Former Roscommon star Nigel Dineen has confirmed he will challenge Kevin McStay for the manager role with the county.
McStay was in joint control with Fergal O'Donnell last season but the Mayo native must now put himself forward for nomination if he wishes to stay on, after O'Donnell resigned along with selectors David Casey and Stephen Bohan last week.
Dineen believes that O'Donnell's departure makes the competition for the managerial position an open contest.
“Nobody expected this to happen with the joint management, it was a three-year term," he told Shannonside FM.
"I'm not aware if Kevin is going for the job or not, he was going to take up the job last year on his own and he declined that. He looked to have Fergal O'Donnell with him, he wanted a bomb-proof situation. I don't know what's changed in 12 months that he wants to take the job on his own now.
“I’m a very passionate Roscommon ex-footballer and manager and I have got serious support since I put my name forward from ex-county footballers, from current players and from the clubs.
"It is very important that whoever is the manager gets the full support in the county and that they come behind the new manager."
The Castlerea man guided the county's Under-21s to All-Ireland final appearances against Dublin in 2012 and 2014 and believes the talent pool is there to capitalise on the county's return to Division 1 football.
“I know these players really well. I know their strengths and weaknesses, I know they are a gifted bunch of players and that they really want to achieve. I believe they will achieve," said Dineen.
"The proof is in the pudding in regards to the talent that Dublin had and are showing at senior level, every other team is trying to catch up with them now at the moment. But certainly there's a great number of talented footballers in Roscommon and they have proven that over the last couple of years."
"A lot of these players have played against top teams in Connacht at underage level and I don't think they have any fear of these teams. It's just a matter of getting confidence back into the players and getting them to believe that they can win a Connacht title."
