:20 PM

Originally Posted by Sam_Heggy

Is it coincidence that Reynolds is leaving Derry and Hegarty quits Harps all in around the same space of time?

Are you implying that the Health service is better in the North?

**Mad Moose** · 13/05/2009, 1:54 PM

Originally Posted by passerrby

are things that bad really

Well in short yes. Nobody would ever have predicted things would get so bad. The board gave Hegarty an astronomical budget of 1 million for last season and in doing so really stretched the club in terms of what was actually available. I remember the time Roddy Collins went for the job a few seasons ago and he asked for a million. How we laughed. There is no way a rural club could sustain such a level of budget however wonderful the support. The season failed spectacularly. Hegarty took in some of the worst imaginable tripe such as Austin Friel and Kevin Ramsay while gambling on buying the injured Gary Beckett who came and left without soiling his boots. The fans voted with their feet and continue to do so and without the revenue you can hardly pay to keep the show on the road let alone manage debt.

As in 1999, 10 years on the club is facing a long battle to control a dept. The economic climate was more favourable then. 10 years on the country is in deep recession and nowhere more so than in the North West which only ever had the shadows of economic prosperity cast upon in in any case. Whether the club can be saved is anybodys guess. Its not going to happen until the current board are outsed and that may take longer than eventually removing Hegarty actually took. To little too late maybe.