Mayo's Jack Carney admits 'impostor syndrome' over footballer of the year nomination

Carney said players from rural areas like Achill and Belmullet have to earn everything 'twofold'

Mayo's Jack Carney: 'The whole year itself has been a huge transformation for the team and me personally.' Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Jack Carney said he feels an element of "impostor syndrome" about being nominated for footballer of the year alongside Mayo teammate Ryan O'Donoghue and three-time winner David Clifford. This year's recipient will be named at the All-Stars ceremony on Friday night. Carney was a key influence in midfield for Mayo, scoring two two-pointers in the All-Ireland final victory over Kerry.

"I do genuinely suffer from feeling a little less worthy than Ryan and David because of what they do on the big stage time after time," Carney told the BBC's The GAA Social podcast.

“But I'm very glad that the work that I've done in the last, whatever, 18 years, 17 years, has come to fruition, not just for me, for my family, for them to feel really proud to call me their son or their grandson or their brother.

“And most importantly for my club, Kilmeena, to be the first player from the club to be nominated as an All-Star. For a man in Kilmeena to be able to go to the local mart and say, ‘Yeah, I am from Kilmeena. You mightn't have heard of it before, but hopefully you've heard of it now.’ That makes me really proud, that makes them happy.”

Carney said he looks up to All-Ireland final man of the match O'Donoghue "in more ways than one".

“I have a real understanding as to the difficulty it is to come from such a rural area, with my father being from Achill and Ryan being from Belmullet, that everything you get you really earn, and you earn twofold nearly," he said. 

“He has been driving standards for as long as I'm on the panel. For him to be recognised on the biggest stage, and for him to basically lead the All-Ireland final press, turn the tide in my opinion, I'm just delighted that he gets recognition for how hard he has worked all his career."

Starting at midfield for Mayo in the All-Ireland SFC round 1 victory over Monaghan in late May was a "huge moment" for Carney. Up to that point, he had played at wing-forward and had been "chasing" the number eight or nine jersey. 

"The whole year itself has been a huge transformation for the team and me personally," said Carney.

“I hadn't fully figured the transition from the old rules. I hadn't fully let the shackles off. I thought the old rules had restricted players, and I was definitely affected by that.

“I think that's the same for the team. We hadn't really figured that transition yet to the new rules in the last year or two, whereas we had a massive eye-opener and huge realisation that we can really take advantage of these rules and get the most out of ourselves this year."

On Saturday, the Mayo panel travel to Barbados for a 10-day team holiday. Carney believes the timing is ideal as once they are home it allows players turn their attention towards next season. 

"That's well and truly the time our minds fully shift to 2027," he said. "We're a young group, we're ambitious, and celebrations can't go on forever. We're happy enough at the moment to balance it and from then onwards to move on."