GAELIC GAMES/Crisis in Laois: The Mick O'Dwyer saga rumbles on after the Waterville legend turned up in Laois last night to meet the players - but departed within half an hour and didn't take any part in the training session.

The GAA world is still at a loss to know whether he will remain on for his new, two-year term in charge of the 2003 Leinster football champions.

There was no shortage of drama in The Heath, Portlaoise, last night and the confusion was not dispelled by O'Dwyer, who left without talking to the media.

His selector and close friend Declan O'Loughlin was left to face the media, and when asked if O'Dwyer was staying on, he replied: "I'd imagine so. He said he is going off to think about it. A bit of a rogue again.

"It was a wake-up call for the players. He just wanted a commitment from them, and he is after getting it, so he is happy enough."

Later, O'Loughlin said he hoped to see O'Dwyer at training tomorrow night.

After three days of unrelenting speculation about O'Dwyer's future in Laois, there was an effort last night to characterise the dispute as one between the players and O'Dywer.

Football board chairman Joe O'Dywer and selector O'Loughlin were adamant the manager wanted a firm declaration of commitment from the players.

However, when pressed as to whether financial matters played any part in the stand-off, Joe O'Dwyer said: "There could be, possibly. Over the last two years, there has been no problem financially with Micko. There might be a little hitch in that there was a change in strategy, but that will be rectified."

Asked if, therefore, that the players were not the sole factor in the impasse, he replied: "It's not the players at all, it's a combination of both.

"I am not going to put my head on the block. The thing with the players only arose this weekend.

"I had a problem with Micko three weeks ago. I thought I had the problem sorted, but I am not the financial controller within Laois county. I'm just the football officer."

At approximately 6.45 p.m., O'Loughlin and 2004 captain Ross Munnelly both spoke positively about the prospect of O'Dwyer returning. However, the manager was not present when a players' meeting started at 7 p.m.

The drama intensified, though, when he was whisked into the club grounds in the front seat of the car of county chairman Dick Miller and then he addressed the players.

After talking to the players for 25 minutes, O'Dywer was gone in a flash - literally, as photographers surrounded his car. It was left to O'Loughlin to explain what had happened in the meeting.

Meanwhile, the players took to the lonely roads around The Heath for a training run, and no one was any the wiser as to whether O'Dywer is going to stay.

Only 18 players trained, though the board are adamant that players not currently available for meetings and training have legitimate excuses.

O'Loughlin said Mick O'Dywer had ruled out any approach from any other county, though Joe O'Dwyer said one county had "backed off" yesterday.

Asked why Mick O'Dwyer had not been returning phonecalls to key football people in Laois over the last few days, O'Loughlin replied: "He had horrendous problems with the phone, so he just turned it off.

"I had a horrendous problem with mine too but it just went dead on me."

The next instalment is set to take place tomorrow night when the Laois team reconvene for another training session, and all eyes will be on the training pitch to see if O'Dwyer turns up.