Armagh footballer Ethan Rafferty has expressed his joy at the confirmation that the "brilliant" Kieran McGeeney will continue as manager for the 2024 season.
The 2002 All-Ireland winning captain is poised to lead the Orchard County for his tenth season, with the primary objective of making a return to Division One.
At a point in time, uncertainty loomed over McGeeney's future as Armagh boss. However, following a resounding 46-16 vote from club members and officials, the Armagh native was retained for the 2024 season.
“I can only speak for myself, but I was delighted to see him (McGeeney) staying on. He’s been there for all the years I’ve been there, bar my first year,” Rafferty shared with BelfastLive.co.uk. “He’s been brilliant for the county since he took over. I know we haven’t been getting over the line in some big games, and people have been raising questions."
In 2023, Armagh suffered a defeat to Derry in the Ulster final, decided by spot-kicks, bringing McGeeney's performance into question. Nevertheless, Rafferty defended McGeeney's track record by pointing out the positive strides made under his leadership.
Kieran McGeeney's will stay on Armagh boss“If you look at where we were when he came in and where we are now, we are pushing for the provincial title again, and we’ll hopefully get one in the next year or two. I’m delighted he stayed on.”
Armagh's current objective is to secure promotion from Division 2 back to Division 1 after their relegation this year. Despite the setbacks, Rafferty insists that the team remains undeterred, viewing the setback as a challenge to overcome in the upcoming 2024 season.
“We try not to get too bogged down in it," he added. "We've got to play Meath, Cork in Cork and Fermanagh, who we play in the championship.
“We’re under no illusions; we've got plenty of tough games. Louth's first day out—they'll be reeling after losing Mickey (Harte).
“We worked hard to get to Division One, so to throw it away after two years was annoying. We’re looking forward to getting a few competitive games in the McKenna Cup and in the League, and hopefully, we’ll go straight back up again."
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