Richie Donnelly has backed Mickey Harte to carry on as Tyrone senior football manager.
The three-time All-Ireland-winning boss has just completed his 17th season in the job following the Red Hands’ recent All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Kerry.
Following that loss, former Tyrone captain Sean Cavanagh suggested that it may be time for Harte to move on but Trillick attacker Donnelly is keen for him to stay.
He said: “He's a serious character. He's done a lot for Tyrone football and he's done a lot for this current team. He's given us all the Tyrone jersey, from starting off, so we owe Mickey everything.
“He has another year left on his contract so we're definitely just looking forward to play for him again.”
When asked about Cavanagh’s comments on the back of three successive semi-final appearances as well as reaching last year’s final, Donnelly replied: “That's the nature of any sport, not just Gaelic - whenever a defeat comes or a setback, the first thing that people look at is, 'Who is leading it?'
“When you say the three semi-finals and a final, that's a really good achievement. But it's up to us all firstly as players to look at how we can get to another final, and how can we improve and get better.
“That's before we start looking anywhere else. I know since the Kerry defeat, players are firstly looking within themselves to see how we can get better.”
“I certainly believe we have the players within Tyrone and within the squad to get to an All-Ireland final and certainly to compete to win one.
“I'd be lying if I said it wasn't an ambition of my own and the team's. But there's certainly a lot of work and improvement to be done before we get there.”
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