Jim McGuinness: 2012 All-Ireland winning boss holds talks with county over return
- Published
Jim McGuinness guided Donegal to the Sam Maguire Cup in 2012
Jim McGuinness has met with Donegal GAA officials and is their number one target to manage the county's football team in 2023, BBC Sport understands.
It's understood the parties met three weeks ago and it's also expected that he will be offered the job.
McGuinness was part of the Rory Kavanagh, Karl Lacey managerial ticket last year, but the job was eventually given to Paddy Carr.
McGuinness led Donegal to the county's second All-Ireland SFC title in 2012.
Donegal have been seeking a new boss since interim manager Aidan O'Rourke stepped down in late June following a turbulent 12 months for the county.
McGuinness was previously appointed to the job in late 2010 when Donegal football was at a low ebb after a comprehensive All-Ireland qualifier defeat by Armagh.
A year later, Donegal won the Ulster title by beating Derry in the provincial final and while they were beaten by eventual champions Dublin in a turgid All-Ireland semi-final, the Tir Conaill men secured an emotional Sam Maguire Cup triumph a year later after beating Mayo in the decider following their retention of the Anglo-Celt Cup.
McGuinness moved into soccer coaching
After putting his tactical imprint of the game by devising a playing method which did not please everyone, McGuinness stepped down as Donegal boss following their All-Ireland Final defeat by Kerry in 2014.
By that stage, he had already moved into a soccer coaching post with Celtic in Brendan Rodgers' first spell in charge of the Glasgow club.
After ending his performance consultant role at Celtic, the Donegal man was appointed to further soccer coaching positions in China and USA.
In the summer of 2017 he became the assistant to coach Roger Schmidt at Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan but stepped down six months later, citing "personal family reasons".
McGuinness was appointed manager of second-tier US football club Charlotte Independence on a three-year contract in December 2018 but was sacked from the role within six months after his team's run of only one win in 14 games.
Since returning to Ireland, he has had a soccer coaching role with Derry City's under-19 team in addition to dipping back into the GAA by taking occasional training sessions with inter-county teams along with regular media punditry work.
Martin McHugh is part of the five-person committee tasked by the Donegal county board to find a new senior football manager
1992 All-Ireland winners Martin McHugh and Anthony Molloy are part of a five-person committee tasked by the Donegal GAA Board to find a new manager.
County chairman Fergus McGee, county secretary Declan Martin and Moville club-man Anthony Doogan are the other members of that committee.
Declan Bonner stepped down as Donegal manager 13 months ago after the county's extra-time defeat by Derry in the Ulster Final was followed by an All-Ireland qualifier hammering at the hands of Armagh.
A long search for a successor to Bonner eventually ended with Carr's appointment in late October but despite an opening Division One win over Kerry, Donegal's form dipped alarmingly and the Fanad native stepped down in March, following a meeting with a number of senior players, when relegation was already virtually assured.
Carr's assistant Aidan O'Rourke was coaxed to take on the role on an interim basis but Donegal continued to struggle as they were beaten by Division Three Down in the Ulster Championship before they regrouped to make the final 12 of the All-Ireland Championship following wins over Clare and eventual semi-finalists Monaghan.
However, O'Rourke stepped down himself immediately after the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final defeat by Tyrone on 24 June and predictably it didn't take very long for McGuinness' name to be linked with the job.