Mixing it with the big boys
“We have not been good enough. There is no point in dressing it up. We have not been good enough to win the Connacht title since 2008, and the direct route is the best way to get to the quarter-finals.
“Mayo have been the top dogs in Connacht football now for four years and they have been a tough team to beat.
“Until last year our record in the qualifiers had been poor and that is the reality of the situation.
“However, that is the record we are trying to change and slowly but surely we are improving. We had three wins last year in the qualifiers and before that Galway had very little experience of winning championship games. This has given us some confidence coming into this year.”
“Like the supporters and players, I am very frustrated with the rate of progress we are making.
“Obviously, when I came in as manager three years ago I was hoping to make significant strides as soon as possible.
“However that has not been the case. I have found this to be a very difficult job. It is totally different to underage level and it is extremely competitive. It is hard to win league games, and it is very hard to win championship games too.
“Significantly, we won three championship games last season and we have three wins again this season so far, so that is progress to a certain extent, compared to where we were.
“As a management, we took the decision to rebuild the team and panel and it has taken time to gain the confidence, and physique to compete at the highest senior level. It is good to be back in an All-Ireland quarter-final as it is Galway’s first one for six years, so that is going to be a very positive experience for all our young players.
“We are still seeking the breakthrough in a big game against a big team and playing the likes of Kerry in the last eight of the championship is where we are striving to be at on a regular basis, so it is good to be there tomorrow and in that context we believe we are on the right path and making progress.”
“If you are off your rocker,” he responds with a hearty laugh.
“It is not for the faint-hearted, that’s for sure. It is hugely time consuming and it does not get any less so, as you get more experienced at the job.
“You become more and more engrossed in the role, especially when you are not getting the results you are striving for. When the team is not as successful as you would like, you try to do more, and more, and more, to try and turn things around.
“Everyone, including the rest of the management team and the players try to work harder to make it happen. Perhaps, with the successful counties they can say, ‘well that has worked, and we are doing everything right’. However, for the counties that have not had much success, it can be very difficult for the management team, and it is a job that requires a significant team of people to do it.
“You are constantly trying to reassess and make sure that you are doing the right things. That said, it is a really huge privilege to be the Galway county manager, or any county manager for that matter.
“You do it because you love it, and the enjoyment can be immense when you see positive progress and development, however sometimes you can do it to such a level that it can be detrimental to your nearest and dearest.”
“We watched the video of the Munster final during the week and what Kerry did to Cork in that game was frightening. Their forward play was breathtaking and James O’Donoghue gave an exhibition of accuracy and movement. Declan O’Sullivan was also hugely impressive.
“They were really excellent that day, and we will have to be at our very best to put it up to them.
“Hopefully, Cork were a bit off form in the Munster final, and it was not all down to Kerry’s brilliance, or we will be in trouble.
“That said, now that we are in the quarter-final we want to go a step further. It is important that we put in another really good performance. We are massive outsiders, but we will be going up to Dublin without any fear and looking for a big performance. Whether that is good enough or not, we’ll have to wait and see, but we’ll be going for it.”
“Absolutely. We have had a really busy week, thankfully. Ballybrit is one of our busiest weeks of the year in the bookmaker business.
“However, I am really looking forward to going to Croke Park with the lads and focusing on football.”
“When I took over the job, we were trying to build on the underage success we have had and we were trying to get more leadership from the younger players.
“A few have stepped up to that role in the past two years and Paul has been one of them. He is a very talented player and he always does the right thing. He is a very good and popular captain.
“I have been with Paul since Ted Webb [U16 grade] and he has always had the respect of the group. He has been taken on the captaincy this year and done a great job. This has allowed some of the other senior members of the group to concentrate on their game individually and their performance has improved for that.
“Working with each other so long, I am sure he is probably getting a bit sick of looking at me at this stage!”
“Dublin. They have been setting the standards over the past 18 months and seem to be improving.
“They are the team to beat and it’s up to the rest of the country to get to their level. That means we all need to match the professionalism they have brought to their preparation.
“If any team beats Dublin, they will win the All-Ireland. Nobody could disagree with that.
“They scored 3-20 against Meath in the Leinster final and they have a serious panel of players.”
“Very good. Whether it is the black card introduction or not, or a lot of teams trying to mimic Dublin’s attacking style of play, but there has been a lot of high-scoring games with exciting scores and I have been enjoying the championship immensely.”
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