League is all most counties can aspire to winning

Success with all its advantages is quickly becoming the preserve of the few, and all too often the rich.

It is well accepted success begets success and a brief review of Allianz Football League champions supports this, where six of the last 12 League winners went on to claim the All-Ireland championship in September. League success in April didn’t just bolster confidence and status it also allowed for a prolonged period of competitive games to develop players, hone playing styles, foster a winning attitude and solidify the best possible panel.

However in recent years there has been a significant change.

Kerry and Donegal have struggled to raise any appetite for the league, Dublin play a second string panel for the early rounds, while Mayo tend to be slow starters.

What has been the catalyst for change?

If the four best teams in Ireland have no real interest in the league then what is the point in it? The purpose of the league is simple and well documented but what has changed is more interesting.

It is my belief the best equipped team in Ireland by a considerable distance is Dublin. They appear to have used the O’Byrne Cup to experiment with systems of play, as well as the talent at their disposal.

Jim Gavin has brought in Jason Sherlock, an experienced and talented coach, whom I assume is charged with creating greater teamwork, mobility and workrate in their forward unit.

If Dublin win or lose in the league it makes no difference, they are already months ahead of most teams and can afford to use the league to perfect a championship system.

They are technically and tactically developing with a view to a bigger picture. Gavin is a progressive manager, possibly the most progressive, and he will have learned a lot of hard lessons from last year’s semi-final defeat to Donegal.

Though his pride may be hurt his vision for what he wants for his team remains strong and he will remain true to his wish for attacking football.

Lesser teams, and that is not derogatory, are spending these months working on fitness, strength and conditioning, and developing Plan A. The league is not something they can approach casually.

Most of these teams are still working out how to play a defensive system instead of working out how to beat the defensive system.

They are trying to retain possession as they move forward instead of devising how best to get the ball into the scoring zone.

They are so afraid of being progressive that they are caught up in a spiral of negativity.

The prevailing attitude, whether they admit to it or not, is control and conquer — a possession game built around damage limitation and victory by small margins.

Dublin are in a two horse race for the All-Ireland. The length of the GAA season, the significant drop in numbers of quality opposition and a realignment of priorities means that the league is just the league.

Kerry, the other horse, have quite literally been fulfilling the fixtures of recent years and thereby rode considerable luck to retain Division 1 status.

However 2015 should see Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s men buck the trend. Kerry need the league.

How will Colm Cooper return after the cruciate injury? Can Tommy Walsh readjust after time in Australia? Is he best suited to mid-field or full-forward? Will there be a role in the team for Austin Stacks and Kerry captain Kieran Donaghy? Have Kerry still something to prove after the All-Ireland final?

As we approach the first round of the national league we can look forward to eight weeks of competitive fixtures. This rare experience will not be witnessed again until August – the exception being the Ulster championship. Derry, in 2008, were the last ‘surprise’ team to win the league. There are teams like Mayo who want to win a league title but won’t, and there is Donegal who need a competitive league to rebuild.

But the sad truth is that the league is the only competition that offers most county teams the chance of success this year as Dublin and Kerry prepare for a September showdown.

Until we view our GAA season with open, radical minds and as long as we have two premier county competitions the national league will remain a breeding ground for future success.

Maybe someday the league will be our premier trophy and with that gain the respect it deserves.