‘Ultimate pro’ Gavin the man for job, says Darcy

Jim Gavin’s former U21 selector Declan Darcy believes the 1995 All-Ireland winner is the stand-out candidate to succeed Pat Gilroy as Dublin manager.

With strong suggestions that Gavin could be approached as early as next week to take over, the former Leitrim captain says his appointment would ensure “a seamless transition”.

However, Darcy is concerned the county board may yet opt for a different candidate.

“Jim was close to getting the job when Pat got it. It was a shrewd move by the county board to have two fantastic managers in Jim and Dessie Farrell with the U21s and minors capable of stepping up to the plate. They are managers with proven records.

“Jim is fantastic and is the ultimate professional. I think it would be a seamless transition were he to be appointed but that’s not to say that the county board won’t do something different.

“They have done strange things in the past and brought Tommy Carr and Pat Gilroy in out of the cold.”

Gavin, a two-time All-Ireland U21 winning manager, was also on board alongside Darcy as selectors when the U21s beat Tyrone in the 2003 All-Ireland final.

“He’s knows the young lads inside out and I have no doubt he’d be a class manager,” enthused Darcy.

“He’s been thought it all himself as a player, had the highs and lows, and knows about the media and the attention.

“He has his feet on the ground and plans meticulously. The one thing about Jim is he allows those around him to work in his system. He’s not dictatorial.

“He gathers around him people he can trust and they’re quality people. He orchestrates things brilliantly.”

Gavin’s credentials for the post were also backed up by former Dublin manager Tommy Carr.

“I was with Jim in the defence forces — he’d have plenty of management tools and skills and abilities,” Carr told 98FM. “I think what makes him more particularly suitable to the job is that he’s won two U21 All-Ireland titles. If he hadn’t won those would he be on top of the candidates list? I don’t know.

“The fact is that he has and because he was there when those teams won means he knows the players, he knows who’s coming up, he has a total in-depth knowledge of senior football in Dublin having played there all his life. Is there anybody more suitable? Probably not.”

Meanwhile, Dublin defender Philly McMahon expressed his shock at Gilroy’s decision to step down so shortly after last Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final.

“It was a huge surprise. I didn’t see any reason why he wouldn’t continue on. The structures he’s built and the foundation he has put in... I think everybody is just shocked.”

McMahon admitted he thought the meeting called by Gilroy on Wednesday night was to discuss the defeat to Mayo.

“Personally, I just thought we would be going through the game, what happened, why we lost and what we would be doing for the following year.”

He added: “He [Gilroy] said there was another one or two All-Irelands in us, so that was great.”

Dublin chairman Andy Kettle revealed Gilroy was emotional when he informed him that he was stepping down. The St Vincent’s man, according to Kettle, had revealed that his job as Dalkia managing director entailed more travelling next year.

Paul Casey said that the players appreciate the demands being placed on Gilroy’s time.

“We all understand where Pat’s coming from,” Casey told FM104. “He has a young family but he also has a busy professional career.

“He’s given a huge amount of time to Dublin over the last four years and we wish him all the best now.”