Kerry boss Jack O'Connor does not expect experienced defender Mike McCarthy to play intercounty football for the Kingdom in 2010.
McCarthy returned to the Kerry fold midway through the 2009 season, having previously retired, and his comeback coincided with Kerry stepping up their play after a poor start to the Championship. They of course went on to win yet another Sam Maguire trophy.
However, the Kilcummin clubman has again been absent early in 2010 and - after seeing his side earn their first win of their National Football League Division One season on Sunday when beating Derry - O'Connor hinted that he did not expect him to make another return in 2010.
"You can never say never with Mike," O'Connor, whose side lost to Dublin and Cork before beating the Oak Leafers, was quoted as saying by the Irish Examiner.
"He was not coming back last year either but we managed to convince him. He has other commitments now outside of football and they are important as well."
With Darragh O Se and Diarmuid Murphy having called time on their inter-county careers and Tadhg Kennelly and Tommy Walsh having switched to Australian Rules Football, McCarthy's loss would be yet another blow as O'Connor looks to build a new side ahead of the Kingdom's championship defence.