Geezer backs modern players

Kieran McGeeney reckons egos are to blame for the criticism players have to endure from former greats.

The Kildare manager says past players need to “let it go” and realise the game has evolved for the better into a tactical challenge which is worth appreciating. McGeeney, who also said Donegal deserve top billing on Saturday night — not Dublin — offered some interesting views on the modern game at yesterday’s Allianz National League launch in Belfast.

“I think it is an ego thing,” he said.

“A few of them [former players] should just get over themselves and say, ‘actually, these fellas aren’t bad’. They have short memories but, for me, the great thing about it is that TV is there to show us how bad we actually were at times.

“There were exceptional players and exceptional games but thankfully, like most sports, it evolves and has got better.”

McGeeney believes Gaelic football is now catching up on other sports, such as basketball, rugby and soccer, in terms of spatial awareness.

“I look at the movement of players now,” he explained. “We used to say, ‘let’s kick the ball between each other, it’s 50-50, it’s very exciting, there’s loads of mistakes but don’t ever move out of your corner-forward or corner-back position’.

“When you’re defending in any sport you cut down your opponents’ space, you cut down their width, you put them into a small area and you try to dispossess them.

“Things have moved on. I think it makes it most interesting from a tactical point of view. I mean, what do you do with Frank McGlynn on Saturday night? That to me is an interesting battle.”

As far as the Kildare manager is concerned, the tactical challenge he faces to devise a winning strategy in Croke Park on Saturday is what coaching is all about.

“I love being involved in football,” he said. “I can’t play any more, I’m too old, but you like being around young fellas who want to succeed and you try to show them things. Whether it’s me or not who brings these fellas success, I genuinely hope they get it. I think they’re capable of it.

“I’ll always have a hunger for success. But that’s just one of my demons that I have to live with all the time.”

Like McGeeney, Rory Gallagher reckons former players are too harsh in their assessment of the modern game. He says they need to understand that teams might have a more defensive approach because daring wing-backs are coming up the field and scoring.

“I think there is too much of a delusional notion that things were better before,” he says. “I think they [past players] need to promote the game and realise that it is different. If the defenders wouldn’t go forward, the forwards wouldn’t come back!

“Everything evolves. In most teams now, and I’m sure Kieran is the same, you are looking for the complete footballer. There’s less time and space because of the level of fitness and the increased tactics. “Kevin Heffernan, who was written about a lot this week, he developed a corner-forward coming out and people said that was a great strategy.

“That happens now and people are saying, ‘you are playing a forward in defence’. You can’t have it every way.”

Meanwhile, McGeeney can see positives and negatives with Kildare’s two home games in their rookie season in Division 1, but thinks Donegal should have top billing.

“Donegal are the All-Ireland champions and that deserves top billing.

“You can’t get any higher than that, especially in the manner in which they done it.

“They came out of nowhere this last two years but nobody would argue they fully deserve their success. They’ve been consistently excellent in the championship both years.

“But, it depends what sells. Dublin is a big city and that’s what sells stories, that’s what sells TV, that’s what sells advertising. That is sport.”