Morley: Dublin still the team to beat even without 'fantastic' Gavin

Kerry's Tadhg Morley has lauded Jim Gavin as "a fantastic manager" - but warned that the Dublin players doing the business on the pitch will still be around in 2020.

“The players are the ones that have to deliver. They are the ones that are winning All-Irelands. It is just one change on the side-line really is the way we would look at it.

“People say it opens the door for other counties but the same players are there. They are going to be still favourites and still the team to beat. I wouldn’t read too much into it that way.”

On Gavin, Morley commented: “Dublin are a great half-time team. In sticky situations, sometimes at half-time, they come out well in the second half. He is obviously very good in the dressing room at half-time, sorting stuff out and his management team.

"Jim has an unbelievable record. You would have to have huge respect for him. He has been a huge influence on what Dublin have achieved. All the players from Dublin thought a lot of him, his professionalism and his management skills."

Meanwhile, Dublin GAA chairman Seán Shanley says he was "shocked" to hear Gavin had stepped down.

"I got a call from (Dublin CEO) John Costello," Shanley told RTÉ Radio. "He was after getting a call, and Jim wanted to talk to him. John met Jim, and Jim told him he was stepping aside. 'Handing over the reins' is how he termed it.

"He simply said it was the right time to go, for Dublin. He felt it was the right time for him to go, and leave it to someone else to carry on."

On whether there was a strong case for outgoing management to be involved in the new Dublin set-up, Shanley added: "I think yes, we would have to talk to them. Maybe it would be the best way of a bit of continuity. Jim had a great backroom team. This wasn't the same backroom team that won five in a row. He's chopped and changed one or two new people in every year. I think that's what kept it fresh.

"I would love to see some continuity. I wouldn't like to see the whole lot gone. We'll have to ask them first are they're interested, and see is there one of them prepared to take on as manager."