Michael Meehan: Hard to give game full focus

Former Galway footballer Michael Meehan believes top players who put inter-county activity ahead of their careers are sending out a worrying message.

The gifted but injury plagued attacker conceded he’d love to be in a position himself to focus virtually exclusively on his game as Donegal’s Karl Lacey is doing.

Former Player of the Year Lacey said that after completing a Masters degree several months ago, he will more than likely reject any job until the Championship is over.

Kerry’s Darran O’Sullivan also revealed in January that he packed in a bank job, partly to concentrate on his Kingdom career.

Meehan said that, in reality, ‘loads of lads are doing it, or close to it’ as they put off any serious investment in their careers to aid their GAA careers.

But the Caltra man said it’s a ‘short sighted’ approach and he agreed that it’s a strange message to send out to youngsters who aiming of similarly reaching the top.

“It is,” nodded Meehan. “But it is so short-term too. Football is great and you love it but there is only a very small percentage of teams that get the silverware. Life goes on for everyone else. There isn’t the opportunity for every inter-county football or hurler to come back into the Association on some level and gain meaningful employment, that is never going to happen. It is very short sighted.”

Meehan didn’t play in last year’s Championship for Galway because of long-term injury trouble and hasn’t featured at all this year. He said his career has been helped by the extra time he’s been able to afford to it.

“It has made a difference, I have a young family as well so I have a chunk of time dedicated to that obviously but it certainly does help,” he continued. “You are tied up as an inter-county footballer, nearly every evening of the week is gone. Your Saturday mornings are gone, Sunday mornings are gone, a whole host of time and opportunities there where you can ramp up your energy on your job or whatever and do what you want with it.

“But back to the point about Karl Lacey, it is not a good message to send out but is it happening or will it continue to happen? It will. What will make that change? Who knows. Maybe better reimbursement for the players but we are not going to go down that road.”

Meehan was quick to clarify that he wasn’t criticising Lacey for his decision.

“He is the same age as myself, probably sees an opportunity that Donegal still have a good squad and he wants to do as well as he can. He needs to devote as much time as he can into it and he’s willing to do that.

“He is going to take three or four months and give 100% to the Donegal team. Loads of lads are doing it, or close to it.

“The student body now that are going to be finished over the next few weeks, they might get some support or some job that will be very football friendly and they will use that to the max. I did the same and I would do the same again, if I could.”

Ankle trouble continues to keep Meehan sidelined though and he has no plans to resurrect his county career any time soon. At present, he is training just once a week.

He will be a high profile absentee on Sunday when Galway open their Connacht championship account in New York. The once prolific forward said he’s doubtful about whether the actual fixture should go ahead.

“This year, Galway might have to play four games to win Connacht,” he said. “They’re out two weeks later, presuming they win, so for this year it’s not really needed.

“I don’t know. I really don’t know. There are pros and cons. Depending on the manager, some managers probably hated it. Other managers adapted and used it to make it as beneficial as possible. As a player, I enjoyed it,” he said.