No place for egos until we win All-Ireland, says Flynn
“I think you’re dwelling on this game a bit too much to be honest with you because it’s two years ago now.”
Kerry’s first game against Dublin in Croke Park since that epochal day? We think not. In fact, we suggest Flynn may be protesting too much but let’s move on to happier thoughts for the Blues. To Killarney last year when the Fingallians man bagged 1-2 in Dublin’s first win in Kerry since 1982.
“If I got the same again tonight I’d be happy,” smiled Flynn. “This year it’s been different. We’ve got scores from everywhere around the field and that’s important too. Bernard (Brogan) had a great season last year but hopefully we can spread them out a bit more this year.”
Pat Gilroy goes with just five of the team which started that day in Fitzgerald Stadium but it’s a measure of the depth in his panel that Dublin have been winning games with such a significant change in personnel.
While there is still an onus on Brogan as a finisher, Dublin are no longer dependent on so few. As a result, egos aren’t as prevalent in the set-up.
“I think there is a real groundedness about this group that they want to win something and until that happens I don’t think fellas will get carried away,” said Gilroy.
Flynn agrees. A team that hasn’t reached, not to mind win an All-Ireland in 16 years has little to brag about.
“I can’t see why anyone would have an ego. That’s my own opinion. Last year we didn’t win anything, so we can’t have egos. There’s no room for it. Maybe as Pat said if we win a couple of All-Irelands, we can have an ego then, but that’s the only time you could. And look at the Kerry lads. They can win All-Irelands year after year and they don’t seem to have any ego, but that’s what you have to do.”
Speaking to The Irish Examiner yesterday, former Dublin midfielder Ciarán Whelan remarked on the development of Dublin’s mental strength since the defeat to Kerry 18 months ago.
Flynn doesn’t put that down to anything but an increased work-rate picking up results against the stronger sides.
“Maybe there’s a bit more self-belief but that only comes with beating big teams. We did it last year. We beat Tyrone and Kerry in the league and that builds the confidence in the group that we can beat these big teams.”
While Ireland rugby captain Brian O’Driscoll and back coach Alan Gaffney publicly contradict one another about the levels of on-field communication between players, Flynn says Dublin have no such problem.
A perfect example of that came last weekend when Tomás Quinn, after trawling the middle third for a few minutes, retired to the full-forward line for a breather and was replaced by Diarmuid Connolly. “You can’t be going constantly for the 70 minutes,” stated Flynn. “You just have to rotate and share the workload.
“That (Quinn move) wouldn’t have been planned. It’s just the way it happened, but it’s important we are conscious of looking out for each other because we all realise how hard it is, especially around the middle third. (In that area) the same lads haven’t finished the game because it’s so physically demanding, so we’re just going to have to share the work load as best we can.”
What it shows is a bit of leadership. “They can’t say to you, ‘oh you take a break there’ or whatever,” said Flynn. “You just have to see it yourself and go with it. If we’re all intelligent footballers we just have to be able to see when these things happen and give lads a break when they need it, and work hard when you have to.”
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