Jim McGuinness and Karl Lacey would be 'dream' Donegal ticket, says Mark McHugh

Donegal All-Ireland winner Mark McHugh has said Jim McGuinness and Karl Lacey would be his "dream" ticket for the county's new management set-up.

The Donegal hotseat is vacant with Declan Bonner having stepped down after five years in charge.

Speaking on BBC Radio Foyle, McHugh suggested McGuinness' return to the inter-county scene with Donegal legend Lacey could give the county a lift.

"The dream ticket, everyone speaks about McGuinness coming back," he said.

"Karl Lacey's been a big player in the coaching scene in Donegal this last number of years. If you're asking me for a dream ticket, maybe Lacey and McGuinness together.

"Will it happen? I don't know. I don't know the thoughts of them, I don't know what goes on in their minds or have they been speaking."

McGuinness led Donegal to the 2012 All-Ireland title but stepped down as manager after their All-Ireland Final defeat by Kerry in 2014.

He went on to work as a performance consultant for Celtic FC and held coaching positions at soccer clubs in China and USA.

In the summer of 2017 he became the assistant to coach Roger Schmidt at Chinese Super League club Beijing Sinobo Guoan but stepped down six months later, citing "personal family reasons".

McGuinness was then appointed manager of second-tier US football club Charlotte Independence on a three-year contract in December 2018 but was sacked from the role within six months after his team's run of only one win in 14 games.

Last year, he dismissed reports linking him with the Down job, saying he was "very much focused on soccer".

Four Masters clubman Lacey, who won the 2012 Footballer of the Year award for his performances in McGuinness' All-Ireland winning side, was part of Bonner's management team before leaving for work and family reasons at the start of 2021.

However, McHugh said other potential replacements for Bonner include Rory Kavanagh, who played alongside McHugh and Lacey in the 2012 team.

Kavanagh led his club St Eunan's to a county title last year in his first season in charge while former Monaghan boss Malachy O'Rourke, who masterminded Glen's Derry triumph in 2021, has also been mentioned as a potential successor to Bonner.

"Rory Kavanagh won a championship last year for St Eunan's first year off the bat," added McHugh.

"Would he like another couple of years at club football? There's talk of Malachy O'Rourke going around for all the jobs, for Monaghan, for Meath, for Dublin.

"He could probably do Glen this year and then leave with the way the club (season) is structured. It'll be finished up around October, November anyway. You could manage to do both there."

McHugh also stressed that Bonner's successor must come in and "squeeze two or three years" out of the current Donegal squad before attempting a rebuilding job.

"They have some fantastic players. It's just about getting the right man to come in.

"I think they're putting together a committee and hopefully they'll go out and approach or someone will apply for the job that's the best for Donegal football. It's something we need to give us a bit of lift.

"(Lacey & McGuinness) would be a nice ticket. Is it going to happen? I'm not sure. There could be somebody completely left-field."