Former manager James Horan has described the Mayo panel's decision to vote no confidence in recently resigned managers Pat Holmes and Noel Connelly as "courageous".
The players made the move last week in the wake of the county's All-Ireland football semi-final defeat to Dublin and Holmes and Connelly tendered their resignations last Friday as a result.
Horan admits there may be a void now in terms of what is next for Mayo football, but also backed the players' decision.
Writing in Monday's Western People, Horan said: “I think it was a hugely courageous step by the players, one they must have known was very high risk, hugely divisive and potentially career-ending for some.
“This would have been discussed in some detail with all options and avenues explored. This was not a decision that was taken lightly and the players would have known they were leaving themselves open to public opprobrium by embarking on such a course of action. It put them in a position of ridicule and increased focus.
“I am not sure the players have a masterplan of what’s next. The players were in a place that was dark and they could not see the road. They needed to clear the way, lift the weights and deal with things first.”
“I am not sure the players have a masterplan of what’s next. The players were in a place that was dark and they could not see the road."
Little detail of the reasoning behind the vote has surfaced and Horan believes no more public clarification is needed.
“There have been calls for the reasons of the ‘no confidence’ vote to be laid bare, for the players to issue some sort of explanatory statement so that all can see and understand the reasons why this event had to happen," wrote Horan.
"I think this would be the completely wrong thing to do at this stage, especially with the process now having entered an entirely new phase. The players have made their decision. Noel and Pat have resigned. It is time to take this off the front and back pages.
“The only discussion that needs to happen is with the players and county board chairman. It needs to happen in private to move things on.”
“The players will feel terrible about the way things have unfolded. The players are also very genuine guys, who, in my opinion, would never look to publicly humiliate people.
“These guys are looking everywhere for anything, any fine margins that will support their constant drive for improvement. Sometimes there are consequences to this relentlessness that are not always positive for everyone.
“For it to get to this, there are a number of things that must be wrong in the process. Everything needs to be looked at that led to this outcome, not the just the outcome itself.”
