“I don’t think it’s any place for a county board official inside in that dressing room.”
County board members in the player’s dressing rooms wasn’t an unusual sight a few years ago, but it wasn’t exactly a welcome one.
When you have been training since January in the freezing cold, battling with the squad, getting through the league, then progressing through the championship, and finally playing at Croke Park, you can feel uneasy that suddenly a county board member is now with you.
They weren’t there at the beginning, but when it’s on the big stage, suddenly they’re handing our advice to you and it can upset the sanctity of the dressing room.
Speaking on the GAA Hour, former Dublin hurler Conal Keaney, explains what his thoughts were at seeing board members rocking about before the game.
“I remember at the very, very start of my career, with some, certain people involved in county board committees, they’d be coming into the dressing room and they’d be going around giving little pep-talks to lads.
Most county board officials know their place when it comes to pre-match preparations but there’s always one or two who over-step the mark.
“A player or two was sitting on the ground in the bus for a county board official, or a couple of friends.” pic.twitter.com/Tm3faRl46p— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) August 26, 2021
“I’m not saying they’re doing that now, but like, when you’re in that set-up and you’re ready to go in a game, you don’t need any extra people in the dressing room.
“You’re just looking around going ‘that’s irritating me. He’s only in here to listen to what’s going on and you feel like that is going to be getting out, like, you’re just here, ‘where was he when we were training in January, February or March like?’
“With Dublin, the county board are so good and they get on with the lads, there’s no issue like, if John Costello floats into the dressing room, it’s how are you John, how are you, there’s no big deal.
“Or whoever it is, there’s no problem. Because they know themselves that they may come in but they’re not going to be standing around listening to what’s going on.”
Former Tipperary star, Paddy Stapleton, was also on the show and weighed in on the discussion.
“Well there was, I think there was a couple of stories from when Babs was manager. I think a player or two was sitting on the ground in the bus for a county board official, or a couple of friends.
“So I think that story was going around from 2007 I think from when they played Wexford in a quarter final but, generally speaking, you would definitely have a few there but I do think it was lessened and lessened as it went on.
“Certainly before a game, I don’t think, and if you were involved for the good of the team, I don’t think it’s any place for a county board official inside in that dressing room.”
The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10
