The effect of managers on the GAA landscape has perhaps never been as important as it is now. If you're to believe the headlines, the style of football that we're seeing at the moment is threatening to bring down the game as we know it. Something which is, understandably, placed at the feet of some managers.
Writing in the Irish Times today, Darragh Ó Sé has turned his attention to the effect that managers can have on players and, in particular, the managers who had an effect on his career.
Kerry legend Páidí Ó Sé gets most of the credit for Ó Sé's lengthy career but, it's a tidbit about another noteworthy manager that we were particularly entertained by.
In the years before he was the saviour of Donegal, Jim McGuinness was a hairy young man, studying in Tralee and looking for a training session to keep himself fit. He found one, the only problem was that he picked a Kerry senior training session.
According to Ó Sé, McGuinness simply turned up and expected to be welcomed with open arms, long hair and all.
I remember years ago when he was in studying in Tralee, he turned up at Kerry training one night looking to join in. Now, if a fella ponied up at club training some evening looking to keep his hand in, you might say fair enough.
But Kerry training? Not so fast, buddy. Páidí was over us at the time and he was nearly shocked at the notion of it. It was like, where did yer man get the balls to turn up here? And him from where? Donegal? Ah no. Funny, I always thought afterwards that McGuinness’s long hair probably counted against him that night.
The only way that could be made better would be if there was a recording of Páidí Ó Sé's face when McGuinness rocked up ready to join in.
