We’ve been here before with Joe.
Three years ago Brolly described one of the best forwards of all time as a ‘choker’ ahead of Kerry’s All-Ireland qualifier clash with Tyrone in Killarney.
And today the Sunday Game pundit has taken another pot shot at the Dr Crokes man in his Sunday Independent column, just seven days after Kerry lost to Dublin in an All-Ireland final in which Cooper was held scoreless.
The former Kerry captain has not looked his best after spending all of last year sidelined due to a knee injury suffered while on club duty.
However Brolly has been most disappointed by the Killarney man’s failure to live up to expectations in big games, such as the five All-Ireland finals he has now lost since making his debut in 2002.
“When the heat is turned up, he disappears, starting with that second half in 2002 against Armagh. Or that trilogy against Tyrone. Or the second half of the 2013 semi-final against Dublin when Cian O’Sullivan picked him up. Or 2012 against Donegal when he was entirely anonymous and looked like he simply gave up.”
“Or last Sunday, when Philly McMahon was rampant and Cooper – as usual – went with the flow. My point is that he is not a leader. In adversity, he fails.”
Brolly goes on to accuse Éamonn Fitzrmaurice’s side of’surrendering’ against Dublin last weekend, while he has described Kerry’s All-Ireland wins over Mayo (twice) and Cork (twice) in the last 13 years as “soft”.
We’re sure Kerry fans won’t be too pleased, but Brolly’s comments are nothing that followers of the green and gold haven’t heard before.
After an underwhelming performance against Crossmaglen in the 2012 All-Ireland club semi final, the former All-Ireland winner wrote in the Derry Journal that Colm Cooper was not the man for the big occasion.
“I watched him closely in this year’s club semi-final against Crossmaglen. Crokes went seven points up. He had not contributed. Then, Crossmaglen – against all the odds – began their comeback. Now, I thought to myself, Cooper will lead them home. I waited, and waited, and waited. In the face of Crossmaglen’s furious indignation, the golden boy disappeared.”
“An American tourist would never have believed it if you’d told him The Gooch was one of the greats. If however you’d told him he was a choker, he would have agreed, since that is what Colm did against Cross.”
He was taken to task for his comments on the Sunday Game
We’ll wait and see whether Pat Spillane stores up today’s comments until the two return to our screens next May.
