Is the student Gilroy ready to start doling out a few lessons?

EYEBROWS were raised in the GAA and in Dublin in particular when Pat Gilroy was appointed as Dublin manager for the 2009 season.

His successful business and significant IQ were seen as pivotal in the appointment of a novice manager with no experience. Apply a business model to the Dublin team and success would follow. Football isn’t as simple as that though. Trying to break football down to a formula or applying logic can be futile. One of the most important aspects of being a manager is having a human side and developing a feel for the game. However many didn’t realise the St Vincent’s man’s pedigree. Kevin Heffernan is his godfather.

CS Lewis explained experience well when he described it as “that most brutal of teachers, but by God you learn”. This has been the theme of Gilroy’s management. He has had some hard lessons but he has learned, improved and moved on. In 2009 he initially leaned heavily on Mickey Whelan but as he progressed, he has became his own man more and more. So what are the major lessons that he has learned and how has he applied them?