The 2022 GAA senior intercounty championship has been in the history books for just five days, but the closed season has been unexpectedly jammed with intrigue. Some big names have been linked to the Monaghan, Mayo and Donegal vacancies, Colm O'Rourke is the new Meath boss and there have been consistent rumours that there's an impending vacancy for the biggest managerial role in the GAA - the Dublin job.
Dessie Farrell completed his initial three-year term as Dublin manager this month when Sean O'Shea broke Dublin's hearts with that free into the Hill in the All-Ireland semifinal. It's unclear what Farrell or Dublin intend to do next, but the GAA rumour mill has been in overdrive that Farrell is set to step away from the position.
The Na Fíanna man was absent from Croke Park on Sunday for the jubilee celebration for the 1995 Dublin All-Ireland winning Dublin team, and it seems unclear if he'll be managing Dublin next year.
If Farrell does not extend his term, one person who it appears will not be available to succeed him is Declan Darcy.
Darcy's name has featured heavily on the aforementioned rumour mill as Farrell's most likely successor.
Conor McKeon in today's Irish Independent reports that Darcy will be involved in coaching next year, however it won't be in the GAA. The Independent say Darcy has been offered a role as a performance coach with Leinster Rugby for the upcoming season.
Declan Darcy, Dublin assistant
The former Leitrim and Dublin footballer and trusted assistant to Jim Gavin played a vital role behind the scenes in Dublin's five-in-a-row team. Although Darcy started coaching with the Dublin senior team in 2013, he had a long-standing working relationship with Gavin that stretches back to 2003, when both coached with the Dublin U21s.
Darcy spoke to The Hop Ball podcast in 2020 about how he's struggled to adjust to life outside of the Dublin job.
"The connection with the players was the bit that kind of caught me.
"We had great moments with the players off the pitch. They know, the players know, or I'd like to think they know.
"They know that if there's ever anything that they want they can just pick the phone up and I'll be there for them.
"I think, without saying it, they knew that was the case. It was just hard when it stopped, the realisation that it had stopped, and not being part of that journey.
Darcy was a contender for the role after Jim Gavin walked away from the job in 2019 after Dublin completed the five-in-a-row. However the job ultimately went to Farrell.
Darcy also runs a successful construction business in the capital.
Joining Leinster would be a great move for Darcy, but would also add even more intrigue to the conversation around the Dublin manager role. A number of Dublin fans on social media have called for Stephen Cluxton to step in should Farrell not be retained.
That would be interesting.
