Ive tried to listen to his podcast with Fanning, can’t get past the slow monotone though
Poodder?
Ever podcast seems to be the exact same with Brolly.
Rumor has it Joe is putting together a backroom team for the Derry job
Speed the audio up
Aye. He takes the nose off dion. Normally they’re rolling their eyes at the unwashed in perfect harmony
Dion Fanning and Joe Brolly together.
Christ almighty.
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What does that have to do with joe?
As a future Irish President, everything.
Joe Brolly: Mickey Harte’s appointment is the worst thing to happen to Derry since the Plantation
There is no loyalty – even by the lowly standards of the GAA – as my county have sold their souls
Louth manager Mickey Harte before the Leinster SFC final against Dublin at Croke Park in May. Photo: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Joe Brolly
Today at 02:30
It is the worst thing to happen to Derry since the Plantation.
Louth GAA folk are furious. Plans had been made. Clubs had been consulted. Louth chairman Peter Fitzpatrick said he was “left in shock” after Mickey Harte dropped “the bombshell”. He said when he told the players at a meeting the following day, “they were devastated”.
This is the thing about professional sport. There is no loyalty. But even by the lowly standards of the GAA, this is shabby.
David Jeffrey, the legendary Linfield FC manager, said on William Crawley’s Talkback programme last week: “I am surprised with Michael. There has been incredible uproar with him going to Derry. How can Derry people welcome him to their county? If I ever rocked up to the Oval, who from Glentoran would welcome me? And I can assure the Linfield football family I would never, ever go to Glentoran.”
It was sickening to listen to.
William: Is this divine intervention?
Jeffrey: Michael looks to see where God is looking to lead him.
William: Which saintly intervention carried him to Derry? (laughter)
Meanwhile, Tyrone people are veering between scorn and amusement. Seán Cavanagh pointed out in his newspaper column that Mickey, when he was a Tyrone man, was strongly opposed to Tyrone Gaels coaching outside Tyrone. Owen Mulligan tweeted, “Just when I was starting to like the c**t.”
The Dungiven boys’ WhatsApp group has been renamed ‘Mickey Harte’s Apostles’. In Derry city, the gormless lad in the Derry Girls mural has had his face replaced by Mickey Harte’s.
Most depressing is the fact that the younger generation don’t see the problem. For them, the soccer language of the new GAA has replaced the old language of community bonds and loyalty.
The GAA has become a tawdry outfit. At least the League of Ireland declares their salaries, perks and transfer fees. In ours, it is a foul travesty. The Derry board is part of the same hypocrisy. It is one thing to sell your soul, but for Mickey Harte?
Like Donald Trump, Mickey is entirely transactional. When he was ousted as manager for life from Tyrone via a players’ WhatsApp poll, his disdain for outside coaches evaporated. Turns out it had always been his dream to manage Louth. There he was, a few months later, with his Tyrone assistant Gavin Devlin, posing with the Blackstone Renault boys (of Ryan Tubridy fame) in front of a brand new Renault car and van. All smiles.
Louth manager Mickey Harte (right) at Louth GAA sponsors Blackstone Motors.
Last week, I understand Malachy O’Rourke turned down the Derry job. Within 24 hours, Gavin Devlin (whose assistant manager at Ardboe is Chrissy McKaigue) and Harte had a firm offer on the table. From there, it was only a matter of informing the Louth chairman that all his dreams had come true. As Peter Fitzpatrick said: “Mickey told me he would love to win an All-Ireland before he retires and he thinks that Derry is the best chance for him.”
When the GAA investigated under-the-table payments, former GAA president Peter Quinn famously said, “We couldn’t even find the tables.” Since then, a professional ‘elite’ has taken over the game. Clubs have lost faith in their own. Counties, apart from the successful ones, have lost faith in their own.
In the last 20 years, six counties have won Sam Maguire. Armagh (Joe Kernan), Tyrone (Mickey Harte, Fergal Logan, Brian Dooher), Kerry (Jack O’Connor, Pat O’Shea, Éamonn Fitzmaurice), Cork (Conor Counihan), Dublin (Pat Gilroy, Jim Gavin, Dessie Farrell), Donegal (Jimmy McGuinness).
In that same time, the hurling winners are Kilkenny (Brian Cody), Cork (Dónal O’Grady, John Allen), Tipp (Liam Sheedy, Michael Ryan), Clare (David Fitzgerald), Galway (Micheál O’Donoghue), Limerick (John Kiely). Notice anything?
Mickey Harte has said goodbye to Louth and hello to Tyrone’s rivals Derry.
I have been arguing for 15 years that the GAA should make a simple rule that only a club man can manage his club, only a county man his county. So, club and county eligibility would be precisely the same as for players. This would return the game to amateur status, save clubs and counties a fortune and most importantly protect our ideal.
An outside manager comes in and his priority is not to be beaten. Blanket defending, heavy training, little regard for the overall welfare of our boys. This has helped to produce the boring, unadventurous dross we see at senior level.
Last Sunday, I went to see Crossmolina and Castlebar B in the intermediate championship. Martin Carney is on the line for Castlebar so sweepers are outlawed. What a brilliant game of football it was, end-to-end drama with three superb goals, reminding us what football used to be like. What a contrast to the sterile, hermetic world of senior football: all life coaches and nutritionists and video analysis and stats, at the end of which Dublin or Kerry and Kilkenny or Limerick still win the All-Ireland.
I coached underage teams in my club St Brigid’s for 15 years. With passion and imagination and obsession. Loved the boys. Loved being part of their development on and off the pitch. We suffered joy and disaster and death.
Once when I was teaching them the rules of goalscoring, to the vast amusement of the group, I brought a blow-up doll to training (don’t ask) and put her in nets. The idea we had was that the goalie is “a figure of fun” who only saves a shot if it is kicked at him or where he wants it to be kicked. Soon, we were firing in goals easy peasy.
By the time they were skilled and understood the game, we won two under 16 championships in a row, then played in two minor finals. The boys later went on to win the under 20 championship in thrilling style.
Then, the senior management post came up and I was invited to ‘apply’. Gareth Bradley, John McKenna and me, who had soldiered with these boys since they were six-year-olds in the St Bride’s tiny gym (we painted goalposts on the wall) sat before an interview panel of St Brigid’s trusted friends and teammates.
We were asked what our budget was. We said “nothing.” We were asked what we needed. We said, “The group will sort anything we need.” I said we would contest a senior final within 12 months and be champions within two years. I explained how we would do it. We left the room enthused, ready to embark on this labour of love, as we knew there were no other St Brigid’s people applying.
A few days later, the chairman, a friend of mine, rang me and said, “This is the hardest phone call I have ever had to make.” I put the phone down. Turns out they paid an outside manager. A psychologist and training guru.
It was of course a disaster. Heavy blanket defence. Endless meetings and video analysis. Inspirational messages. Key players drifted away. Mind-numbing football. Rubbing salt into the wound, shortly after he was appointed he rang me to see if I would “sit down with me and go through what we have.” He drifted on to somewhere else.
Me? I have never recovered from that. I feel the hurt yet. I cannot be in their company. If I am, I pass myself, as though chit chatting with a stranger.
I go to the games but it is not the same. Something precious has been lost. Something more important than football.
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Joe’s on the ball again.
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Hard to know if Joe is being serious about the club fallout or not.
Dont think he’s ever covered the Downey transfer saga to Brigids at all either.
Joe is a mighty man.
That’s none of his business.
Joe will be the greatest man to live in the Áras
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When we win the all Ireland it will be in spite of mickey harte, not because of him
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Joe is taking some crack at the awkward squad.
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Fair play,
That fool from Laois was challenging him to a debate there last week, hopefully it happens, I’ll even pay the clowns sub to listen to that
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