James Horan backed up his conviction upon his first appointment in 2010 to make Mayo a competitive force and that will be his legacy, according to former player Keith Higgins.
The disappointing All-Ireland final quarter-final defeat to Kerry brought his second spell in charge of the county to an end.
Horan was initially appointed Mayo manager back in October 2010 and led Mayo to back-to-back All-Ireland football finals in 2012 against Donegal and in 2013 against Dublin.
In 2014 Horan resigned as Mayo manager but returned for a second spell four years later in 2018.
He once again led Mayo back to consecutive All-Ireland football finals in 2020 against Dublin and in 2021 against Tyrone.
He's done a huge job
Higgins, who won three of his four All-Stars with Horan at the helm, has credited Horan with transforming the fortunes of the county.
"I don't think it came as a surprise to anyone really," he told RTÉ's Game On. "With the way the season ended, it kind of almost petered out in a way in the final 10, 15 minutes against Kerry.
"Over the eight years he has been there, particularly in his first spell, he’s brought Mayo from probably a fairly low ebb in 2010 to being right in contention for the majority of the last 10 or 12 years. He’s done a huge job."
The process will now begin on finding a new man at the helm for 2023 and Higgins says it is a crucial appointment for the county board to get right, with a new batch of players coming through.
"Are they going to go outside the county?
"You look inside the county, there’s Ray Dempsey who has managed Knockmore to back-to-back county titles. Maurice Sheridan was involved with the Under–21s and Sigerson wins."
One man who will be linked to the position is Andy Moran, but his former team-mate believes it is probably a little early in his managerial journey.
"Possibly, given the connection he has with the players," responded Higgins when asked if the 2017 Footballer of the Year could be the next Mayo manager.
"The other side of it he is very, very limited in inter-county experience at senior level. It would be a very big project for him to take on. Whether he’d leave Leitrim after one year, I don’t know.
"It may not be the right time for Andy just yet."
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