New year, new start for Dublin boss Gavin

At a get-to-know-you meeting with the media early last year, Jim Gavin revealed Washington Redskins’ three-time Superbowl coach Joe Gibbs was one of his biggest influences.

Voted ninth greatest NFL coach of all time by ESPN, Gibbs was highly regarded for his offensive line, parallels which can easily be drawn with the Dublin manager’s attacking philosophy.

Gibbs never did successfully defend any of his three titles. Similar to Gaelic football nowadays, few Superbowl-winning coaches do. But he did manage to bring the Redskins to the Superbowl 12 months after they won in 1982.