Nicky English has seen it all.
The Premier County legend has underlined the main differences between the modern GAA player, and those he played with and managed in the late 1900’s and early 2000’s.
English had a remarkably successful 15-year playing career between 1982-1986 with Tipperary. During this period the Lattin Cullen clubman made a name for himself as one of the finest forwards to have ever played the game.
English wasn’t done there, however, and success soon followed his playing retirement, in a management capacity.
English has the unique achievement to his name of winning an All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship as both a player and a manager. The 54-year-old is still involved in hurling to this day, having coached the UCD Fitzgibbon Cup team for the last few years.
English is therefore in a good position to comment on the changes that the game has seen in recent years, compared to his time as a player and a manager.
While claiming that GAA players are now stronger, fitter and possibly more skilful nowadays than they were in that earlier period, English went on to claim that the current crop of GAA players are softer mentally than the 2000 lads.
He claims that this apparent ‘fragile mentality’ altered his management approach to the UCD hurlers, for example, in comparison to how he dealt with the Premier County’s men of the early 2000’s.
“I think the basic principles are the same. I think players are stronger now. They’re possibly more skilful, they hit the ball further. But in some cases they’re a little bit more fragile mentally than players were in 2001 and 2002 in terms of how you can actually motivate them or manage people. I think you have to be a bit more gentle. As a manager I think I’m a bit more gentle than I was in 2001 or 2002 but maybe they’ll tell you different.”
English’s home county have been regularly criticised as having a similar fragile mentality, even going back to his playing days.
Their recent League Final capitulation against Galway is a case in point.
He agreed that the Premier County are very capable of getting ahead of themselves when they achieve success and that this cockiness has been their undoing in their failed attempts to retain an All-Ireland title.
They haven’t done so since 1964/1965 but will be hoping to end that trend this year.
To do so, they will have to remove the element of ‘softness’, as English refers to it.
“There is certainly an element of softness. The key to it I think is to have a very deep squad and a lot of challenge with real competition for places on the 15 and new players coming into the mix. I think it’s natural for people who have played well the year before and sated that ultimate desire somewhat.”
Tipperary will begin their Championship defence against Cork this Sunday and English thinks the key to avoiding another failed attempt at retaining their crown, is hunger and more competition for places.
