Paul Mannion first played under Jim Gavin in 2012.
Mannion was only just out of minor but he was good enough to make an All-Ireland winning under-21 panel two years out of his age. He was a whippet of a lad back then but Jim Gavin had faith in him.
Not long after that final win over Roscommon, Gavin got the top job in Dublin, and as a clear sign of the belief and confidence he had in the youngster, he brought Mannion straight into the set-up with him.
The pair go back a long way.
Gavin gave a 20-year-old Mannion his chance in the League that year, and Mannion grasped it with both hands.
It has worked in both of their favours.
He scored 4-25 in 13 starts in 2013 as he announced himself as the hottest young talent in Dublin during Jim Gavin’s first All-Ireland winning year as Dublin manager.
The mutual respect clear, Gavin went up in Mannion’s estimation even more in 2015 when he wished Mannion well with his decision to take a year out of the Dublin panel to travel to China. With a pat on the back, away he went with a smile on his face.
“I was really appreciative of how he handled that,” said Mannion to Conan Doherty on Thursday’s GAA Hour Show.
“He welcomed me back in afterwards as well, and I think that year abroad did me a lot of good.”
The 25-year-old went on to give a fascinating insight into what sets Gavin apart as a manager.
From man-management to a deadly attention to detail.
“Of course, he’s a really astute manager from a football kind of view. With the military background, he’s deadly organised, and how he’s fostered that culture is something that’s not easy to do in management.
“I don’t think he gets enough credit at all to be honest…”
He has a good team in place, each and every one of whom he trusts.
“He’s got good people in the right places to facilitate good conversations about things, performance, culture, what we value and what we represent – that kind of way…”
And that’s what sets Dublin apart.
Mannion brought the cup to Dublin’s sponsors AIG during the week.
“That’s what marks us apart from other football teams – everybody works hard, runs hard and goes to the gym hard but how Jim has managed to do that – how’ he’s managed to facilitated these conversations – that’s the most impressive thing.
“That’s something that blows me away, the conversations we have about those things within the walls of the dressing rooms. We really do go into deep thought and detail into these conversations and topics and that’s how we’ve fostered that culture and how we have become one.
“I think that’s something that’s particularly true about our team and long may it continue I guess.”
You can listen to the Mannion interview, some JP McManus talk and a Lyndsey Davey interview on Thursday’s GAA Hour Show here.
