The second rule of coaching: Never bury your own players in public

Context is key in everything we do; it is the very reason why we should be slow to judge anything without finding out first what is going on.

A set up that does not have a capacity to let off some steam runs the risk of becoming too highly strung

For players in every team and sport, you would hope the opt-out option was available to them, but horror stories soon emerged of players and athletes from teams and squads feeling pressured into attending yet another Zoom call.

Davy Fitzgerald, for all his success, might one day reflect on how there may have been far more good days than bad had he been able to trust his charges a little more than his behaviour suggested he did.

Naomi Osaka, a phenomenal competitor on the court, revealed a fragility to that side to her last week by stating how she is wracked with self-doubt and inner demons about her performance, this from someone who has sat atop of the world rankings. This dichotomy of parts is not uncommon in sport, especially at the elite level.

Some rules are there for the protection of the player, and these are infused into the game without much fuss. Others are more contentious

Some of the most fascinating side stories of the opening fortnight’s hurling and football action have been based around the changes in personnel on the sidelines

At what stage does paralysis from over analysis become a concern for both the coaches and the players? Is there a point when a coach feels the need to justify their role by continuously coming up with new information?

Most hurling counties looked to Kilkenny for a template to copy, rather than looking to the evidence from which to innovate. A lot like Limerick hurling decided to do over a decade ago