Enda McGinley has confirmed that he held initial talks about becoming manager of the Antrim footballers.

The Irish News reported this morning that McGinley was on a shortlist to replace Lenny Harbinson, and McGinley confirmed to OTB AM that he has spoken to a relevant party about the role.

Enda McGinley on Antrim link

"I was just thinking: 'Will these boys sink me and throw the question at me?'" McGinley joked with Ger Gilroy and Eoin Sheahan.

"There are lots and lots of rumours going about today - as ever, when there is lots and lots of smoke, there probably is something to it.

"I can say that it is in a very, very early state of flux and I am sure that there will be many other names mentioned in and around that job.

"It is something that I'm considering, but 'considering' is a very early stage. There is a family, there is a home situation - there are lots and lots of things to come into that.

"There has been a conversation but that is all there has been. I am sure that there are plenty of other men that have been asked to put their name forward as well for it.

"We will see how it pans out, but I wouldn't even confirm that my name is definitively in for it yet."

Untapped potential

As for the state of Antrim footballers, it was put to McGinley that football in the county 'doesn't make sense'.

"Their playing and club numbers would be strong - stronger than a lot of teams at their level, and stronger than a lot of the teams that are above them, so there is certainly that sense of untapped potential. But that has always been the case.

"I have been at quite a bit of Antrim at club championship level because I married into that part of the world, and the level that I have seen is as good as I have seen [elsewhere].

"From that end of it, there appears to be plenty of potential up there, but for one reason or another they haven't managed to pull it together.

"That is why there is always an enticing aspect to it, but then you are trying to dig a little bit deeper and understanding the underlying reasons as to what is holding them back.

"That is because all of the other managers would have gone in with the best of intentions to untap and wake up that sleeping potential.

"Certainly, I would agree there is potential in Antrim, and with Casement potentially having the sod turned this year, it could be the start of a good era.

"Gleeson has done great work with the hurlers - that is on an upward curve, and I imagine the footballers wouldn't want to be left completely behind."

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