Callaghan talks about Longford resignation

Aaron Callaghan has revealed the reasons behind his decision to step down as Longford Town manager last weekend.

Callaghan handed in his resignation following the club's 3-1 defeat at home to Monaghan Utd, their ninth defeat in ten games.

The club's recent form did play a part in the Dubliner's decision but he admitted it was a culmination of things: "I was working hard behind the scenes trying to get different things done. When there is a lack of respect there you have to make a decision. A lot of integrity to uphold. People say it's about reputation but it's about respect."

Callaghan was aware of the tough task that lay ahead of him when he accepted the role as manager of the club. From the start he had to assemble a whole new squad with a limited budget. This season was about rebuilding and he gave several young local lads a taste of first team football: "It was a difficult time in relation to what happened last year; the club getting docked points, then getting relegated. In any building process the one thing you have to look for is time. I felt that the club weren't prepared to invest the time.

"I knew coming into the job that I'd have a certain salary. I was under budget in terms of what I was given to spend and it just got harder. Most of the other teams in the league are finding it tough, it's not just Longford."

To say it has been a difficult season for Aaron Callaghan and Longford Town would be an understatement. Injuries, wage cuts and players going unpaid have led to a dismal run of results. Callaghan also found it tough to get a permanent training base for his players due to debts run up by the club: "It was a difficult time in terms of organising training because the club didn't have a base as such. The base we did have we weren't allowed to go back onto it.

"We had to reduce the wage bill to prepare for the transfer window which we did and teams like Sporting Fingal and Shels were adding players. I tried to sign Darren Forsythe in the window after getting rid of a good few players but once Shels got on the bandwagon he went there. I had more or less done the deal with Pete Mahon for him to come to Longford. That's the way it goes."

The affable Dub holds his hands up over recent results but he admits his job became tough when problems arose outside his control. That was difficult for him to contend with: "The bottom line is I've got to take responsibility for the fact that we got one win in ten games. The factors outside my control are players not getting paid on time which is difficult and that was beyond my scope. It made it difficult for me because it meant most of my arguments on the training pitch was about wages not about systems and tactics."

Throughout this season there have been problems with players and wages. During the transfer window Iarfhlaith Davoren left to join Galway on a free; because he wasn't paid his contract wasn't honoured. The club have failed to pay wages on time on several occasions and members of the backroom staff have been unpaid for numerous weeks. Callaghan feels the pay issue has played a part in the club's recent bad spell: "If you take it when we beat Shels at home after the break we were six points behind Sporting Fingal, nine behind Shels and it was only then that the money issues started to come to the fore and that culminated in our bad run. To be fair to the players and the backroom staff we are prepared to go a certain amount of time without getting paid. But there comes a stage in any situation that you wonder how long do you let it go."

Assistant manager and one of Longford Town's most popular players Vinny Perth will now take charge of the team for the remainder of the season. Callaghan is delighted for Perth: "Vinny is the natural choice. I'd hope to think that he has learned an awful lot in relations to the way I did the job; totally professional in the way we approached every game. I've been working tirelessly behind the scenes to get a friendly for the club, that's nearly done. The amount of effort that went in was phenomenol. Vinny, Paul Fagan and Des (Cawley) are working behind the scenes tirelessly."