Jamie Clarke says Kieran McGeeney has "absolutely nothing" got to do with the 26-year-old's decision to leave Ireland for New York in the coming days.
The Armagh attacker released a statement saying McGeeney had offered him support and guidance and declared his support for his home county despite feeling a desire to travel and live outside of Ireland.
"My decision not play for Armagh senior football team this year has absolutely nothing to do with Kieran McGeeney being the manager," the statement read.
"It is no hidden secret that I have other ambitions outside of football resulting in the need to travel and live outside of Ireland.
"This has been the case long before Kieran ever got involved in the the Armagh management setup. I have nothing but respect and appreciation towards Kieran, who has given me so much support and guidance.
"As an Armagh man I fully support all he is trying to achieve with the current group of players."
McGeeney has been under increasing scrutiny with Joe Brolly claiming the "cult of Kieran" was hurting the GAA and the club scene in Armagh.
An alleged complaint by Armagh's county board to RTE for allowing Brolly attack McGeeney in such a fashion further incensed the Derry man and he referred to the complaint as "spineless" in his weekly Gaelic Life column.
Paul Grimley also rowed in behind McGeeney and said Brolly's comments were poisonous.
He said, "Because of the picture he paints of himself in other areas, he probably thinks he can get away with some of the very poisonous remarks he makes, during and after games about managers and players."
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