From the Archives: Pat Roe: ‘I’d always remain hurt’ over not getting the chance to manage Laois

In a wide-ranging interview after he had guided Portarlington to their latest Laois SFC triumph, Pat Roe chatted about his varied career – including his massive disappointment at never getting the chance to manage Laois at senior level. 

Former Laois footballer and recent championship-winning manager Pat Roe has said that he will “always remain hurt” that he never got the opportunity to manage the Laois senior footballers.

Roe guided Portarlington to an impressive Laois SFC title two weeks ago and previously had spells as Carlow, Wexford and Offaly manager as well as coach to the IT Carlow team that reached the 2020 Sigerson Cup final.

Speaking on the LaoisToday Laois Football Podcast, he explained how he went for the role five times and was overlooked on each occasion.

“I was disappointed and more than just a touch bitter,” he says.

“It does grate on me very much. The pinnacle of any coaching career is to manage their own county.

“I had worked hard towards it. Everything was a step towards it and I never got it. I was disappointed. I could be coy about it and say it’s water under the bridge but I’d always remain hurt over that.”

He hit out at how he felt he was strung along on certain occasions while also saying that the time to really get it was after Mick O’Dwyer departed in 2006. Roe had guided Wexford to a National League Division 1 final in 2005.

“That was the time I wanted it,” he says of the 2006 appointment when he was overlooked in favour of Liam Kearns.

“I’d come out of two years with Wexford that had been relatively successful and I felt that was the moment. Laois thought otherwise.”

“One particular year I was the only nominee from Laois and I know in the meantime they were scouring the country trying to get a manager. I would have preferred if someone had come to me and said, ‘look you’re not getting the job’.

“The first year I applied for it, a senior official in the county board said ‘over my dead body, Pat Roe ever manage the Laois senior team’. That hurt.”

And why does he think he was overlooked so often?

“I’m a bit outspoken I suppose. I have strong views over the game and sometimes I think small people in big jobs can get easily offended … they don’t like someone speaking to power. Maybe there is a bit of that.”

Does he feel, then, that he was badly treated?

I can’t say I was badly treated because I didn’t get in a position to be badly treated. I would have liked the job.

“I put myself forward for it and I repeatedly put myself forward for it and I remember (someone) telling me none of the players wanted me.

“I don’t know how true that was but it was such a generalised statement … I didn’t like it. I found it a little hollow. I’ve had several players, lads who played Laois senior, who’d I’d managed at U-21  and said to me they’d love to work with me again in the future.”

And should an opportunity arise again in the future, would he be willing to put his name forward again? His response is emphatic.

“Not a snowball’s chance in hell,” he says.

“Not a bit of it. No, why would I, I wouldn’t deal with Laois, absolutely not. I don’t like the policy Laois have of putting everything they have into resources and not putting money into developing successful teams. I don’t like that … it’s a categoric no at any level.”

SEE ALSO – Check out all our top stories from our 2024 Remembered series here