NORMALLY the club management merry-go-round would be ready to come off its rails at this stage but this has been a winter season notably devoid of moving and shaking.
If you take the 36 teams that reached a semi-final of a senior football championship in 2024, the vast majority of them are sticking with what they had.
The biggest shake-up is in Derry, where winners Newbridge have unsurprisingly retained the services of Gary Hetherington and Kevin Brady.
The rest of the last four, Glen, Magherafelt and Slaughtneil, are all changing.
January 2024′s All-Ireland champions lost Malachy O’Rourke to the Tyrone gig but moved swiftly to replace him with Rory Kavanagh, who will bring David O’Herlihy with him from their time with St Eunan’s.
Former Donegal S&C coach Adam Speer, who worked under Jim McGuinness in 2012, will join them, a few miles down the road from their fellow county man Aaron Kyles who works in the same capacity with Slaughtneil.
The Emmet’s have no new manager yet, with Mark Doran having departed the seat that was previously kept warm by Gavin Devlin, who is now in charge of Magherafelt alongside Enda Muldoon.
The other notable appointment in Derry is the return of Liam Donnelly to Ballinascreen, having led them to the 2017 county final in his first spell.
Trillick native Donnelly is also chairman of his native club, who have been grieving the tragic loss of their manager Jody Gormley, who passed away after a short illness.
Gormley had taken them back to a county final in which they’d lost by a point to Errigal Ciaran, but football was relegated to an insignificance within minutes when he told his players in the changing room of his diagnosis with terminal cancer.
He passed away earlier this month at the age of 53, leaving behind a gaping chasm in the community.
Peter McGinnity, the Fermanagh legend who had assisted him the last two years, will step in as manager.
McGinnity will be flanked by Richie Thornton, who moves on from a couple of years in Magherafelt having helped Kilcoo to an All-Ireland club title under Mickey Moran in 2021.
Having won the league title at the weekend, just four days before Christmas, Dungannon are expected to retain James Slater, Ryan Pickering and Ger Cavlan, while the Carrickmore team they beat are in a similar position with Ciaran McBride and Noel Slane.
With Errigal Ciaran in an All-Ireland semi-final after Christmas, there won’t be any decision from Enda McGinley but given how year one has gone, anything other than there being a year two would be a huge surprise.
Owen Devine is staying in Omagh and Gavin McGilly’s still in charge of Galbally, while Killyclogher are hopeful that Eoghan Bradley will remain in his post as well.
Former Cavan forward Jason O’Reilly was confirmed as Dromore’s new manager back in October, with DCU PE professor Steafan Deery as coach.
Brian McGuckin returns to the hotseat in Edendork with former Slaughtneil player and manager Paul Bradley taking over in Pomeroy, and Magherafelt man Barry Dillon heading a new team in Ardboe that contains Tommy McGuigan and John McConville.
Promoted Moortown are still under former Ballinderry midfielder James Conway and will retain the services of his clubmate and Derry defender Gareth McKinless, who was involved last year as well.
There’s more change in Tyrone than pretty much anywhere else.
In Armagh, it’s pretty much as you were with the exception of Crossmaglen, who have appointed former Louth player Shane Lennon as their first outside manager in a very long time.
Ruairi Lavery remains at the helm with champions Clann Eireann while Ronan McMahon stays on for a third year with their Lurgan rivals Clan na Gael.
Mark Harte and Adrian O’Donnell stay on in Madden, with Pascal Canavan and Tiffy Quinn still with Armagh Harps, Brendan Quinn and Brian McCann in Maghery and Stevie McDonnell in Killeavy, having steadied the ship when he took over midway through last year.
Having taken Cargin to a sixth county title in seven years, three as manager and three as coach, Ronan Devlin is staying on for an eighth season in Toome.
Portglenone’s dream of a first ever senior championship title was agonisingly extended in extra-time of this year’s final. John McKeever might freshen up his backroom team but he will be back at the helm for a fourth year running.
Michael Herron has hung up the boots and takes over straight away as Lámh Dhearg manager while Ruairi O’Neill is an in-house appointment by St Brigid’s to replace McGuckin brothers Paddy and John, the latter moving on to Sarsfields in Armagh.
Creggan (Joe Cassidy), St John’s (Aaron Douglas) and Dunloy (Anthony McQuillan) are all as they were, but there’s an interesting appointment in St Enda’s, with former county chairman Ciaran McCavana taking the reins.
In Cavan, Ryan Daly stays with champions Crosserlough, with Vinny Corey announced as Gowna’s new boss a while back. There have been reports that Seanie Johnston and Micheal Lyng are stepping away from Cavan Gaels after one year but those remain unconfirmed, while Trillick duo Jude and Pat are expected to stay with Ramor United.
In Donegal, champions St Eunan’s have retained Barry Meehan but they’ve lost the services of Brendan Devenney, who steps out after having given them the one year he promised at the start.
Martin Regan is back for an 11th season as Naomh Conaill manager, with Dessie Gallagher in Dungloe, Ronan MacNiallais and Francie Friel in Gaoth Dobhair and Gary McDaid in Glenswilly all staying put.
There’s no decision yet on whether Michael Hegarty will stay on in Kilcar. The one big vacancy is with the up-and-coming Four Masters outfit, from whom Kevin Sinclair stepped down a while back.
Their two natives Karl Lacey and Barry Dunnion are sure to be in the thinking, but having just narrowly lost an Ulster final, there’s not likely to be a call on their future with Kilcoo until the New Year.
The big changes in Down are in coaching capacities rather than at the head of tickets. Former Tyrone and Dungannon coach Collie Holmes joins Eoin McCartan and Stevie O’Hare in Burren, while Stefan Forker comes into Finnian Moriarty’s setup in Carryduff and Danny Hughes joins Ronan Sexton in Mayobridge.
Gearoid Adams and Antrim forward Patrick McBride remain with Clonduff.
There’s no significant change in Monaghan, with David McCague staying on in Scotstown. His coach Diarmuid Scullion has joined the Westmeath setup under Dermot McCabe but the Bellaghy native will stay on with his adopted club too.
John McEntee is back in with Inniskeen.
Neil Coulter and Paul McCartan are going again in Clontibret, with Ryan Mellon and Darnell Parkinson doing the same in Ballybay.
Rumours linking Rory Gallagher to several jobs continue to swirl but as of now, Corduff are anticipating that he’ll be back with Seamus McEnaney next season.
In Fermanagh, three-time championship winning boss Sean Flanagan returns to the hotseat in Derrygonnelly after they endured a difficult year.
Declan Bonner remains with winners Erne Gaels, Simon Bradley stays on in Enniskillen Gaels, Chris Kelly remains with Ederney and Dom Corrigan is in with Kinawley again.
Across the board, it is a lot of what it was last year.
KEY MANAGERIAL JOBS
Armagh
Clann Eireann: Ruairi Lavery
Clan na Gael: Ronan McMahon
Crossmaglen: Shane Lennon and Gary Seaver
Madden: Mark Harte and Adrian O’Donnell
Killeavy: Stevie McDonnell
Maghery: Brendan Quinn and Brian McCann
Armagh Harps: Pascal Canavan and Tiffy Quinn
-----------------------
ANTRIM
Cargin: Ronan Devlin
Portglenone: John McKeever
Lamh Dhearg: Michael Herron
St Brigid’s: Ruairi O’Neill
Creggan: Joe Cassidy
St John’s: Aaron Douglas
St Enda’s: Ciaran McCavana
Dunloy: Anthony McQuillan
-----------------------
CAVAN
Crosserlough: Ryan Daly, Stephen Archie Beattie, Tom Gribben
Gowna: Vinny Corey
Ramor United: TBC
Cavan Gaels: TBC
-----------------------
DERRY
Glen: Rory Kavanagh and David O’Herlihy
Newbridge: Gary Hetherington and Kevin Brady
Slaughtneil: TBC
Magherafelt: Gavin Devlin and Enda Muldoon
Bellaghy: Damian Cassidy
Ballinascreen: Liam Donnelly
Dungiven: James McNicholl
-----------------------
DONEGAL
St Eunan’s: Barry Meehan
Naomh Conaill: Martin Regan
Dungloe: Dessie Gallagher
Gaoth Dobhair: Ronan Mac Nialllais and Francie Friel
Kilcar: TBC
Glenswilly: Gary McDaid
Four Masters: TBC
-----------------------
DOWN
Kilcoo: TBC
Burren: Eoin McCartan and Stevie O’Hare add Collie Holmes
Carryduff: Finnian Moriarty adds Stefan Forker
Warrenpoint: John Boyle and Ryan McAleenan
Mayobridge: Ronan Sexton adds Danny Hughes
Clonduff: Gearoid Adams and Patrick McBride
-----------------------
FERMANAGH
Erne Gaels: Declan Bonner
Enniskillen Gaels: Simon Bradley
Derrygonnelly: Sean Flanagan
Ederney: Chris Kelly
Kinawley: Dom Corrigan
Irvinestown: Shane McDermott
Devenish: Enda Lyons
-----------------------
MONAGHAN
Scotstown: David McCague
Inniskeen: John McEntee
Clontibret: Neil Coulter and Paul McCartan
Ballybay: Ryan Mellon
Corduff: TBC
-----------------------
TYRONE
Errigal Ciaran: TBC
Trillick: Peter McGinnity and Richie Thornton
Dungannon: James Slater, Ryan Pickering and Ger Cavlan
Killyclogher: TBC
Dromore: Jason Reilly and Steafan Deery
Carrickmore: TBC
Loughmacrory: TBC
Edendork: Brian McGuckin
Galbally: Gavin McGilly
Moortown: James Conway
Omagh: Owen Devine
Pomeroy: Paul Bradley
Ardboe: Barry Dillon, Tommy McGuigan and John McConville
Coalisland: TBC
Eglish: TBC
Donaghmore: TBC