Seasoned Colm Cooper unfazed by All-Ireland final criticism

Colm Cooper admits he was disappointed with his performance in the All-Ireland final but is unruffled by the hostile criticism he received in the wake of Kerry’s defeat by Dublin.

As the leading player of his generation, the Kerry legend has grown used to the barbs that have been fired at him periodically during a glittering career and says although he did question himself afterwards, knows he is “better than that” below-par display he delivered in September.

Touring schools in County Down yesterday, in his role as AIB youth ambassador, Cooper spoke of his duel with Dublin defender Philly McMahon in the final and also claimed the GAA should have told both sets of players referee David Coldrick was wearing a microphone during the game for the purposes of a TV documentary.

“It was just surprising from the point of view that no-one knew about it,” said.

“Should the players be told before the game? I think they should.

“It was there, not to catch out players I don’t think, but it was there to show the public what really happens.

“But I think it would have been nice if they had let both squads know at least.”

Though he has not yet seen the documentary ‘All-Ireland Day’, Cooper has concerns such intrusions into what’s said during high-intensity match situations could portray players in a bad light.

“In the heat of the moment, players can come out with anything and you don’t want to be portrayed as something that you’re not.

“Obviously David Coldrick knew about it. He was very cool, calm and collected - but the players weren’t as cool. Look, it’s gone, but it was maybe just an error from a logistical point of view not to let the players know.”

The five-time All-Ireland winner confessed he’s at a loss to explain his low-key performance in the 0-12 to 0-9 All-Ireland final defeat to the Dubs.

He felt in peak shape heading into the game, feeling his match sharpness had finally returned after the cruciate knee injury which had ruled him out in 2014.

“Sometimes I think I am my own worst critic in terms of analysing performance, but the annoying thing was that my own feelings were that I was really sharp going into the game and my own game was good. I struggled in the early part of the year to get to the pace of it but all of a sudden, come the start of July, I started getting sharp again really quickly.

“So the disappointing thing for me was how did that not really translate onto the pitch in Croke Park - which is strange, because at times like that before I have gone out and played very well in finals.

“This is probably the one and only time that this has happened.

“There are finals when I hadn’t performed great, but I hadn’t felt good going into them. But I felt really good going into this one, and it just didn’t happen for whatever reason.

“I know I am better than that performance. I know there is still more in the body. But it does leave you asking yourself questions and questioning yourself. What’s needed, what’s needed to come back from this and what’s needed to improve?

“Sometimes you have to go away and do a little bit of soul-searching. That’s just the way it goes.”

Cooper will absorb the lessons from defeat, and expects to see all of Kerry’s senior players back alongside him in 2016, insisting he’d be surprised if there are any retirements.

Whatever fires him up next year, he insists it won’t be a desire to prove a point to TV pundits like Martin McHugh or more recently, Joe Brolly, who labelled the Dr Crokes player as a ‘choker’ in the wake of the All-Ireland defeat.

“The first time it (criticism) comes you get a shock and are surprised and disappointed by it, but when you get a bit older, you get used to it.

“It’s completely opinionated and that’s what they are paid to do on television.”

Cooper also stuck up for Dublin All Star Philly McMahon, who came in for heavy scrutiny towards the latter stages of the championship, amidst claims of head-butting Aidan O’Shea and gouging Kieran Donaghy.

McMahon held ‘Gooch’ scoreless in the final, and memorably forced him to track back as he scored a point himself in the first-half.

“Yeah, I saw different parts of Croke Park that I never saw before!

“I spent a lot of time running around Croke Park in September after him and believe me, that was a difficult job but look, fair play to Dublin. They obviously had set out different game plans and it worked.”

Having endured plenty of unwarranted criticism in his time, Cooper revealed he has a level of sympathy for McMahon, describing some of it as “unfair”.

“You can talk about various points in his play, but the biggest point is that he had a fantastic season.

“He marked big players in big games and did very, very well against them. He was in line for Player of the Year.

“The incidents he was involved in, that’s not for me to decide.

“That’s what the committees in Dublin are there to sort out. My job is playing and the only thing I would say he had a very good season.”

Gooch on...

Retirements

“There’s been no pressure from Eamonn (Fitzmaurice) or the management on any of the guys. I don’t think he wanted anyone to make a rush decision straight after an All-Ireland. If you’re making a rush decision you could say ‘you know what, I’ve enough of it’. You need time to reflect and I’m sure all the guys will make their decision in the next couple of weeks. The likely ones are Marc Ó Sé, Aidan O’Mahony and Kieran Donaghy.

“They’ll know themselves, no-one can make the decision for them but if they’re healthy, if the hunger is still there and their fight for battle is still there then I hope that they’ll go on.”

Skill levels

“It worries me in some ways. Like, if you have a fast, small skillful player against a guy who is six foot, strong, athletic guy, who would most guys pick now? I would say the six foot athletic guy. Skill level, to me, is deteriorating a bit because if this is the way fellas want to go and to be coached and stuff, that’s fine, and every county has different aspirations, but to go and win an All-Ireland, you need your skilful players. You need to have top-class forwards that can get scores in big games.

Referees being mic’d up for big games

“The rules in rugby are very defined so most decisions are clear cut enough. The GAA I would say is definitely not, so I think it would be a difficult balancing act in how they might do that... I think it would be a challenge for the GAA to get everything right.

Is winning with style important?

“Probably one of our greatest strengths is our adaptability and we have learned the hard way against the Tyrones and different teams in big games we have lost. At the end of the day, you want to be in Croke Park in September winning. If you get the balance right by how you play, then fine. But you have to get the balance right.”