What more can you say about the lad?
When you score four goals and four points in an All-Ireland minor final there is literally no way of doubting someone’s ability.
It’s not a case of if David Clifford will shoot lights out for the senior team, it’s a matter of when.
The only snag in the works is if he goes to Australia to play in the AFL, they want him by the looks of it.
David Clifford, an 18-year-old Gaelic footballer, will come onto the radar of several AFL clubs. https://t.co/xWVZo23xA7
— AFL (@AFL) September 17, 2017
But Kerry’s marquee forward in Paul Geaney said, when speaking at the announcement of PwC’s sponsorship of the All-Star Awards, he is hopeful of the Kerry minor staying.
Geaney is realistic about the whole scenario but thinks that the Fossa club man will stay and drew comparisons to fellow Kerryman Mark O’Connor who has been successful in the AFL:
“It’s out of our hands as players and it’s going to be David’s decision to make and I hope that he stays at home. I think he can achieve more at home, what we’re looking at now is Dublin have achieved a three-in-a-row and we’re under pressure down in Kerry and he can help to contribute and be the main man going forward,” the Kerryman said.
“He can achieve more by staying at home and he’ll be fine career-wise, people at home will look after him so hopefully.
“Mark (O’Connor) was a different story, Mark wanted to play Aussie Rules from 16-years-of-age and he was a different prospect as well, he was a different type of player.
“Mark was extremely athletic and was a good fielder out the field, he wasn’t a scorer as such and maybe David’s talent won’t directly translate into a good AFL footballer because it’s more about being athletic than skills, the skills in it are catch kick and fast hands really you wouldn’t even often see a guy bounce the ball in the AFL, they’re two different prospects so I don’t think it would suit David as much as it would suit Mark in the AFL so hopefully we won’t even be debating it next year.
“I think we should try everything in our power to try and keep him at home definitely but I think he’s happy enough, he’s in second year in IT Tralee and he has a scholarship there, a county board scholarship with the IT so he has that at the moment so that’s part of it but it’s making sure he has a career at home and options put forward to him by the people of Kerry, we give him a job.” the 2017 All-Star nominee concluded.
