Former manager Declan Bonner has ruled himself out of contention for the vacant Donegal football job.

The Rosses man had been the latest name to be linked with the vacant Donegal football job after the shock decision of Michael Oliver McIntyre to withdraw his interest in the post.

However, Bonner told BBC Sport Online on Friday morning that he was not interested in succeeding Mickey Moran who stood down in September.

Bonner acknowledged that he had been approached by Donegal chairman Brian McEniff about the job.

"But the time is not right at the moment," said Bonner, who managed Donegal from 1997 until 2000.

I've really got too much going on at the moment Declan Bonner

"Intercounty management is basically a full-time job nowadays and I have a young family.

"I'm very busy at work at the moment and I've also opened a bookie's shop recently.

"In addition, I'm got some work to do on my house so I've really got too much stuff going on at the moment to consider making myself available for the job.

"If I was taking on the job, I'd want to be able to give it 120 per cent and there's no way I could do that".

With Bonner out of contention, Donegal appear to be back to square one in their search for a new boss after McIntyre's 11th hour decision not to accept the post.

Mickey Moran: Quit in September

One theory doing the rounds in Donegal, is that the lack of a suitable candidate could force McEniff to take the job himself.

McEniff rejected this scenario a fortnight ago but the Donegal county board appear to be between a rock and a hard place at the moment.

Earlier this week, well-placed Donegal sources had placed McIntyre as the only candidate for the post.

The plan was for McIntyre to be the new Donegal boss with Michael McGeehan as his number two.

However, new county chairman Brian McEniff then announced the presence of a mystery second candidate and this revelation appears to have played a part in McIntyre's about-turn.

Training session

There almost certainly, will be renewed efforts to convince Martin McHugh to take the job but he has told the BBC repeatedly that he doesn't want the job at this time.

Ironically, McHugh, Bonner and the other members of Donegal's All-Ireland winning team from 1992 will be meeting with McEniff at a function on Friday night which will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the triumph.

The dinner takes place at McEniff's Great Northern Hotel in Bundoran.

Former manager PJ McGowan and Cathal Campbell oversaw Donegal's first training session since the summer on Wednesday night.