What makes a great manager?
There are a huge number of aspects that make up the truly elite bosses in any sport. Be it tactical, physical, or mental, a huge amount is required to reach the pinnacle.
Man management is one thing that most of the greats have in common. Of course the other aspects of the game are hugely important, but extracting the very best out of every single player at your disposal might be the most crucial ingredient to success.
Part of that is knowing what buttons to press in order to get the best out of each individual. Some will need an arm around the shoulder, while others want to be criticised in order to produce the goods.
Liam Sheedy is amongst the best at this in Irish sport, as evidenced by one small clip from Tipperary's win over Clare at the weekend.
It came during the water break in the opening half, with the cameras catching a glimpse of Sheedy talking to his players.
We first saw him talking to John O'Dwyer and Jake Morris, having a quiet word with each of them to explain what he wanted on the pitch.
When he then turned to see Seamus Callanan, he hit him a dig in the chest and started shouting. You could see form his captain's reaction that this was exactly what he needed.
Know your players… who needs a calming word… who needs to be revved up #tippvclare pic.twitter.com/LUWg1K9n2h
— Stephen Quirke (@SQuirke_Coach) July 4, 2021
This is just a small thing, but it does give a glimpse at how the top managers in sport operate.
A 'one size fits all' approach certainly does not work at the top level, with too many different personalities making up a given dressing room.
Sheedy seems to know that as well as anyone, with the results on the pitch clear to see.
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