Lauren Magee fears Dublin exodus but backs Mick Bohan to stay
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Dublin footballer Lauren Magee reckons Mick Bohan will continue as manager into 2022, but predicted a number of retirements from the playing group.
Almost four weeks on from Dublin’s shock All-Ireland final defeat to Meath, a result that marked Bohan’s first championship loss during his five years at the helm, it remains unclear if the manager will extend his term to a sixth season.
Magee doesn’t envisage Bohan signing off on a losing note and is hopeful he'll return to the sideline for the 2022 season.
Speaking after Dublin’s two-point All-Ireland final defeat, the manager predicted that up to half a dozen stalwarts could retire from the panel. It’s a sentiment shared by midfielder Magee.
From Dublin's All-Ireland final starting team, five players — including the long-serving Sinéad Aherne, Siobhán McGrath, and Lyndsey Davey — are 30 or over, while substitute Niamh McEvoy is also 30.
To deal with the inevitable loss of talent and experience ahead of the 2022 season, Magee sees it as imperative that Bohan stays on.
“I know Mick from being around him the last five years, it would be very tough for him to leave on that note,” she said.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he stayed around and I’d hope that he would stay around in terms of I feel there will be a few retirements and there will be a bit of a shift in the team, and if there is that as well as a new management, it will just be very hard to gather everything else up.
“But I feel like he couldn’t leave after this year. There will be another year in him, hopefully.”
Magee, who said Dublin never "clicked" in the final, added: “I do think there will be a few retirements. There are girls that have been there for so many years and given so much of their life to the team. I’d say it is time for some of them to focus on their life outside of Dublin, which they deserve because they have given so much to the jersey.”
Magee will miss the beginning of the 2022 campaign as she confirmed she is returning to Australia next month for a second AFLW season with Melbourne.
“I had just a week before the first match last season so I am glad that I get the chance to go again this year, but also the two months prior to the first match will [enable me to] give it a better bash.”