Jim McGuinness cuts a relaxed figure at the Dublin launch of his memoir.
The former Donegal boss has emerged from the media interviews surrounding the launch of ‘Until Victory Always’ and is now looking forward to a short break at home in Donegal from his current role with Celtic.
As we sat down with the Glenties man, we got the chance to quiz the 1992 All-Ireland winner on his debut season as a Tv pundit, the expansion of his role with the Scottish champions, and how he feels the GAA’s proposed calender changes may work.
Where will a challenger to Dublin emerge from in 2016?
It’s a big ask for all the managers really. The Ulster championship will have a few contenders in 2016. Monaghan as provincial champions clearly and Tyrone and Donegal. I wouldn’t write off Armagh after last year either.
I would like to think Donegal would be the strongest team in Ulster again next year, based on the disappointment of 2015, and hopefully they can come through and push hard again.
It’s always the usual suspects after that then, but Dublin won’t be under any major pressure in Leinster. Galway might try and turn the screw on Mayo but I think they are as a group very mature, and what has gone on there with the management is a big statement by the players.
Were they right to dump Pat Holmes and Noel Connelly?
I think it was a brave thing to do and it wasn’t an easy thing to do. Loyalty is a big big part of Gaelic football and GAA, and I’ve been in dressing rooms myself and people would question things but not speak up.
Time will tell whether it was the right thing to do or not. As a group they are in their mid 20s, there is a lot of pace and power there and if they make a few adjustments, they should be there again.
Have players always held the power in the dressing room?
I know there was issues previously with Cork but it wasn’t happening in any other corner of the country but two in the one season is unusual. Will it become the norm? My gut feeling is that it won’t, but both are very talented squads looking for a tiny edge and to win the All-Ireland.
They know there is a window of opportunity in their own heads to get over the line. Galway and Mayo are both ravenous for success and I think for those reason it has happened.
How will Jim Gavin keep Dublin sharp after sweeping the boards in 2015?
I think his squad will probably dictate that and I think Dublin are very strong in so many areas. Their county board, their supporters, and the support the team gets is hard to match. They could have five debutantes in a team at some stage next year and still be comfortable going into the championship. That in itself will keep a team very very fresh.
How did you enjoy punditry this year with Sky?
Stepping away from Donegal was a little bit of a wrench in the heart and it filled a void for me. I got to a lot of games as well which was unusual because as a manager you’re in a bubble.
I think for me what was most interesting was seeing how teams learned from day to day and game to game in the championship. In Ulster you would run with a few tactics and the team that you had done that against, the next time you face them, they’re doing it to you.
Going into this year’s championship no-one would have said Dublin will play a sweeper system. Then they get to the semi of Leinster against Kildare and they go with that system and that defines the difference between 2014 and 2015 for them.
Two recent TV pundits, Gary Neville and Donal Óg Cusack are now involved in management?
It will be interesting to see how Gary does alright. He’s got the Valencia job off the back of that, and he got the England job off the back of it too I understand.
The lure of being involved day-to-day for these pundits is what they will always be attracted to and that’s hard to resist.
What do you make of possible changes to the GAA fixtures calendar?
I haven’t sen Paraic Duffy’s proposal to be honest so I can’t really comment but anything goes down the road to facilitating fairness for both sides is a good thing. You have players for a period of time, then you lose them and then you lose the traction and the energy. But if everybody was in the same boat then it might be a different dynamic.
Club football is the bedrock of the association and I’ve been on both sides and understand what it’s like to win a club title and an All-Ireland. You have to be given the opportunity
Would anyone at Celtic that would have made it in GAA?
Anthony Stokes reckons he would like to go back and play for Dublin whenever he’s finished. I told him he wouldn’t be hardy enough for it. He said then he could take the frees and I told him to kick it over the bar. So he put the ball on the halfway line and he kicked it over, and I said, “go do it again” and he did it again and I said, “well ok, maybe there is a small possibility”. He did it eight or nine times in a row so I’d to back down on that.
You are doing some coaching now too?
Yeah, I’m doing a bit of work with the development squad and helping out with then from a coaching point of view so that’s given me different avenue than just working with the one-ones from a psychological point of view.
It feels look a bit more like what I would have been doing with Donegal. I’m preparing for training, and games and looking to build players and aspects of play. That’s very refreshing and it’s good to be around the first team and working on the one-to-ones.
Jim McGuinness spoke to SportsJOE at the official book launch of ‘Until Victory Always’ in Dtwo Harcourt Hotel
