'Totally unnecessary' - Former goalkeeper Rob Hennelly angered by Mayo GAA statement on Kevin McStay departure
The decision by Mayo to look for a manager was expected at some point in the off-season, given their performance in the All-Ireland series in the last two years.
Despite winning an Allianz League title, the Green and Red have failed to reach the latter stages of the Sam Maguire, a competition which has yet to begin the semi-final stage.
McStay was forced to step aside for health reasons before the end of the round-robin series after taking ill at training.
Mayo opted to "relieve" the veteran boss of the role last night.
The lack of well-wishing in regards McStay's health within the statement drew considerable outrage, something Hennelly strongly agreed with.
He said: "I'm disappointed but not overly surprised with regards to how it was done.
"It seems very quick in the way they obviously went about it and I was very surprised because Kevin management's team put in massive shifts.
"One of the hardest jobs you're going to get in GAA is managing Mayo.
"They put everything into it, and unfortunately, results weren't what they would have wanted, particularly over the last two years.
"But regardless, the way it was kind of handled in the end didn't fit the work that they put into it, and what they've done for Mayo as well.
"That's Kevin, that's Stephen Rochford, and obviously all the backroom team. It's a lot of people who have been involved in Mayo a long time and put a lot of work into it, so really disappointed but not overly surprised with regards to how it was done.
"We've had a tendency to do things probably not in the right way in Mayo, unfortunately,
"It was unnecessary the way it was done in the end."
Hennelly felt Mayo could have waited for next month to make a decision or otherwise acknowledge the circumstances which forced McStay out of the job earlier in the campaign.
He referenced Antrim GAA's comments regarding Andy McEntee who did not have his term extended.
Mayo thanked McStay in a 60-word contribution about his time with the county, while the Saffrons had a more detailed description of Entee's tenure.
Hennelly continued: "It has been really abrupt. The championship is not even over. I'd say it's probably a bit unsettling for him and for everyone around him as well in the management team
"I'm sure it was not easy news for him to get himself
"Setting aside whether you think it's the right decision or wrong decision, there's still always going to be a better way of going about it.
"I think people have made the contrast between the way Andy McEntee has left Antrim and how Kevin has left Mayo.
"I think the big disappointment for Mayo supporters is just how it's been handled.
"Unfortunately it's another example of where we're just not handling things well when it comes to how we go about our business in Mayo
"It's a ruthless game generally if your performances or results aren't there
"In the case of Andy McEntee, it was heartfelt from Antrim. There were words about him when he was leaving, and Kevin deserved that at least.
"The initial communication of it wasn't professional. It wasn't fair. It wasn't representative of the three years of effort.
"From someone who's played under Kevin but also just from a Mayo supporter perspective, it's not really good enough.
"Whether you're a player or a supporter, particularly when you consider the last couple of months where he has had health concerns, it's very disappointing and totally unnecessary."
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