I gave up listening to this about 3 or 4 years ago but just listened to the Mick O’Connell’s podcast due to the reaction to it since.
Fucking great stuff by Mick…without question the greatest O’Connell to play sport in this country.
The 2 cunts laughing at him at the end of the interview. Utter gobshites. Are their ratings any good ?
Could you send on a link?
https://soundcloud.com/offtheball/the-legendary-mick-oconnell-at-80-the-interview
Thank God for Off the Ball, for all the bitching about it, its a wonderful addition tbf. They’ve had some absolute gold dust over the years.
Brolly had a small bit of a dig at them here, nothing any worse than was said here. Poor Joe Molloy couldnt hack it and sulked about it then on the Sunday program.
Joe Brolly: Off The Ball interviewing Mick O’Connell was a bit like Ant and Dec cross-examining Seamus Heaney
When I was in Trinity, I played on the Sigerson team with the O’Sullivan brothers from Cahirciveen, Seanie and Diarmuid. Sigerson was hot and heavy in those days, and attrition was the name of the game. Both boys were purists when they arrived in Dublin, and quickly had to be schooled in the dark arts.
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When they were in their third year, they went home to play a South Kerry championship match for St Mary’s against Valencia Island. Seanie was corner back, and from the first whistle tucked into his man with a vengeance, thumping, pulling and trash talking.
Mick O’Connell was standing behind the goals watching on in horror, and after 15 minutes the great man could take no more. He stepped onto the field of play and told Seanie his behaviour was disgraceful, and that whatever he had learned in Dublin there was no place for it in the Kingdom.
“Stop that nonsense immediately son, and play like a Kerryman.” Seanie, who is only 5ft 7in, looked him straight in the eye and said “Would you ever f*** off”. It was too late for redemption. Seanie had been converted to the dark side.
The great man was 80 last Wednesday. To mark the occasion, Ger Gilroy and Joe Molloy interviewed him on Newstalk’s ‘Off the Ball’, which was a bit like Ant and Dec cross examining Seamus Heaney. “Wow,” said Gilroy to begin. Then . . .
Ger: One of the things you’re legendary about is that you didn’t celebrate your wins. . .
Micko: What was there to celebrate? Football was only a pastime. More important things to be doing in life. (silence)
Ger: You like rowing?
Mick: I rowed as a pastime.
Ger: It kept you nice and fit?
Mick: For rowing you mean?
Ger: For football.
Mick: Football and rowing have no association.
Ger: (nervous laughter)
Mick: You seem to know all about the sport. What age are you? 23 is it?
Ger: (nervous laughter) I wish.
Mick: What age are you?
Ger: I’m 39. (silence)
Joe Molloy (intervenes as an act of mercy): There must’ve been a good coach who helped you out?
Mick: Who? I never used the word coach. Where did you get that? (silence)
Joe: Can I ask you a few questions about your career?
Mick: I never classed it as a career. It was a pastime.
Joe (struggling now): Are you surprised you’re classed as one of the true greats?
Mick: That’s only comment.
Joe (trapped now): Can I put this to you. You are beloved by Kerry people and beyond?
Mick: Beloved?
Joe: Yeah.
Mick: I don’t know what that means.
O’Connell went on to disagree with Joe’s phrase “Gaelic football” countering that it was no longer football but simply “Gaelic”.
“A lot of older people don’t even go to the games anymore or watch them. The game isn’t governed properly. There are no visionary people administrating it.”
He finished by saying: “The ends to me weren’t important. The means were what mattered. To be able to fetch a ball in the air. To kick with both feet. On and off the ground. If we won, well and good. If not, the same.”
Then, he was gone. Back in studio there was silence. Then an eruption of laughter. Prolonged laughter. Kevin Kilbane said: “Well done mate.” Molloy, laughing, said: “I really like him.” Ger was just glad it was over. Mick won’t thank me for saying it. But what a footballer. And what a man!
is that interview edited MBB?
it sounds very much so, no real flow to it
he starts talking about a “documentary” without really introducing what the documentary is
daft question there about asking Mick O is Valentia “impoverished”… FFS what man is going to slag his homeplace live on air
Micko sounds like a right contrary ould bollux tho,
its refresing stuff tho from Mick, the lads are sniggering away there with their “social media” ould attitude
Not that I think. The documentary mentioned was what the intro was taken from iirc.
Valentia was no more impoverished anyway. It had plenty going on down there with the transatlantic cable, fishing and the Slate to name just three. Lovely part of the world.
I wouldn’t blame Molloy and Gilroy. They are par for the course in sports interviewing nowadays. Too much fluff and wanky questions for the likes of O’Connell.
Thing is thought, with the likes of Connell, it wouldnt take much to interview them. Prompt them for a start, and let them do all the talking. Problem with Gilroy and Molloy is that they want to make themselves sound knowledgeable and be part of the interview, rather than let the interview be about the person.
Exactly. The art of interviewing is lost on the two cunts. Good interviewers ask questions & listen. These 2 fuckwits have to be talking & giving off an impression they know it all when we as listeners don’t give a fuck.
the fact that on about 3 or 4 times they were trying to cut him off said it all about their own egos. No one listened to the interview to hear their thoughts, they listen to hear O Connells thoughts.
It’s like they need recognition for researching their interviewee. Well that’s there fucking job & we as listeners don’t want to pat them on the back. We want to hear the guest answer well thought out questions.
Very true. But that’s the nature of sports coverage these days. The documentaries are the same. Hyperactive editing with 12 different voices for every 60 seconds of film, and a hard cut every five seconds. ESPN’s First Take is the same. All about the presenters, not the athletes. Off the Ball is just the same as the rest of them.
Bang on. It’s why I very, very rarely listen to their output but it’s a common feature any time I’ve tuned in either willingly when I want to hear from the guest or more usually when I’m travelling with someone who’s a listener. Gilroy in particular feels the need to display his knowledge by giving little speeches to lead up to each question. He also butts in like an eager pupil trying to please his primary school teacher.
Martin O’Neill: "Injuries aren’t an excuse during a qualification campaign. People move on after each game and nobody remembers who was unfit and what players we had to ask to do jobs in unfamiliar positions. Like, not many people remember that…
Gilroy (panting): DAVID MEYLER played right back away to Germany. Wes wasn’t available when we played Scotland in Glasgow. Seámus Coleman was injured for Germany at home too."
Shut the fuck up, you fat fucking nuisance.
very good post Bandage, I can sense the passion and the anger towards the OTB lads from it
Thing is they’re the only daily Irish radio sports show(the 2fm one is rubbish).Its like having only one TV channel.
Is Irish Radio better or worse for off the ball, even though are annoying jumped up gimps?
Better obviously.
My sentiments exactly. I’ll ‘toon’ in if a particular guest is on that i’m interested in but no one in their right mind could listen to those apes frequently.