Yesterday's Dublin County Board press conference at Parnell Park played host to a variety of comings and goings. A substantial media presence had assembled to question new county football manager Tom Carr and two of his three selectors, Richie Crean and Dom Twomey - there being still no sign of the fourth appointment.

Before this appropriately-seasonal arrival of three wise men, there was some preliminary business as outgoing county chairman John Bailey launched the new Dublin jersey and made copious references to the likely prominence of the new design next September.

Those charged with orchestrating this prominence were then introduced. The nostalgic among the gathering recalled the previous occasion on which Carr had been at the centre of a press conference - when having shipped a whopping six-month suspension, he had invited some reporters to hear a stirring statement about the formation of a players' union.

From Joe Hill to boss in less than five years and even the most ardent syndicalist hardly believes that the first branch of that union is going to be founded among Tom Carr's mill workers. His manifesto is nonetheless inclusive.

"This applies to every player in Dublin. Any fella who shows capability, decides to work with me, it doesn't matter whether he's from the north-side, south-side or west-side, once he's good enough and hungry enough."

Questions were asked about his own playing career and the perception that he was at times a little too intense for his playing colleagues: "I think every footballer brings his own traits to the game. I was an average footballer with average skills, an average talent. One of my traits was I suppose my determination, maybe even to the extent that it might have been over the top or perceived to be over the top. But that was me, that was my way.

"I would hope and demand that players would respond to the effort and commitment that's needed. You often learn more about winning by losing than you do by winning.

"It's important I make it clear at this stage that I'm not in this for me to go back and get an All-Ireland medal that I didn't get in 1992, '94 or '95. That chapter is closed as far as I'm concerned and as regards my top list of regrets, it wouldn't even rate in the top five or 10. I am now here to manage the team with the two lads and not for me to go and recoup what I didn't win as a player."

Taking up the reins of an inter-county team in December begs a couple of obvious questions about the preceding management, particularly given his forthright criticism of Mickey Whelan in the media last summer. Carr was dismissive of the idea that he was under any additional pressure because of the circumstances of his predecessor's resignation.

"Everyone brings their own personality to the job. How someone else fares doesn't have a bearing on another. No matter who gets in will bring different ideas to the job. I will bring different ideas than previous managers did. Different ideas about the team set-up I want and the type of player I want.

"If I'm going to achieve success, there'll have to be silverware on the sideboard. That's the way success is measured."

Although his timescale is not immediately pressing, Carr and his selectors have much to do before picking their first team for the New Year's Day tilt against the Bluestars. They have been in frequent contact since Carr was offered the job and began to interview for selectors.

Richie Crean is a clubmate of Carr's. A former Dublin player of the early 1980s, he pointed out that he was familiar with the manager's strengths as he manages him in the Lucan Sarsfields team. Roscommon native Dom Twomey has been a member of Kilmacud Crokes since 1974 and has been involved in many levels of team management and was a selector of the Crokes side that won the 1995 All-Ireland.

"It's very important to accept that the concept of management is different to what it used to be. One person cannot carry the whole burden on his own. Both Dom and Richie have done an enormous amount of background work already. Selectors have to be every bit as capable as the manager of running a team. The days of them just looking over the wall at a training session are long gone."

He said that it had taken him all of five minutes to decide that Twomey would be a selector, once county secretary John Costello had organised a meeting. In response, the Kilmacud man graciously said that it had taken him only two-and-a-half minutes to make up his mind on Tom Carr.

The name of John O'Leary, recently retired goalkeeper and disappointed candidate for the manager's position, was raised and drew a non-committal response from the top table. "Of the number of people that I would consider, John ranks very highly," said Carr. "But I'll be waiting until this settles down and blows over before taking a decision."

Carr denied that he had turned down a "lucrative promotion" to take the Dublin job - "There are no lucrative positions in the Army" - and went on to outline his credentials and approach to the job.

"I have some management experience. It's important to remember my background, that I'm professionally trained in management. People don't vary in the Army or in Arnotts (Dublin sponsors) or in football. Any management job carries responsibility, but it's not a weight that should crush you."