Enthusiastic Gavin ready to get down to business
It sounds like he’s been counting down the days and new Dublin football manager Jim Gavin gets to stage his first collective training session this Saturday, thanks to the now staggered winter training ban.
In recent years all intercounty teams were prohibited from collective training until January 1st, but under the amended rule, are now able to return in November or December – depending on the date they exited the championship.
For Dublin, it’s this Saturday, even if that required an appeal to their original designated date, having actually played their All-Ireland semi-final on the first Sunday in September.
“The last 60 days have already been quite intense, in terms of preparing for the forthcoming season,” said Gavin, now that time-span in charge, and speaking at Parnell Park at the unveiling of the new Dublin jersey. “It’s been a busy time, speaking to a lot of players, but we really get the show on the road this weekend as we resume collective training.”
Gavin, in fact, has been speaking to some 53 Dublin players, inviting them to play some part in his preliminary panel for 2013. That list includes teenage minor dual star Cormac Costello, who is set to commit to football, and long-serving goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton, despite some reports that he was contemplating retirement.
Good relationship
With Tomás Brady also shifting from hurling to football for 2013 (plus former Dublin hurling trainer Martin Kennedy), Gavin seems to be winning the war on dual players, although he insists his relationship with Dublin hurling manager Anthony Daly is sound – even if he hasn’t actually been speaking with Daly face-to-face.
“There’s no tension whatsoever. I’m just delighted that players are playing Gaelic games, be it hurling or football. It all benefits Dublin GAA in the end. So no, the relationship is very good.
“But Cormac, at the moment, will be joining us on Saturday, and is committing solely to the footballers, yes. But it’s very much an open door. Guys will move in and out of the squad so there’s no locked-down figure at the moment.”
Indeed, with Dublin champions Ballymun preparing for a Leinster club final this Saturday, and potentially in action until next St Patrick’s Day, Gavin will be juggling his players for several months yet.
Tomás Quinn and Paul Casey are the only two confirmed retirements from 2012, although others, such as midfielder Eamonn Fennell, haven’t yet been invited back.
The issue of when, or indeed how, the panel will be ultimately cut is therefore ongoing.
“We also have a lot of players that are playing Sigerson, and they’ll be involved with their colleges in the month of January in the O’Byrne Cup, which is a fantastic opportunity for them.”
Long-term absentees
Gavin also has to contend with some long-term absentees, including 2011 footballer of the year Alan Brogan, who is undergoing groin surgery, while fellow forward Eoghan O’Gara confirmed yesterday that he will undergo hip surgery before Christmas, and won’t be back until late March, or early April. “It’s an injury that’s been there for a couple of seasons so I’ve a chance to finally sort it out as opposed to more temporary treatments on it,” said O’Gara.
