Jim McGuinness joins Sky Sports as pundit for All-Ireland championships

Sometimes it's worth travelling to London, compliments of Sky Sports, to interview one of the most interesting and divisive minds in Gaelic games. Even though he's situated in Glasgow, working for Celtic.

It’s Jim McGuinness of course.

The man who gave five stirring years of management to Donegal football before moving full time into soccer coaching (not just of the mind but the feet as he's poised to attain his UEFA B badge) will be part of Sky's 2015 football championship coverage.

A sitting with McGuinness, even via satellite link-up between Rupert Murdoch’s English and Scottish studios, proves highly educational. Even when it quickly becomes the sports journalist version of speed dating. In a room full of reporters, everyone gets a go on the microphone but we’re no match for the 42-year-old footballing sage who guided Donegal to two All-Ireland finals, bringing Sam Maguire to the hills in 2012.

Coaching career

McGuinness believes Donegal will hold off Tyrone in Ballybofey on Sunday week. But before we get to that, his coaching career in soccer needs further examination.

“I’d like to challenge myself in that area to see what I can do and what I can offer,” he said in reference to initially coaching Celtic’s academy.

“The coaches with Celtic have been very good as well. They’ve given me a couple of hours here and there in terms of their defensive structures. The manager said he is going to give me a couple of sessions as well, maybe this season coming in so I’m looking forward to that and being around that type of people who will educate you and develop you and then it’s up to yourself to bring the concepts forward.”

Kevin Moran made the late transition from amateur Gaelic footballer to professional soccer in 1978, aged 22, but to do it as a manager would be astonishing. “It’s something that I really enjoy doing anyway. We’ll see where it takes us now.”

From a peripheral perch, not much has changed regarding his view of the other footballing landscape. One from Mayo, Dublin, Kerry or his own clan will hold Sam come September. And what of Dublin? Will his masterful unpicking of their attacking philosophy in 2014 force them towards his way of playing? “We won’t really know until they start playing championship games and they are going to have to show their hand and decide what they want to do. Are they going to go man-to-man or are they going to play zonal in the half-back line or maybe keep one sweeper back.

Very athletic

“What I do know is that they still have the best squad of players in the country, very athletic , very dynamic. I think if they get things right between now and the start of the championship they will definitely be a force to be reckoned with.”

But Ballybofey without him at its epicentre on the upcoming championship afternoon will, initially at least, feel very strange. The wonder is if he can be drawn back to that draining yet inspiring role as steward of Donegal football.

“I would never rule it out . . . I know the boys aren’t finished yet but the period I had with them for four years with the seniors and the one year with the 21s [when they reached the All-Ireland final in 2010] were probably the best years of my life in terms of experience and developing and growing as a person. I would never close a book on it, absolutely not. We’ll just see how things develop.”

Back to Tyrone, who need quelling when the throne of Ulster needs retaining.

“Tyrone will be coming with designs on winning this one and a new game plan possibly. They got a shot in the arm with their 21s winning an All-Ireland. Sometimes you look at things and make decisions on it very quickly but I think Tyrone will be very hungry to get one over Donegal and it’s going to make for a very good game.”

Still, he believes Donegal will move on to face Kieran McGeeney’s Armagh.

“It will be interesting to see if Tyrone go back to 2005, 2008 and a really hard-running game. I’ve a funny feeling that they will. I’m not sure that will work against Donegal as in order for that game to click into gear you need space to run into. I’m not sure they are going to get that in Ballybofey.”

Crucial role

He said so much more. Always does. All we can include is an edited opinion of a man who played such a crucial role in moulding football into its current shape, which some feel is heading towards a sporting precipice.

“There’s always a lot of winter talk and we’ve been privy to a lot of that ourselves in Donegal. For me, I think football is in a very strong place.”