Kobe McDonald and Mayo’s teen prospects: ‘There is no reason why these fellas should be held back’

The Mayo boss has no doubt that McDonald is ready to make his mark for the county.

Mayo's Kobe McDonald. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

For recently appointed Mayo manager Andy Moran, the message is simple: the public want to watch attacking football involving exciting players. Let them.

Moran’s reign began with a 1-17 to 1-11 victory over Sligo in the FBD Connacht League last weekend. For Moran, these pre-season competitions do have real value. He is glad to see them back.

“If you look at it from a management point of view, if we weren't playing Roscommon on Sunday or Sligo last Saturday, we'd be up the country playing a challenge match,” he said.

“I've never seen why that is better than not playing a match in front of a crowd. You're looking at a player playing in front of 2,000 people like we did last week, or looking at a player playing in front of no spectators in a closed ground, that's a completely different kettle of fish. There is pressure on when there's people there looking at you.

“That is when you know you can see the right player, the right spark. Do they get the right arousal states from the crowd looking at them? If they do, they have a real chance of going forward. I just think they're great competitions.

“There were 7,000 people at the McKenna Cup game against Tyrone in Armagh. People are crying out for football and we should be promoting it.” 

His squad enjoyed a warm-weather training camp in Colina Verde, Portugal, last month. 

On that trip was the AFL-bound Kobe McDonald. He is one of a number of young prospects currently in the senior panel. The Mayo boss has no doubt the Leaving Cert student is ready to make his mark for the county.

“A great kid. Around for the next nine months. It would have been silly for us not to ask him to come with us. He came out and he is a hyper-talented boy. You've seen it first-hand. There is no hiding a player like Kobe anymore because of social media and videos.

“I have this kind of fascination with people saying, ‘It's too early, and it's this and it's that.’ 

“We would have multiple under-20 lads and 18, 19, 20-year-olds that I feel, deem ready to play football at senior inter-county level and we'll be looking to get them in over the next couple of months, and push on and play for Mayo.

“I can't see why these guys, they're doing S&C since they're 14 now in these development camps and all of a sudden, they're not ready to play senior inter-county football until they're 21, 22? I don't buy into that. You see with Matthew Thompson last year, an exceptional young man playing for Galway and well able to play at 19, 20 years of age.

“There is no reason why these fellas should be held back anymore, just let them play football.”