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Bainisteoir: the ten greatest GAA managers
Posted on Monday, December 21st, 2009Bainisteoir: the ten greatest GAA managers
There is an old saying that a game is won or lost once the players cross the white line, writes An Fear Rua…
President of the GAA, Youghal man Christy Cooney pictured with Finbarr McCarthy and his nephew Alex Newman at the book launch
However, that is not necessarily the full story of sporting success. Behind every great team there is a great manager. In Gaelic games, we have been blessed over the years with many great managers, not just at inter-county level but in our clubs as well.
Finbarr McCarthy, author of ‘Great GAA Moments 2007’, is from Cork and is the Gaelic Games correspondent for 96/C103 FM. Now, Finbarr McCarthy has taken on the daunting task of giving us his selection of the ten greatest managers ever to grace Gaelic games. Bainisteoir reveals the secrets and stories of the best managers in the intensely competitive world of the GAA – in their own words. In an excellent book, these icons of Gaelic football and hurling look back on historic victories and infamous losses.
• Kerry’s Mick O’Dwyer shares the secrets of his long run of success with the Kingdom – and Kildare, Laois and Wicklow.
• Kilkenny’s Brian Cody on his phenomenal record, his research and ‘player management’ and those much talked-about training routines.
• Dublin’s Kevin Heffernan explains how he changed the way in which the Dubs’ teams prepared and trained for victory.
• Meath’s Séan Boylan, who combined an outstanding run of success with the ‘Royal’ county with his renowned role as a healer.
• Clare’s Ger Loughnane remembers the controversies that followed him at both Clare and Galway. A great motivator, he still retains the will to win.
• Tyrone’s Mickey Harte reveals how he outsmarted Kerry and motivated his players to repeated success with their fighting tradition.
• Kerry’s Páidí Ó Sé look back on his straight-talking stewardship of the Kingdom, and later, success with Westmeath but less so with Clare.
• Cork’s Billy Morgan was dogged by controversy and his own outspoken nature yet he achieved great things with the Rebel county.
• Armagh’s Joe Kernan’s inspirational dressing-room tricks at half-time in All-Ireland Finals.
• Cork’s Jimmy Barry Murphy recalls his hurling success on Leeside at the same time as an Adidas controversy, mixed with his lasting greyhound-racing hobby
Words courtesy: http://www.anfearrua.com/
96 fm GAA Awards 2009 - click on image to enlarge
Difficult job to do – granted. I would agree with O’Dwyer, Cody, Heffernan, Boylan and maybe Harte! The rest were either great players(Jimmy) or contraversial(media) figures(Paudi/ Ger). Joe won 1 All ireland County- hardly enough to qualify for Top 10(sucess with Cross has to be taken in light of Cross having the pick of South Armagh-a big parish!)
Would put Cyril Farrell at number 6- 3 All-Irelands with Galway(of the 4 they won over 125 years)