John O’Mahony saddened at Connacht’s player rows

John O’Mahony says that it is sad that the rows which developed between players and management in Mayo football and Galway hurling could not be sorted out inside the confines of the dressing rooms.

But he said the player heaves showed the level of tension now involved in inter-county management and admitted that the job of a manager was now unrecognisable from when he first entered the fray with his native Mayo over a quarter of a century ago.

O’Mahony, speaking as his autobiography ‘Keeping The Faith’ was launched in Ballaghderreen last night, said that being an inter-county manager was a demanding role now.

“It really is a full-time job now, an inter-county manager now has to take charge of a full management team in addition to all the requirements of a playing squad.

“But while the game has grown on all levels, there were always tensions in dressing rooms. People are passionate about what they do, that’s why they are giving up their time, whether they are a player, manager or official.

“It is inevitable that there will be rows in squads but the most vital thing is to sort them out internally.

“The genie is out of the bottle once they go outside the dressing room and it’s very hard to resolve matters then.

“I don’t know what’s happening inside the Mayo football or Galway hurling dressing rooms so am not going to comment on the rights and wrongs of it all, but it is sad to see,” he said.

O’Mahony, who had a couple of stints in charge of Mayo and who guided Galway to the 1998 and 2001 All-Ireland titles, enjoyed one of his best moments when he led Leitrim to a shock 1994 Connacht title.

“I was fortunate to have many great days with various teams and they were all special in their own way. That win with Leitrim was special but everyone knew how much it meant to people.

“Nowadays most counties don’t get excited about winning a provincial title but the day after that one, we toured the county, starting out in Dromod and finishing up in Ballinamore at 4am the following morning.

“There is a danger if the same sides are winning all the time that it will lose its appeal.

“But only one team can win the All-Ireland and only one team can win each of the provincial titles. And, as we have seen this year, winning a provincial title doesn’t mean there won’t be issues in a county.

“The whole thing has changed so much, a lot of it for the best but not all of it.

“It is such a changed environment for a young manager starting out. When I began, you had a couple of selectors and someone from the county board liaising with you.

“But now there large backroom teams, training is much more demanding and you just fear has the fun gone out of it for a lot of people? That’s the biggest danger.

“We had issues to deal with and all that but for the most part it was about fun, setting out and achieving things but getting a great kick out of it at the same time. I just fear a lot of people in it now, right across the board, aren’t getting that enjoyment, and that’s not right.”

Obviously, players have learned something from him, and the recent appointment of Kevin McStay as joint Roscommon manager means that all five Connacht counties have appointed players at some stage who played under him. So would he ever go back?

“I wouldn’t have the time now but I always enjoyed it, whether it was with a club team or something like that so you never say never.”