McGeeney in ‘lies’ claim over critics

Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney has taken GAA commentators, including Joe Brolly, to task about their "lies" concerning the extent of his panel’s training schedule, writes John Fogarty.

Tue, 27 Jan, 2015 - 00:00

John Fogarty

The 2002 All-Ireland winning captain revealed he has spoken to a number of individuals arising from claims in the media the team has been flogged over the past few months.

Brolly used Armagh as an example in his “indentured slaves” argument but McGeeney said his critics are “people with different agendas and it’s just silly. Then when you do tell them the truth they say ‘it’s only a bit of craic’”.

In an obvious dig at the RTÉ pundit, McGeeney joked: “It’s people who don’t want to lose those passes to All-Irelands. And that’s what happens with reporting now. Maybe we need a new influx of people in the TV media.”

He suggests he has been targeted because “the fact you (media) lads like the fact I bite back. It’s part of my personality.”

He added: “I’ve talked to the people who wrote them and gave them our training schedule but a lot of people just aren’t interested in the truth.

“I can’t put it any plainer than that. I showed them our exact training schedule. It’s very hard to lie when there’s 40 people there so that’s it.

“To say we’re training 10 times a week, at six in the morning, and then two games at the weekend, 12 times a week... the reality is that we’re training three or four times a week and that’s it.

“There wouldn’t be any more than that, (including) gym sessions. There wouldn’t be any more than three hours’ contact time.

“Of all the teams in Ireland, I would say that we were probably doing the least.

“They work hard but it’s a very small amount of contact times.

“The more you tell people the truth, the less they want to print it.”

McGeeney recalls an article where it was stated Armagh trained 12 times in one particular week — “when actually we’d done two”.

The same week, several members of the panel attended a Christmas party and Charlie Vernon’s wedding.

“We probably did more drinking that week that training! As I say, sometimes the story isn’t as good when the truth is involved. I can’t do much about it.”

It had also been suggested Crossmaglen players had left the panel because the training demands were excessive.

McGeeney responded: “Well, nobody talked to them about that. Tony (Kernan) mentioned someone was giving out about Armagh training at six in the morning. It was Cross that were doing it and we were lauding them.

“You can’t say one thing is right or wrong. Teams will do that they want at a particular moment in time.”

Dismissing Brolly’s “indentured slaves” argument, McGeeney spoke about the honour of playing Gaelic football.

“I just know other teams train harder than us. Like, I know I trained longer hours when I was training. Maybe people will tell you I needed that!

“And people made it out that I had a dour existence but I think it was them who had the dour existence.

“Because there was no passion, or love, for what they were doing. If they didn’t want to be there, go home.

“I loved it. I couldn’t wait to get to training. With (Diarmaid) Marsden to knock the b***** out of me.

“We had good times. It was a big part of my life, I loved it and I wouldn’t change any of it.

“I think most players would say the same.

“To have that type of focus and passion for something in your life is important because most of us can have a very mundane existence.

“We get up, we go to work, some people are very lucky that they work at what their passion is, but in general most people don’t. This is a good thing to have.

“Yeah, there are hard times in it. Nobody likes the hard training part but the camaraderie and stuff comes afterwards and those are the things associated with it. I think it is something unique in the GAA we have such a passion for a particular sport that doesn’t exist anywhere else unless you make it to the top levels. We have that passion here at all levels. I think it’s a unique thing and one that should be embraced, not ridiculed.” McGeeney, whose league debut as Armagh boss comes against Tipperary on Sunday, also rubbished the idea that the standard of football has deteriorated because of the more physical style of football.

“That’s one thing I am very happy TV is about — to put an end to all that nonsense. Don’t get me wrong, there are bad games every year and sometimes you will have a bad championship. But in general the level of sport goes up. Unfortunately, with that level comes huge expectations to play.”

Meanwhile Armagh goalkeeper Philip McEvoy retired from inter-county football yesterday

The Dromintee club-man said that he had taken the decision because of a “change in my personal circumstances”.

“In recent weeks I have unfortunately not been able to give my full commitment, which I have utterly prided myself in doing,” said McEvoy.

“Without question I have been given immense support from all teammates, management, friends and family to commit for a further year in 2015. In recent weeks however, I have unfortunately not been able to give my full commitment, which I have utterly prided myself in doing for the past 7 years. This is pivotal to what we strive to achieve.”

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