Darragh Ó Sé: Even the best managers need the right players to succeed

I was asked recently if the role of the manager has expanded in the past 10 years. I was flanked by Peter Canavan and Jim McGuinness. Also happened to be on live television.

Both Ulster men felt it was more important than ever. I'm not so sure. Put it this way: Could the three most successful managers in recent years – McGuinness, Jim Gavin and Éamonn Fitzmaurice – win an All-Ireland if put in charge of Cavan, Sligo, Tipperary or Meath?

The answer is, I believe, emphatically no. That’s because the counties just don’t have the players to go all the way to September, though I’ve no doubt the aforementioned managers would drag the very best out of each panel.

But even Mickey Harte, perhaps the greatest modern manager of them all, has not been back to an All-Ireland final since 2008. That doesn’t make him any less a manager. Most of Tyrone’s All-Ireland winners are past their prime and retired. Mickey has had to rebuild. Which he is clearly doing.

But the winning is done by the players. The manager and backroom team can get them to the gates, but the sacking of a city goes to those first over the walls. Those on the field implement the masterplan.

The two most successful managers since I’ve been watching Gaelic games are Mick O’Dwyer and Brian Cody. The genius of both men was/is in the longevity of their time walking the line. Survival comes from a ruthlessness to cull ageing players and get new guys in.

Cody, like O’Dwyer, knew when to get out of his players’ way. That’s the brilliance of their management at times. Give them the plans, keep a few aces up your sleeve, but trust them to deliver.

Éamonn Fitzmaurice trusts his players.

But you need the blocks to build a house. Every manager has moments when he sparks the panel to life, when all ears are cocked to his every word. Páidí really came into his own in 2002. I know we lost the All-Ireland to Armagh, but that was his best year in motivational terms.

Much as changed

Still, more than 13 years have passed in football terms. Even the language has changed. If you got a time machine back to 2002 and went on to me about a sweeper, I’d be wondering why we were talking soccer in July.

Each summer most managerial reputations take a beating. Brian Cuthbert was a genius until the weekend and Éamonn Fitzmaurice a hobo. Those roles have been reversed but, really, Cuthbert must rely on his players to take responsibility this week to see off a battle-hardened Kildare. That will be a genuine struggle.

But if Cork do get over it, and I think they will, they should give Dublin a serious game. They played with such pace and skill the first day against Kerry that it would squeeze them into the top three teams in Ireland if they could repeat such a performance every game. They always blow hot, then cold. You imagine Dublin in Croke Park should warm them up.

It would be a pity if day one in Killarney was all we saw from these players this year. It’s head work they need. Cuthbert can focus the minds, but how does he re-create the first day against Kerry?

It’s the players who must grab the nettle. They need to be startled into consistency. In 2009 we struggled over the line against Sligo and Longford before a moment of inspiration from Mike McCarthy dragged the rest of us on. That wasn’t rehearsed – Mike just decided to solo up the field and spear through the heart of Antrim.

Niall Carew, another genius until Sunday's flailing by Mayo, has the hardest job of all this week.

The Pat Holmes and Noel Connelly partnership was deemed also-rans, but that’s changing. The flip side is that it’s very easy to slam Carew’s Sligo. He presumably had them back training last night, but how does one address the 6-25 Mayo put on them?

How do they go about climbing out from underneath the early avalanche at the Hyde to ready themselves for a Tyrone group with a clear road map after three qualifier wins?

At least player attitudes have changed with the times. In the good old days, Jack O’Connor’s biggest job was to stop fellas going for beers the Monday after losing to Cork. The modern manager has to keep fellas out of the gym so they don’t overdo it.

Seriously though, it is about keeping players fresh. And if they are good enough, they will deliver.

Now, there is no question McGuinness made a huge difference in Donegal; so is Malachy O’Rourke in Monaghan.

Monaghan, after winning Ulster, are flat out now. The boot is to the floor. Can they reproduce it in Croke Park? If not, it won’t be for wont of effort.

No flinching

Every time I think of Monaghan, I remember that Stephen Gollogly hit on Mark McHugh in the 2013 Ulster final. You don’t play chicken with this Monaghan team. We saw it again on Sunday. They won’t flinch.

Cork could learn from that attitude.

You never have to check Monaghan’s pulse. They always seem to reach their optimum level of performance. They have a system and everyone buys into it. Maybe that’s Malachy’s influence.

But I imagine Terry Hyland’s Cavan panel is at the cutting edge of strength and conditioning. Same goes for Jason Ryan’s coaching in Kildare. Or Kieran McGeeney’s preparation in Armagh. The difference is the players. Certain players have talent coupled with mental fortitude to drive it on to the next level.

That’s why Donegal should rise again this year. Look through Rory Gallagher’s team and you see natural leaders everywhere: Neil Gallagher, Michael Murphy, the McGee brothers, Frankie McGlynn, Karl Lacey – men who have played in two All-Ireland finals.

All Rory has to do is show the clip of Karl O’Connell breezing past Michael Murphy before kicking a point. Murphy doesn’t let players past him that easy. Showing the clip should suffice.

Last chance players

That’s why I’m not so sure Gallagher has that much work to do. Many of those senior players will sense this could be their last chance. They only need a brief moment of reflection, a glance at their 14 wides. The players will surely take responsibility for that performance, and for their finite future in a Donegal jersey.

You see, the hungriest of the talented players always rise to the surface. Last year it was Kerry. This year we have the usual counties back in contention, with Tyrone again nearing that upper tier. That’s down to the quality of their players.

I was down in Semple stadium on Saturday. What impressed me about Tyrone was their patience. Tipperary got into the same positions and both teams had similar defensive structures. But Tipp forwards were always a pass or two away from getting it to the man who needed to be shooting, only for a fella to have a rush of blood to the head. Tyrone had the guile to hold possession until Seán Cavanagh could drive onto the ball.

Was that a coincidence? Not at all. It was like watching the All Blacks or Ireland under Joe Schmidt. Twelve phases of recycling before one more rotation puts a strike runner into space.

Good coaching

That was the simple difference in a game that finished with a gaping 12 points between the sides. That is down to good coaching, but it’s the players who embrace what needs to be done on the field to win.

If Niall Carew can get that across to his Sligo players, maybe they will rattle Tyrone. But you need the blocks to build a house. We know who has them and who hasn’t.

Jim Gavin has an equally demanding job as Carew. He has at least five of the best players in the country. His pressure is to ensure the best team wins the All-Ireland. They beat Westmeath by 13 points and still questions are asked. The scrutiny of the national media on their doorstep will always be a hindrance.

Still, I think the Dublin players, looking at the mental strength gained from past failures such as last year’s All-Ireland semi-final, will never allow themselves to slip into cruise control again.

That’s why I can’t see them being tripped up along the way this time.