Clare in crisis? What a load of rubbish!

IT'S nonsense, isn't it, all this Clare crisis lark? The physio resigns, and it's a crisis? A guy makes a crack in a private telephone conversation about a fella he patently doesn't like, and it's front-page headlines?

Depressing, the levels we stoop to in our search for news.

Over the past two years, since his surprise appointment as Clare manager (most observers, including the man himself, felt it was a little premature, seeing as he'd only just retired as a player), I have spoken to Anthony Daly on many occasions.

Over the same period, I've also formally interviewed practically everyone on the Clare team, spoken informally to most of the others. From all those conversations, I can say this with certainty; there is no crisis in the camp, no split, no division.

There's passion, as there is in any camp, arguments, discussions, manager occasionally unhappy with performance, player occasionally unhappy with perceived unfair treatment. But there's a good vibe from the squad, a good spirit. The physio, even two guys as highly qualified and renowned as Ger Hartmann and Colm Flynn, are peripheral figures in all of this. For reasons they haven't disclosed, they've opted out of the Clare set-up. A pity, but not a crisis, barely worthy of mention. The players are the most critical element, they're all still there; the manager is next, he's happy.

The County Board is giving the team its full backing, so that's that.

Second item. Harry Bohan and Ger Loughnane are so alike they could almost be twins. Listening to one in full flow, close your eyes and you could be listening to the other. They're both brilliant orators, messianic in their delivery, in their passion; both original thinkers, strong, independent, intelligent.

They've both also done fantastic work for Clare hurling, Harry since the 70's, when he was involved with Justin McCarthy in bringing Clare two League titles on the trot, Ger as player on that team, Clare's first All-Star, manager of the team that finally made the Munster and All-Ireland breakthrough in 95, again in 97.

I admire and respect them both, like them both; they don't like each other. That's just one of life's little quirks. Harry and Ger are both from Feakle; to a lot of people, that means they should be bosom buddies. To me, that explains why they don't get on. There's nothing to boil the blood like local rivalries. I'm now well identified with Ballyhea. Last year, I was the only individual nominated and seconded at the AGM to manage the intermediate team. I wasn't even interviewed for the job; several people, inside and outside the parish, were approached, 'til one agreed, but Flynn? Put in his box.

Local stuff, that's all it is. Does anyone for a moment imagine that Loughnane seriously did what was reported, that he looks at a can and imagines the face of Harry Bohan before firing off a shot?

It reminds me of an expression from another farce, Monty Python's 'In Search Of The Holy Grail'. "I fart in your general direction." That's all it was, and I'm amazed, disappointed, it wasn't left like that, specifically by the man who reported it, Clare chairman Michael McNamara, who also happens to be a detective sergeant.

There is resentment in Clare that Loughnane, and to a lesser extent Considine, occasionally criticise Clare, in their roles as analysts. That's their job, lads, they will be as ruthless, as professional, as objective, as they were when guiding Clare to all that success.

Loughnane and Considine have moved on from the 90's, so should the rest of Clare, accept them now in their new roles, judge them only on their new roles.

Loughnane is upset that during a recent awards night honouring the best in Clare over the last 25 years, he was overlooked, as a player and manager. Whatever about his considerable contribution as a player (Liam Doyle was chosen in Loughnane's old position, left-half-back), on such a night, Loughnane should certainly have been honoured for his management success. Without question, Clare would not have made the breakthrough without him.

I am not going to start publicly lecturing Harry Bohan, Ger Loughnane, Michael McNamara, even the Clare public here, on how they should behave. But every county should be big enough to accommodate difference of opinion; the ultimate here, however, is success on the field, and nothing should divert from that.

These are nothing stories, nothing incidents, serve only to distract, diminish, divide. Enough bullshit. Let Anthony Daly and the lads, the only people who really matter now in Clare hurling, concentrate without further disturbance on the only job that really matters, winning another All-Ireland.