Harry McConkey will remain in charge of Ballinamallard United for a fifth season with the club confirming on Wednesday (yesterday) morning that McConkey has agreed to remain in the post for next season.

And McConkey himself is looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead and is already at work preparing the next season.

Ballinamallard chairman Tom Elliott has welcomed McConkey’s decision:

“Ballinamallard United have a great community ethos at the Club, Manager Harry McConkey is very much part of that community spirit, we welcome his decision to remain at the Club for the 2022/23 season.

“We are very aware that it is not an easy challenge, but it is one that we as a Club are all part of and will take forward with Harry at the helm.”

It has been a difficult few years for McConkey and the Mallards. They saw the 2019/20 cut short when they were right in the thick of the promotion battle and the 20/21 season was then wiped out altogether.

The season just past was one where the Mallards were in mix but could not push on into the top two spots and McConkey hopes to learn the lessons of this campaign going into next season.

“I think we have an awful lot to learn from the season just gone by and it could be very useful for us going into another tough, tough challenge,” said McConkey.

“This will be my fifth year and I will be determined to do my best for the club and see where we can end up.”

While the season might have ended, McConkey stresses that it is a busy time for managers as they look to nail down their squads for the new season as well as prepare for pre-season.

“It is a part of the year that actually speeds up instead of slowing down. It is frantic as you have all the uncertainty surrounding players while you also have to put in place your pre-season and planning your programme to be ready by early June.”

McConkey is at present making his way around his squad to gage their intentions for the new season.

“It is important to ensure that I get around all my players, which I am presently doing, to know exactly where we stand and to know then where we need to strengthen and then the areas that we are losing players to make sure that we replace them.

“I always say that this is a period of uncertainty because a lot of our players are on year to year contracts and you have to review it each year and that makes it somewhat more difficult

“At this stage of the year you want to try and get as many confirmed as we you for next season and I am hoping that we can hold a good core of the squad because there has been so much put into them and that continuity is so important, but until I speak to everybody and give them the time that they deserve I really don’t know.

“We will be back in on Saturday June 24 and there will be a lot of work to be done now throughout May so that we are ready when we come back in June with a good squad ready to challenge again,” he added.