THE Clare hurlers have requested a meeting with their county board executive tonight where they plan to restate and explain their desire for Mike McNamara to step down.

The Clare executive have publicly backed McNamara to continue as manager and established a three-man mediation committee midweek to work out some compromise between players and management. But after a players' meeting last Thursday night, the players' resolve has been heightened.

The players have already twice issued letters to the county board executive expressing that they had no confidence in McNamara. The first letter, however, wasn't signed, while the second also offered no detail as to why they wanted McNamara removed. The players hoping that he would either step down or the county executive would politely ask him to step aside.

Neither development occurred and last Tuesday night county board delegates, operating without any information as to why McNamara should be removed, duly backed him.

On Thursday night, 23 of the 24 players present at the team meeting each extensively wrote out their criticisms and disillusionment with the 2009 management set-up. (One member of the panel, which­­­ includes McNamara's son, Conor, declined, just like one player voted confidence in McNamara at another team meeting attended two weeks ago.)

Those 23 sheets of paper were yesterday condensed into a detailed statement which team captain Brian O'Connell intends to read out to the executive. It is believed he will be flanked by the rest of the panel.

Clare will also have to plan without Tony Griffin, who at just 28 years of age has decided to retire from the inter-county scene.

Griffin informed his fellow players of his decision at last Thursday's meeting and in today's Sunday Tribune details the reasons behind his decision and his disillusionment with the managerial set-up and Clare hurling culture in recent seasons.