Hackett's short reign as Westmeath boss could be nearing the end

There is mounting speculation that the tenure of Brendan Hackett as manager of Westmeath's senior footballers is coming to an end. Members of the panel are believed to have lost all confidence in the Monaghan native, who was appointed to the post last September. A disastrous National League campaign, which saw the maroons lose every game for the second season in a row, and therefore relegation to Division 3 for 2011, has prompted players to question Hackett's ability to manage the team. While he oversaw the progress of the county's under-21s to a Leinster final (in which they were defeated by Dublin), the future at senior level looks bleak, at least for the foreseeable future. To be fair to the former Longford and Offaly supremo, who previously served as Chief Executive of Athletics Ireland, he inherited a panel which was in transition. Former All-Star, John Keane announced his retirement while outstnding forward, Des Dolan absented himself from the panel for the League campaign. On top of that, Denis Glennon left the panel in mid campaign. Hackett has repeatedly that the Westmeath senior football team is a work in progress and he was prepared to play a role of football director in the Lake County. Unfortunately, with just seven weeks left before the side lines out in the Leinster Championship against either Carlow or Wicklow, the groundswell of opinion among the playing panel is believed to be against the manager. In the knowledge that the players are against him continuing in the job, it may be a case of Hackett standing aside before being asked to stand down. Attempts to contact members of County Board have proven unsuccessful. On Thursday, Pat Lynagh, County Secretary, told a member of the media he had no comment to make on the situation.