Paddy Christie: Dublin's conveyor belt of talent starting to slow
Former Dublin footballer and current Tipperary selector Paddy Christie at the launch of 'The Toughest Season'. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Former All-Star Paddy Christie fears the conveyor belt of generational talent is slowing down in Dublin and that, as a result, the seniors will inevitably 'drop a level'.
The ex-full-back has coached many of Dublin's five-in-a-row winners through his decades of work at Ballymun Kickhams, with the Dublin minors and now DCU.
Philly McMahon was part of a Ballymun group that Christie began coaching as U10s, starting that process all over again years later with another U10 panel containing Paddy Small.
Just last January, Dubs trio Small, Sean Bugler and Evan Comerford lined out in the Sigerson Cup final for Christie's victorious DCU team, each of them getting on the scoresheet.
Dublin are also through to the upcoming All-Ireland U-20 final though they haven't won a minor Championship since 2012 and this season's minors were beaten 1-15 to 0-7 by Meath.
"I suppose if I'm being honest about it, and it might be a bit controversial, but I don't think the same conveyor belt is coming through and that's maybe a cause for concern," said Christie.
"Maybe it's a good thing as regards people complaining that Dublin are too strong, it won't last forever and the days of a juggernaut for Dublin, I'm not sure about that.
"There are underage players coming through but they are not to the same extent or the same quality. Even with Sean Bugler and Paddy Small, neither of them were victorious at underage. The first year (2015) we got beaten in a Leinster minor semi-final by a very strong Kildare team, by three points, Paddy was corner-forward on that team.
"Then the following year we were well beaten by Meath, so there are signs that things are beginning to change.
"There is such a strong core still there as seniors and such a high level of expectation and such a high level of performance that you can't see it just crumbling overnight. It will slowly drop a level and then you'd imagine other teams will move up a couple of levels themselves."
Underage success, particularly at U21 level, has been a strong indicator of future gains at senior level throughout the last decade for Dublin.
Of the senior team that started the Leinster final defeat of Meath, only Stephen Cluxton and Michael Fitzsimons don't have All-Ireland U21 medals. Of the five subs introduced, Kevin McManamon was the only one without one.
Former boss Jim Gavin consistently took the best of these players and introduced them to senior activity throughout his seven-season reign.
Since succeeding Gavin, Dessie Farrell has identified Small and Robbie McDaid, both U21 medallists in 2014, and Bugler, an U21 winner in 2017, as first teamers. Attacker Small has started every game since October's restart, contributing 0-12, while McDaid has been an ever present at wing-back in that period and Bugler has started all of the Championship matches. It's anticipated that Farrell will stick with the trio for tomorrow's All-Ireland semi-final against Cavan.
Asked about his Sigerson Cup winner Small, ex-Dublin captain Christie said he wasn't surprised by Farrell's faith in him.
"I've had Paddy Small since I took over a Ballymun team at U-10 that he was on, so I had him for 11 years until he was an U21," said the current Tipperary coach.
"He eventually got rid of me, well he thought he was rid of me and then I was involved with DCU. I'm like a bad smell, I never go away with him. He's a Tipperary man would you believe - his grandfather is a Tipp man so a big transfer might be on the cards at some stage!
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
