“The All-Ireland was always a target but I didn’t need to write it down anywhere.”
Darran O’Sullivan explains on the latest episode of the GAA Hour how notebooks have become a part of the GAA dressing room.
It’s more common nowadays to see GAA players clutching a notebook in their hand as they enter the dressing room before a big game.
This is because of the progression in sports psychology and the emphasis on goal setting, hitting targets and having tangible aims in matches.
However, speaking on the latest episode of the GAA Hour, Kerry legend O’Sullivan explains why it wasn’t really his thing, but does see the benefit of it in the modern game.
“I never set out individual targets. The All-Ireland was always a target but I didn’t need to write it down anywhere”, said O’Sullivan.
“I did notice in the latter stages of my career, fellas would use notebooks more often and write things down. All of these different fads would come in and we would have to bring a notebook the odd time to meetings.
“There was nothing written in mine to be honest, I wasn’t one for writing stuff down. You would always have targets for going into games, but I wasn’t one for individual targets like ‘I need to get x amount of scores.’
“Going into games, I would have to make a certain amount of goal chances, but they weren’t for me per se. Like if I created a goal chance for whoever it was, that was as good as creating it for me.
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“But I never had anything like ‘I want to be an All-Star this year’ or ‘I want to be top scorer’, it wasn’t my thing, my game was about carrying the ball to a certain point and bringing someone else into it.
“I do think it is the way to go though, and I think goal setting outside of sport is already massive, and people are more aware of that sort of stuff, and being honest and open about it actually adds more pressure and you would have a lot of respect for them coming out and saying it.”
You can listen to the full discussion on the GAA Hour right here: Liam Kearns tribute, football focus and the hurling finally hots up
Related links:
- Darran O’Sullivan says that divers in GAA need to be “named and shamed”
- Darran O’Sullivan reveals which ex-Kerry star did what Jack McCaffrey’s doing
- Darran O’Sullivan thinks Kerry have far bigger concerns than just fitness
