Former Donegal defender Eamon McGee doesn't believe that Jim McGuinness will try to convince former Donegal captain Michael Murphy to come out of retirement ahead of the new GAA season.
McGuinness and Murphy led Donegal to the 2012 All-Ireland title, but both have gone their separate ways since then. McGuinness left the Donegal job, joined Celtic, and returned to the role just last week. Meanwhile, Murphy retired from inter-county football last November.
Last year, Dublin's legendary goalkeeper, Stephen Cluxton, reversed his retirement. There is hope that a Donegal version of "The Last Dance" with McGuinness and Murphy could also unfold. However, according to McGee, he doesn't think Murphy will take up McGuinness' offer for the upcoming year.
"He'll look around and obviously the big question is whether he'll consider Michael Murphy. You'd imagine he probably has had conversations and sounded him out," said McGee.
He continued: "No, no, I don't think Murphy will return. That's just my own opinion. I believe Michael has given his time; he's served, so we need to start moving in other directions and looking for new leaders now.
McGee expects McGuinness to chase retired Donegal stars: Former Donegal defender Eamon McGee reckons that Jim McGuinness will sound out retired player for a return to the Tir Chonaill County set-up next season. https://t.co/UYruilAjg6 pic.twitter.com/aXafRwh6ZA
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"And players will step up. Michael has paved the way for them in terms of what to do and how to do it, so the players will step up. I think we need to put this matter to rest fairly early.
"Michael probably won't come back to playing. The decision is up to him. It's a conversation that Jim and he will have to have."
Murphy has also shared his perspective on a potential return and has been on record saying that he will not come back to Donegal, regardless of who becomes the manager, even if it's McGuinness.
"There's no going back. I can't see myself changing my mind. It was too significant a decision; that's why I took so long to think about it," he told Buzz.ie.
"I had a strong inclination after we lost to Armagh last summer that my playing days were over. That's why I left Clones in the car with my parents instead of on the bus. I had never done that before.
"If you talk to people like Neil Gallagher and Neil McGee, they know that I had nearly made the decision by last June and July.
"I pondered it for a long time. Waking up every day thinking about it. For me, the passion had faded for what I needed to represent Donegal. I don't think I could be in the dressing room if I didn't have that.
"I know there are ways around that, managing the workload differently and such, but it would eat at me. I wouldn't have done justice to anyone, and I probably would have been unpleasant to be around as well."
