Griffin: Why hurling needs Wexford
The response is immediate and if not downright provocative, guaranteed to promote debate. Nowhere, is he more passionate than on the subject of Wexford hurling, specifically on what he perceives are the faults and failings resulting from past neglect of the underage scene.
To support his argument, he points out that this year Wexford U21s were beaten by 13 points by Dublin and the minors lost to Offaly by 10 points.
Yet, these Dublin and Offaly sides were given a hiding by Kilkenny in the respective championships.
"So, that tells you an awful lot about where Wexford stand in underage ability, and most of that has to do with a structural situation," he says. "For us to stay strong at the top, we have to get the structures right at the bottom."
While acknowledging that new committees have been set up and some work is being done, he has a serious concern about the organisation of the minor hurling championship.
While an U17 football competition was run over the winter through to the championship, he says not a single Wexford boy at U16 or U18 level has struck a hurling ball in competition this year.
"We're still playing football, we're going to hurl in July and August and then the boys are back to school in September.
"People in Wexford get very annoyed with me for saying these things, but that's the truth, and that's why we are not up there.
"From 1950 to 1968, Wexford were the most important hurling county in the country because we competed in so many All-Ireland finals winning in minor and senior in 1968. But since that day we have neglected our hurling heritage that was so hard to establish for those 20 years and our structures have gone downhill.
"What has happened is we have an appeasement policy for everybody and nothing is working efficiently with the result you are now left praying to God that your seniors cope well with Kilkenny in the Leinster final on Sunday.
"And, if they do, it will mask all the problems." Griffin even questions the merit of the All-Ireland title success he helped to inspire seven years ago, saying: "
All it has done is to haunt those of us who are interested in hurling. In fact, if someone of us involved in 96 could wish it away again we might because all it has done is to mask our problems for the future.
"There's no point in winning one All-Ireland. You can have your back doors, but nothing matters if you are not at the top competing.
"Ireland needs Wexford, hurling needs Wexford and it's up to Wexford people to stand up and put Wexford back where it should be."
While he may be accused of being negative or even undermining the team Griffin says he has great admiration for the current squad, agreeing "anything is possible", on Sunday.
However, he argues that supporters need to be realistic about their prospects. Yes, there is the nucleus of a good team there but this has to be balanced with the reality of the situation.
"Wexford people left Nowlan Park after the Leinster semi-final on cloud nine because we made what was seen as a great recovery in the second half.
"My concern is that this Offaly team is not going to win the All-Ireland, and you can take that for certain. They are a rebuilding team and they had a lot of young players out.
"We barely beat them by two points after being dreadful in the first half. In the second half, the team rediscovered the character they'd shown against Kilkenny in the league, which was a good sign.
"On the other hand, we played a lot of individualistic hurling and we hit a lot of bad wides. We need to improve a hell of a lot."
He ignores talk of a row in Kilkenny following the retirement of Charlie Carter and Brian McEvoy. "They weren't picking Charlie as a first-choice player any more and Brian McEvoy couldn't hold down a place, and neither could Denis Byrne.
It's not as if Henry Shefflin had retired, DJ Carey had jacked it again or that Peter Barry or JJ Delaney, who is probably their best defender, had decided to call it a day. That would be a crisis. The others leaving is sad, but it's not that bad."
More recently, Griffin is sharing his hurling gospel with members of the Hurling Development Committee set up by the new GAA president, which includes Nicky English, Cyril Farrell and Ger Loughnane.
He has no doubt they will have to work their "backsides off" if they are to come up with seriously good proposals and then be prepared to stand behind them and fight for their implementation.
Critical to their discussions will be the question of club activity. His own view is that hurling at club level is
being "persecuted".
He knows from personal experience in Rosslare what it means to have players involved with the county team.
Ideally, he would like to see the All-Ireland final played at the end of July with the next three months given over to the clubs except that he appreciates this would not be practical.
But, he remains adamant the All-Ireland club final should be played within the calendar year because of the way it impacts on team management over the course of two seasons. It's a ridiculous situation, he states.
"We also need a fixed calendar year of events, which would be appreciated by the clubs, the players and their
families. I think our games would prosper if we had this. It's something we have to get right.
"I'm satisfied that the committee are very aware of it and I'm sure they are going to address it as part of their overall strategy."
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