Michael Murphy pictured at a media briefing for the National Concussion Symposium.
By Cian O'Connell
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Michael Murphy is delighted that Rory Gallagher will remain in charge of Donegal for the next three years.
"Definitely, without a doubt," Murphy responded when asked about the decision to give Murphy a new term.
"It was fairly crucial and fairly necessary. I suppose his knowledge of the younger players, having worked with them at U-21 level, they take up a huge percentage of the squad now at the moment.
"I just think there's an opportunity for them to develop, this year, next year, the year after, please God they're going to take that and I suppose people look at the three-, four-year cycle again.
"It's going to take something like that to try to develop things. Without a doubt, you're going to go at it again next year, but for everyone to get their head and to get their chance I think it's necessary."
Colm McFadden and Eamon McGee have already retired from inter-county action, while the future of other experienced campaigners is uncertain.
"Time will tell," Murphy admits. "Club championship is still going on. I'd say a lot of the lads are probably waiting until that is over until there's a bit of a down break, over Christmas and that.
"What you have to do now in the meantime is focus on what we're definitely going to have and that's going to be that core bunch. "They're good lads, they're good footballers and good fellas and I think they really, really want to push things on. I'm looking forward to getting stuck back in along with them.
"Yeah, with a couple of the older lads, I'm sure it's a question they're going to ask. They're no doubt still well able to play, but it's just I suppose if it's there to go to do it and I suppose that's the question they'll be asking themselves."
Donegal manager Rory Gallagher.
Gallagher will be forced to construct a new Donegal team - is it a daunting task? "It's exciting too," Murphy says. "I suppose we were chatting about the three, four years and people look at it as a case that you're not going to want to win anything next year or the year after, but without a doubt you're going to go into it next year and go at it hammer for tong, to win whatever the hell you can.
"I just think going into that cycle, you need to commit to going into that three, four-year cycle to try to push things forward. I think we've done it before back in 2010, you were committing to a cycle for a number of years.
"It just gives you a clear picture in your head as to what's going to entail over the next number of years. That's why I'm excited and looking forward to getting stuck into it."
Murphy is adamant Donegal have a promising crop of players coming through also. "They've all got ability, you see them coming into training and you do feel they have a hell of a lot of ability and like any of the young fellas coming into the squad, I did it myself, maybe you don't realise it at the present, but how good they are actually are.
"Some will take to it a hell of a lot quicker than others. Yeah, they're good but there's no denying there's good players, you look at the minor teams on show here last weekend too, there's some very, very good minor teams everywhere, but you have to start somewhere and I do believe they're the start of it, they're a couple of years out of minor now, 20 or 21 years of age and they're playing Club championship now as well.
"Some of them are performing very well. You look at the players that started last year with us, the likes of Ciaran Gilllespie and Eoin McHugh, Ciaran Thompson came in, you know, they're huge additions to get them in and not only coming in just to play, but they're hugely contributing and it's a huge lift to us all in there.
"If they can add something and if we can throw a couple more of them into it, I do think they have the potential definitely to wear the jersey for a good number of years."
