McGeeney: GAA 'very funny' when it comes to jersey choices

“We have two players with colour blindness, that’s an issue at different times,"

Tue, 16 Jul, 2024 - 02:30

John Fogarty

Kieran McGeeney said he never felt under pressure despite a vote of confidence deciding his future as Armagh manager last August.

A ballot was called to determine whether he would be allowed to stay on for a 10th season, which has seen the county reach their first All-Ireland SFC final appearance in 21 years.

Almost 75% of the vote – 46 to 16 – was in favour of McGeeney retaining the position. “I wouldn’t call it difficult,” he reflected at Monday night’s All-Ireland final media event in The Carrickdale Hotel.

“It was actually probably one of those moments that the vote reinforced. Whatever it was, 70 to 80% of the clubs, voted for me. So, if anything, it was a good start to the year. As the year went on, I think that percentage went down!” he smiled.

“I’ve been around football a long, long time. Seen all of those things come and go. In terms of this year, I think I’m right in saying we have lost one game by a point, that was the league final. So to me, it’s been a fantastic year.

“Everybody says you can’t close out tight games but Donegal and Monaghan end up in a penalty shoot-out and they can close out tight games? They can’t. They were just better at penalties than we were. So I don’t buy into that narrative.”

Armagh wore a black jersey against Kerry but are likely to revert to their traditional orange for the final. “They (the GAA) are very funny about that, don’t ask me why,” said McGeeney. “You have to get special permission.

“We have two players with colour blindness, that’s an issue at different times, so when you have full block colours it can be an issue for two of them. Listen, I don’t know, that sort of stuff goes way over my head. You’d think it’s a simple enough thing, like wear what you want as long as you can distinguish between the two teams.

“You’ll have traditionalists but I still think part of the thing we have now in each county is that, whether we like it or not, there has to be a commercial value to it. We have to make money, they are businesses and stuff, and if there is a jersey out there that sells better than the other and it’s not going against everything, I still think counties should be able to do it.

“They are too hamstrung as it is, in term of raising money, so if there is something that can help them raise that kind of finance – the black jersey is a good seller for us, as was Ethan’s (Rafferty) jersey.”

McGeeney revealed Pádraic Joyce texted him after Armagh and Galway’s draw in Sligo last month that they would meet again in the All-Ireland decider.

“He told me after the thing, he says ‘we’ll meet in the final.’

“He actually predicted two or three things that have all come. I have asked him who did he see winning the final but he hasn’t told me that one yet. Joyce is a good fella, I know him a long time, an unbelievable player in his day and he’s a competitor through and through.”