Jim McGuinness is reported to have made a surprise return to inter-county coaching after apparently being spotted training Galway footballers.
A video posted on the ‘An Spota Dubh’ Twitter account claims that the former Donegal boss took at least part of a session with Padraic Joyce’s side this morning ahead of next weekend’s Allianz Football League restart.
McGuinness hasn’t had a hands-on involvement in Gaelic football since quitting as Donegal manager following the 2014 All-Ireland final defeat to Kerry.
By then, he was making inroads in soccer coaching having already been on the staff at Celtic for two years. He later moved on to Beijing Sinobo Guoan in China where he served as assistant coach before taking charge of Charlotte Independence in America’s USL Championship in December 2018, though he was sacked from that role in June of last year after a poor run of form.
It was believed that he was still living in the US before this footage emerged.
The link between Joyce and McGuinness is obvious - the pair both studied at IT Tralee back in the 90s and won a Sigerson Cup together in 1998.
It is not clear as yet whether McGuinness’s apparent involvement is on a one-off basis or whether he will be on board for the remainder of the 2020 campaign.
Galway are set to resume their Allianz League campaign against Mayo in Tuam next Sunday, which is followed by another home tie against Dublin at Pearse Stadium seven days later.
Their Championship campaign starts with a Connacht semi-final tie against Sligo on November 7.
