World Footy News

It was today reported that Kyle Coney will not return to Australia to join the Sydney Swans, who returned to training in Sydney yesterday. Coney wants to play for his GAA club Ardboe and hopefully for Tyrone county side. Reports before the New Year did indicate that he was considering not returning but had been convinced to return by his countrymen at the Swans in Kennelly and Murphy.

The article in the Irish Times quotes Coney as saying “I'm staying in Ireland for the time being," Coney said today. "I was scheduled to go back on 2 January but the time came to make a decision and I decided not to go back…I weighed up my options when I was in Australia. Now I want to keep my options open and I want to be playing football for Ardboe and Tyrone.”

While this sounds like he may consider returning to Sydney other statements in the article make it seem unlikely “It was a very, very big decision. It took a lot of thinking but in my opinion, I've made the right decision," he told BBC Sport. "About a week after I came home (for Christmas), I said to my family that this is where I want to be playing football." Tommy Walsh, who trialed with St Kilda prior to Christmas insists that he has not been offered a contract by the Saints. The club also confirmed this and Walsh will decide later this year on whether he might return to Australia for the 2010 season. This of course leaves the door open for other clubs to make offers to Walsh who looks a very good physical fit for the Australian game. Walsh arrived in Australia too late this year due to GAA committments at home for the Saints to list him in December.

It has also been reported that Thomas McCann and Niall McKeever might be remaining in Australia to play with VFL clubs, but at this stage we cannot confirm what clubs that might be. The two are being directed by Ricky Nixon, who also plans to make his scouting camp earlier this year to avoid clashing with finals matches which prevented many from attending last year.