Setting foundations
It is a welcome departure for a competition which seems permanently strapped to the whipping post of public opinion. Each and every year, more and more seem to enjoy a lash off of it, dismissing it all in the greater scheme of championship things.
Few in Kerry and Cork will listen to such assertions this week as both emerge from a fog of crisis and confusions. Talk is only of tickets as Pairc Uí Rhinn is dusting down the House Full sign for the historic meeting which will also be beamed into thousands of homes courtesy of the TG4 revolution.
Admittedly, such enthusiasm is usually lacking, on both sides of the fence come this time of the year. It can be best summed up by the body language of the combatants. More often than not their gait and application of ability tells us it is only the league. The other has a player busting a gut, tracking back, blocking compensating for lack of skill with effort because he wants to be part of the summer 15.
But watch the sideline for a moment. Focus on the manager, especially the new man entrusted to lead the county team towards greatness. For him, the League, is a foundation. And like any foundation, the emphasis is not on spectacular workmanship but on strength, power and solidity. This is a building effort. But like any construction task, the job stands or falls, on the groundwork done.
Ask John Maughan. It is stretching things Maughan a new manager. After all, he was the most successful Mayo boss of modern times, who put a foundation in place which resulted in numerous Connacht titles and the odd foray to Croke Park on All-Ireland Final day. But under new ownership the walls have crumbled as witnessed in Mayo's capitulation to Cork last August.
Naturally, Maughan believes he can reconstruct affairs if he discovers a few players in the next few months and strengthens his previous good work .
"Our main aim, as far as the league is concerned, is to find five or six players. I'm hoping the league will freshen things up, but we need to get about six players to replace guys that have retired or have left the panel for one reason or the other."
A story that has dominated the airwaves and news stands since Maughan's arrival has been David Brady. Or more specifically a lack of David Brady in a Mayo jersey. However, as far as Maughan is concerned, it is not an issue.
"A lot of people in the media are getting hung up on David Brady. It is not an issue. There are no difficulties in the squad and I don't know why people are focusing on David Brady.
"We have a lot of other players to replace, an All-star like James Horan, an outstanding captain and one of Mayo's outstanding players in the past few seasons Noel Connelly, Colm McManaman. Replacing players like that is what people should be focusing on."
Maughan accepts that last summer's performance in Croke Park doesn't bode well for the immediate future, but he sees enough potential to harbour hope.
"It was a terrible display and it left a sour taste. But there are talented footballers in the county, the trick is now building a cohesive team which is what we will be using the league for, by and large.
"We are still looking for a quality midfielder in the mould of McHale or Fallon, but we have some promising forwards and if we can find someone to supply them with the ball, we will be well on our way."
While John Maughan searches for key components missing in a winning formula, PJ O'Hare may just search the league for a single win. He took the poisoned chalice of Antrim football management at the start of winter, but is under no illusions that the road ahead is going to be rocky-rough.
"Realistically, we hope to win more games than we lose in the league," O'Hare says. "And I think we are capable of that, we are at home for four of our games and while we have both Limerick and Offaly on the road, two of the stronger sides in our group, if we win all our games at Casement Park, that will give the team confidence."
It was only a couple of summers ago that Anthony Tohill's last-gasp heroics denied Antrim a place in the Ulster final. But in the subsequent time-span, there has been a short, sharp drop back into the doldrums for footballing followers around Belfast.
"It is a hard job, but I have gone about it the best I can. I have brought in a lot of young lads, 17 of our squad are 21 years and under. And a lot of these lads don't realise what good footballers they are.
"We have to commit ourselves to making a dent in the league. This competition is a lot more important for teams like Antrim than it is for the Armaghs and Dublins. We are the teams giving the league maximum effort, because we are trying to build some momentum for the summer. Things can only get better for Antrim."
Paul O'Kelly is another of the new kids on the GAA management block, and while he considers this league campaign with Offaly to be a testing ground for his re-development programme, he doesn't believe the NFL is merely useful for finding players.
"I don't subscribe to that view and I don't think any players or managers would. Any Offaly team that are going out to play a game will be looking to perform as best they possibly can," O'Kelly said. "The position we are in at the moment, though, means we have to take a long-term view.
"We are in a redevelopment phase. Nine players from last year's panel are not on this year's panel while we have another four first-team players unavailable through injury. So, the league will be an opportunity for players that we have drafted in."
O'Kelly and his management team who also take charge of the U-21s, were given a three-year term. He adamantly stresses that he needs that time span to harness the potential among some newer talent.
"There was a need to bring in fresh talent and that is why you will see four or five new faces in our early league games. That doesn't mean we won't be taking the game seriously. Every team will go out with the belief they can win the game. Every match is important, especially when you are bringing on talent."
Five of last year's panel with Leinster and NFL medals from the Tommy Lyons era, are no longer on the intercounty trail. Despite such issues, O'Kelly had no hesitation in accepting the job.
"As an Offaly man, this is the most important job in Gaelic football. I believe the potential is there, but I also took this job because I wanted it. If you are a football man in Offaly, you want to see the job done right. And hopefully, we will."
Down Munster way, Clare meet Tipperary in their first league outing of the season on Sunday afternoon. It is not their first tussle of the year though, as they met last Sunday in the McGrath Cup final. Then, poor finishing cost Clare the match, but John Kennedy was encouraged by some aspects of his team's play.
He acknowledges he has set himself a hard task. The Kerryman has given himself and his selectors two years to develop football in the county, as both Tipp and Limerick seem to have stole a march on the Banner men in the province.
"What we will be trying to do in the national league is finding a settled team," Kennedy says. "Promotion would be great, if we can manage it, but we are looking to find our best team and our best squad of 30 players. Anything after that would be a boost. The league, for counties like Clare, cannot be under-estimated.
"Limerick and especially Tipperary by virtue of their performance in the Munster final, have shown Clare the way and there are talented footballers in Clare. We have got the likes of Ger Keane and Martin Daly back and we have five of the minor team from a few years ago. We have got two years to develop a team, so this year is about finding where our strengths lie."
Competitions stand and fall on their product. The league generates enough energy every spring to produce a few humdingers. Those in Thurles two years ago for the classic served up by Meath and Kerry won't forget it in a hurry. And Dublin's chance to gain revenge on Armagh this Sunday at Croke Park is a fixture filled with wonderful possibilities.
Like the competition as a whole, one hopes.
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