Spillane backs London to advance in qualifiers

JUST two years after he called for London to be axed from the Allianz Football League, Kerry legend Pat Spillane has banked on them to reach the third round of the All-Ireland SFC qualifiers.

“They’re a different team to the one I was speaking about back then” said the Sunday Game analyst who was not surprised by their victory over Fermanagh on Saturday. “It was a no brainer for me. While Fermanagh were in tatters, London have added some excellent players to their side — the likes of Mike Moloney who played for Dr Crokes would nearly get on the Kerry seniors.”

In 2009 Spillane claimed: “If yearly involvement (in the league) is supposed to improve standards in the long term then I’m afraid it just hasn’t happened for London and in these times of recessionary constraints the GAA must have a look at the situation. I still believe London should have sides involved in the Championship, but the cost to other counties and the GAA for them being in the league is out of proportion.”

While maintaining London’s upturn in fortunes has more to do with the economic situation here, Spillane acknowledges serious progress is being made in the English capital. He said: “What I can see now is that London is getting the cream of the crop of Irish footballers and all they have to do now is organise them correctly. That’s what they’re doing at the moment and good luck to them. Their league campaign was hardly reflective of the major progress made.”

And he believes there is more to come from London. He said: “I think they’ll beat Waterford, it’s hard to call it any other way. The way things are going we’ll end up with David Cameron in the GAA Ard Chomhairle!”