Currid set to leave Dubs

CAROLINE CURRID has revealed she’s unlikely to continue as the Dublin senior footballers’ performance coach next year.

“I spoke to Pat (Gilroy) and it’s just about freshening it up now,” said the Sligo native.

“They’re very much open-minded about where it goes next year. But I think Pat has a huge knowledge of it himself so it’s time probably to freshen it up on that side of things and, myself, to freshen it up. I’ve been two seasons with them now.”

Currid, who has nothing lined up as yet for the 2012 season after being involved with three All-Ireland senior winning teams, the others being Tyrone and Tipperary, will meet Gilroy next week to discuss the transition.

Following coach Mickey Whelan, she is the second high-profile backroom team member to leave the group.

However, she is confident Gilroy has the essentials to help Dublin carry on where the team left off this season.

“There’s no ego with Pat Gilroy. He stays away from the limelight as much as he can. He didn’t even go up to lift Sam. I don’t think there’s a manager that hasn’t gone up to lift Sam. That shows you the huge lack of ego in that man. It’s all about the players for him. I think he took away all that focus from them. Even before I got there in 2009.”

Currid added her job was made easier by the interest the manager showed in her work.

“The most important thing was that the manager was open to it, because players look up to the manager so much. If he buys into it they’ll buy into it. There was a perception that the Dubs will not buy into it, that mindset, but they were brilliant and very open to it.”

There was a suggestion Currid was introduced in the wake of psychological blows after defeats to Kerry and Cork in the previous two years but she disputes they had a major mental block.

“I wouldn’t agree with that, that they were individually weak. Maybe they needed to come together more as a group.”

While not every player in the panel bought into her work, Currid was successful in helping players focus on themselves and not their opponents.

“In our lead up to the All-Ireland there was absolutely no fear of Kerry.

“We didn’t focus on Kerry because it was all about us, about the Dubs. If you focus on the opposition you’redepleting your focus on what you have to do.”

Currid spoke to Gilroy on Monday and is convinced they can rise to the gauntlet now presented to them in attempting to retain their title.

“The Dubs are on a pedestal. Every team will be trying to know themoff but I think the Dubs are used to that.

“Everybody’s All-Ireland is getting in here to play the Dubs, I think they’re used to that. Because so much of the media is in Dublin, I think they’re used to that attention.

“I think that won’t be as much of a challenge as it has been to any other team that’s going for the double.

“I think they’ll be trying to raise their game and improve their mindsets and that’s going to be a challenge because they emptied their tanks last year.”