Why will Donegal win? Because come what may they won’t change
The Republic of Ireland had just sneaked past Kazakhstan courtesy of two late goals and Trapattoni was being crucified.
Slated for his selection policy, one of the pundits then turned his attention towards the Italian’s tactics.
He declared Trapattoni should have switched the team’s style of play at half-time. He justified this argument by stating that all teams should be able to adapt to different formations.
Again, there was a chorus of agreement from the talking heads. Everyone was singing the same tune. Teams should be able to play a variety of ways, they all said in harmony.
In fairness, this is a fairly common school of thought, particularly among soccer enthusiasts.
But, it doesn’t stand up to much scrutiny. In fact, it’s total nonsense.
Study any very successful team in soccer, hurling or Gaelic football and you will discover that, by and large, they all stick to a pretty rigid formula.
Not convinced? Consider Barcelona. When is the last time you saw the Catalans change their formation at half-time?
Widely hailed as the greatest soccer team on the planet, Barca alter their system for no-one.
The best managers in gaelic football have also realised the fundamental importance of developing a pattern of play that is fit for all seasons.
Donegal are the prime example. From the start of this year’s Championship, they’ve been as predictable as the rain and just as hard to stop.
Whether they are winning or losing, in control, or hanging on for grim life, Donegal only work from one script.
Jim McGuinness is another manager who doesn’t do half-time makeovers. Jim isn’t a pioneer. He’s following a trend.
When criticising Joe Kernan started to become fashionable, his Armagh team was accused of being too one dimensional.
I once put that argument to Joe during an interview. Why did he have no ‘Plan B?’
Like the typical Irishman, Joe answered the question with a question. “And what happens when Plan B doesn’t work?” he asked. “Do you go to Plan C, then Plan D? Where does it all stop?”
Contrary to popular opinion, ‘Plan A’ doesn’t have to be based on a 12-man defensive model.
Joe’s native Crossmaglen won their second consecutive All-Ireland title earlier this year.
Cross don’t employ sweepers. They defend man-to-man. Unlike the vast majority of teams nowadays, Crossmaglen’s half-forwards spend a lot of time in — of all places — the half-forward line. Enroute to their most recent two-in-a-row, Crossmaglen encountered several sides that employed the blanket defence.
On a couple of occasions (Kilmacud Crokes and Garrycastle), they trailed by five points or more. No matter.
While players were changed, Crossmaglen’s sacred gameplan remained intact.
Some hurling aficionados would argue there are no tactics in the ancient game. Brian Cody practically winces when he hears the ‘T’ word.
But study Kilkenny. Part of their brilliance lies in the way they always keep their shape. They hold their positions at all times. Anthony Cunningham has done a superb job with the Galway hurlers. Like Jim McGuinness last year, Cunningham will realise that embedding the defensive system is the easy part.
When the tension was at its highest in the All-Ireland hurling final, Galway’s attacking plan disintegrated. Time and time again, their packed defence cleared pucks to a heavily outnumbered full-forward line.
It takes a huge amount of time and patience to get one system working properly — and that’s why Donegal must be fancied to win Sunday’s All-Ireland final.
If Donegal do emerge victorious, it will not be because they are better footballers, or because they are fitter, or because they are mentally stronger.
No. Donegal should win simply because they have been following the same prescriptive system for the past two years.
Year one was about getting the defence sorted.
Year two has focused on the counter-attack.
To win on Sunday, Donegal just have to keep doing what they have been doing all season.
Like all the best teams, Donegal’s gameplan serves all purposes and all occasions. It isn’t subject to change. Instead, it’s the opposition that is forced to accommodate Donegal.
Therein lies the brilliance of sticking to a good ‘Plan A’.
Once the opposition tries to modify their game, they are at an immediate disadvantage.
Let’s say a manager spends three weeks coaching and rehearsing a purpose-built plan for Donegal.
No matter how good the quality of coaching, he can only achieve so much in such a short period of time. In the heat of battle, the cracks will be exposed by a Donegal side that has been rehearsing the same lines for nearly two years.
Against Dublin, Mayo’s wing forwards Kevin McLaughlin and Alan Dillon landed 0-5 from play. A few of those points were absolute wonder scores.
Some days, those shots go over. Most days, they don’t.
Despite the fact that full-forwards Enda Varley and Michael Conroy often had the beating of their markers, Mayo were often slow to release the ball. That duo managed just 0-2 from play.
Any team that is relying on their half-forward line for match-winning scores is bound to experience one bad day.
But can Mayo learn to utilise their full-forwards? And even if they get the ball into the scoring zone, will Varley and Conroy be as effective as they were against Dublin? The odds are stacked against the westerners. Fortunately for them, James Horan is a grounded, intelligent manager.
The Connacht champions will be prepared. Mayo will have a plan and they’ll stick to it.
Regardless of what happens, they’ll not go changing course at half-time.
Those tactics are for bluffers, pundits and failed managers.
