Donegal remain on Gooch watch
McGuinness’ opposite number Eamonn Fitzmaurice maintains the 31-year-old won’t feature for Kerry this season despite featuring in the warm-up prior to the semi-final replay win over Mayo in Limerick last Saturday week.
Cooper is now seven months down the road from a cruciate tear and fractured kneecap sustained in Dr Crokes’ All-Ireland club SFC semi-final defeat to Castlebar Mitchels in Portlaoise.
“We wouldn’t rule that out,” McGuinness said of a possible Cooper appearance. “That’s something we will have to talk about and something we will have to deal with if that is the case.”
As each team continue to prepare behind closed doors, McGuinness believes each manager can only second guess what the other is trying to do.
The Donegal boss ruled out another training camp in Johnstown House where they prepared for five days before the semi-final win over Dublin but indicated they would organise something elsewhere.
“Nobody knows what’s going on in our dressing room. We could have three or four men with hamstrings (problems), nursing them and pretending they’re alright and vice versa, they could be flying.
“Nobody know what’s going on behind anybody’s dressing room.
“We just need to focus on ourselves. We believe we can win any game on its own merits if the preparations are right.”
McGuinness isn’t so sure Kieran Donaghy will be positioned at the edge of the square in 13 days’ time.
“Eamonn is a smart fella and he always keeps different strategies for different teams as well.
“He is flexible in his approach so I’m sure he’ll pick a team that he feels will get the job done and that’s what we’re in the process of trying to do as well.”
The Glenties man talked up the other aspects of Kerry’s game, especially the physical presence.
“There’s players on the team that are very good footballers that can mix it with anybody. Peter Crowley is a very traditional centre-half back.
“He’s very good going forward but he’s a tough centre back. David Moran has added a huge amount around the middle of the park and added to an already good midfielder in Anthony Maher.
“ They’ve a lot of pace in the forward line in Barry John (Keane) and James O’Donoghue while Donnchadh Walsh has had a really good season up to this point. “I have to say I’ve been very impressed with Aidan O’Mahony the last two games.
“He’s been top drawer in everything you’d expect from in the defensive side of things but offensively he’s driving himself forward and you can see he’s really pushing hard.
“People will talk about the long ball being played into Kieran Donaghy and James O’Donoghue playing off him but there’s a lot more to this Kerry team.
“ They can deliver quality inside passes. They’ve a strong running team and have talented defenders who can kick a score. Johnny Buckley’s also on the 40 — that means they’re playing with three midfielders, basically. It gives them a big foothold in terms of kick-outs.”
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