Kieran McGeeney: In his own words 

McGeeney chats the state of the game, manager v player and perception of him being a negative coach.

Galway manager Padraic Joyce and Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney after the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 3 encounter. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

On the state of Gaelic football: “I think we have a great sport, I genuinely do. 

"I know youse say this often enough but I think we could do a better job of selling it. I’d love to see the 10 best plays done every week between blocks and tackles and catches. Even (Niall) Grimley’s catch it was disallowed but jeez what a pass and what a catch. 

"Don’t get me wrong there are a lot of things we can tidy up but in terms of what we have at our disposal, everyone keeps comparing it to hurling. I still think what we have every bit as good, if not better but you’re fighting a tsunami of a wave against it.” 

On managing versus captaining Armagh: “Ach, there’s no comparison. You have to play you have to compete. I wish I was fucking 25! People ask me do I get nervous before it. 

"I was looking at my watch, 52 was my heart rate before the start, as chilled as you are going to get but extra time I think it was 100 but there is nothing like playing, we all know that. It’s like asking youse would you rather write a book or an article or read one.” 

On perception of him being a negative coach: “If I read one more time ‘he’s holding them back, he has to let them go.’ Like, I’m shouting ‘don't go fellas, don’t go for any more scores hold back, don’t score any more’. It’s fucking nonsense. How people even contemplate saying that stuff? 

"It’d be great if you could get the camera (angle) from the players’ perspective. 

"We always see it from above, see the gaps you can put it into. ‘Why didn’t you kick it in there?’ ‘Well, there were 14 bodies between me and him Kieran, I just couldn't really see the fucking gap. You could see from 50 foot up there.’”