Managers Gone Mad?

RMDrive

keane2097 wrote: »

Yeah apparently so.



Yeah I totally agree with this. It's a constant bugbear of mine that when it comes to coaches, many in the GAA seem to have less interest in making their players the best they can be than they have in making sure they get the hour of torment they owe the player.

Just last night I was out for dinner with my cousin and we were talking about how back when he was a minor he ripped his hamstring off the bone the fourth day having played the Frewen Cup final, trained with the seniors and played a soccer match & extra time the three days prior.

The utter mindlessness of making a player train just for the sake of it drives me bananas. No thought is given to how much the guy has been doing with other teams, no mind to recovery, just so long as I get to run the fcuker on my day.

Talking to Tommy Walsh about the difference between professionalism and amateurism he had nothing but praise for the amount of effort GAA players put in but was borderline derisory of the attitude coaches take to recovery citing that as the main difference between the two. According to him, two thirds of his week was spent with staff working on "getting him right", in GAA three quarters is spent trying to make sure you're suffering.

What does apparently so mean? Do you have a source to back this up or anything to suggest it is true?

Clareman

Mountainlad wrote: »

I really don't know much about the way Sparrow managed Clare, or Jamesie's involvement with teams and I know Brian Lohan was over UL this year but not much about their training. Was Lyons not a selector under Ger?

Cyril managed Clare to the 2002 All Ireland final. Sparrow trained Adare to a couple of Limerick titles, Jamesie and Lohan have been involved in minor teams, as has Liam Doyle. He was also manager of the under 21s that won the All Ireland in 09

Mountainlad

Clareman wrote: »

Cyril managed Clare to the 2002 All Ireland final. Sparrow trained Adare to a couple of Limerick titles, Jamesie and Lohan have been involved in minor teams, as has Liam Doyle. He was also manager of the under 21s that won the All Ireland in 09

Was John Minogue not in charge of the 21s that won the all-ireland in 2009?

I knew Lyons managed Clare, but like he didn't play under Loughnane unlesss I'm mistaken? Because we could talk about Considine and indeed Mike Mac's time in charge either. I'm not having a go at Clare, I just think that the biggest influence on Daly and Davy in particular was Loughnane's go hard or go home style. Loughnane himself was a bit of a lunatic if we're being honest, though not an idiot or anything like it. He was and is quite smart.

You obviously disagree but I'm not really sure why yet.

Clareman

Mountainlad wrote: »

Was John Minogue not in charge of the 21s that won the all-ireland in 2009?

I knew Lyons managed Clare, but like he didn't play under Loughnane unlesss I'm mistaken? Because we could talk about Considine and indeed Mike Mac's time in charge either. I'm not having a go at Clare, I just think that the biggest influence on Daly and Davy in particular was Loughnane's go hard or go home style. Loughnane himself was a bit of a lunatic if we're being honest, though not an idiot or anything like it. He was and is quite smart.

You obviously disagree but I'm not really sure why yet.

Himself and Jim Mc were corner forwards in the League final when we got destroyed by Kilkenny, Loughnane realised we needed more pace in the forwards so in came Sparrow and Stephen Mac. He came on as a sub in the AI final, if you watch the final whistle you'll see that Jamesey was offering to let him take the last free. Himself and John Minogue were co-managers.

ProudDUB

galtee mountain boy wrote: »

OP, any particular reason why Michael Murphy refused to give the girl his autograph? Was it managements instructions not to or what?

I think that all the Donegal players were instructed to head straight back into the dressing room after the game, and not stay out on the pitch signing autographs, interacting with the fans/media etc etc. I don't think that it was specific to MM.

I love the idea of GAA fans getting to interact with their heros the way that they do. It's what sets the GAA apart from other sports, where you just don't often seen that happening. But if Jim Gavin said that he thinks that our chances of winning Sam are improved, if he gets to speak to the players back in the dressing room, immediately after each game, I'd say "No Problem Jim, you do whatever you have to do".

It's different for us. Dubs are so used to going to watch our team play in Croker, where fans are not allowed approach the players as they leave the pitch, it's not normally an issue for us. But if he applied that same rule to road games, or the O'Byrne Cup game that we play in Parnell Park, I'd be ok with it. I'd be disappointed if I had a young child with me who was dying to get a players autograph, but I certainly wouldn't think that the manager had gotten too big for his britches.

RMDrive

ProudDUB wrote: »

I think that all the Donegal players were instructed to head straight back into the dressing room after the game, and not stay out on the pitch signing autographs, interacting with the fans/media etc etc. I don't think that it was specific to MM.

I love the idea of GAA fans getting to interact with their heros the way that they do. It's what sets the GAA apart from other sports, where you just don't often seen that happening. But if Jim Gavin said that he thinks that our chances of winning Sam are improved, if he gets to speak to the players back in the dressing room, immediately after each game, I'd say "No Problem Jim, you do whatever you have to do".

It's different for us. Dubs are so used to going to watch our team play in Croker, where fans are not allowed approach the players as they leave the pitch, it's not normally an issue for us. But if he applied that same rule to road games, or the O'Byrne Cup game that we play in Parnell Park, I'd be ok with it. I'd be disappointed if I had a young child with me who was dying to get a players autograph, but I certainly wouldn't think that the manager had gotten too big for his britches.

Anything other than thoughts to back this up? Not very happy with source-less aspersions being cast at our boys like this. If it's true then provide a link, otherwise stop throwing mud.

Clareman

Mountainlad wrote: »

You obviously disagree but I'm not really sure why yet.

Oops, forgot to reply to this bit.

Loughnane's style of management was to leave his selectors look after their areas (physical and skills), breakdown the players for weeks leading up to games but then build them up to be the best in the world in the days leading up to the games.

There was no such thing as laying out gear before training/matches (I think Pat O'Donnell arrived a week before a match with a load of boots and he was cleared being told to bring Puma Kings), there was no such thing as diets or nutrition (after training all the players would head to the Sherwood for whatever they wanted and there was milk laid on for free from Golden Vale), there was no stats (except for the score board), there was no major tatical decisions (except aim the ball at Clancy or Fingers or diagonal away, never straight balls), no video analysis.

The players that have gone on to be involved in other teams aren't following any of Loughnane's styles, they are players that had to do whatever it took to win and did it, as managers they are trying to bring the "whatever it takes mentality" to their new teams

ProudDUB

RMDrive wrote: »

Anything other than thoughts to back this up? Not very happy with source-less aspersions being cast at our boys like this. If it's true then provide a link, otherwise stop throwing mud.

I think that I read it on here. Which is why I said, I think. Not that I know. I will try to do some digging to provide you a source.

Btw, it wasn't an aspersion or mud slinging. If you read the rest of my post, you'll see that I also said that I'd have no problem if Jim Gavin did the very same thing, if he thought that it was for the betterment of the team.

RMDrive

ProudDUB wrote: »

I think that I read it on here. Which is why I said, I think. Not that I know. I will try to do some digging.

I think you should delete/edit your post.

Clareman

RMDrive wrote: »

I think you should delete/edit your post.

If you have a problem with a post report it, don't call people out on thread.

keane2097

RMDrive wrote: »

I think you should delete/edit your post.

What are you on about? The video is here:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/194/1j4igdgadcfeueateuqntf.mp4/

Either he's not allowed sign autographs or he's behaving like a creep, knowing what I do of Murphy it's unlikely the latter but I don't have a press release to quote on the matter so feel free to choose whichever option you please.

I can dig up the articles related to the press conference where he said he wasn't allowed talk about Donegal if you want? It's pretty telling to see you jump straight to adversarial in the debate when all you need to do is a quick google to find sources for either incident. I never understand people roaring for something easy to find out about to be backed up, it's like if I don't come back to the thread to find it for you it didn't happen.

VONSHIRACH

ProudDUB wrote: »

I think that all the Donegal players were instructed to head straight back into the dressing room after the game, and not stay out on the pitch signing autographs, interacting with the fans/media etc etc. I don't think that it was specific to MM.

I love the idea of GAA fans getting to interact with their heros the way that they do. It's what sets the GAA apart from other sports, where you just don't often seen that happening. But if Jim Gavin said that he thinks that our chances of winning Sam are improved, if he gets to speak to the players back in the dressing room, immediately after each game, I'd say "No Problem Jim, you do whatever you have to do".

It's different for us. Dubs are so used to going to watch our team play in Croker, where fans are not allowed approach the players as they leave the pitch, it's not normally an issue for us. But if he applied that same rule to road games, or the O'Byrne Cup game that we play in Parnell Park, I'd be ok with it. I'd be disappointed if I had a young child with me who was dying to get a players autograph, but I certainly wouldn't think that the manager had gotten too big for his britches.

When I was a young lad of 13 or so an all-ireland winner and all-star hurler of my own county wouldn't sign my autograph book. This was when he was at his peak. I was dissapointed and never forgot what a mean thing it was to do. Even now I can't abide him.

In contrast, at a challenge match I got autographs of Micko and the 4 in a row kerry team. I still have them actually, its poignant now to look at the names of some of those guys who passed prematurely.

rpurfield

ProudDUB wrote: »

I think that all the Donegal players were instructed to head straight back into the dressing room after the game, and not stay out on the pitch signing autographs, interacting with the fans/media etc etc. I don't think that it was specific to MM.

I love the idea of GAA fans getting to interact with their heros the way that they do. It's what sets the GAA apart from other sports, where you just don't often seen that happening. But if Jim Gavin said that he thinks that our chances of winning Sam are improved, if he gets to speak to the players back in the dressing room, immediately after each game, I'd say "No Problem Jim, you do whatever you have to do".

It's different for us. Dubs are so used to going to watch our team play in Croker, where fans are not allowed approach the players as they leave the pitch, it's not normally an issue for us. But if he applied that same rule to road games, or the O'Byrne Cup game that we play in Parnell Park, I'd be ok with it. I'd be disappointed if I had a young child with me who was dying to get a players autograph, but I certainly wouldn't think that the manager had gotten too big for his britches.

love the interaction myself remember not long after meath won sam in 99 in school i was out on a break with some of the lads,i was in school in balbriggan, and we bumped into spud murphy whos fom our club.he stopped for a chat to see how i was getting on and all and the lads that were with me were amazed.

theres a lot of chancer managers out there especially at club level i often see club teams and id be convinced a fair amount of us on here would do a better job than them!!just on the interaction thing love this photo from the meath match on sunday

Clareman

rpurfield wrote: »

love the interaction myself remember not long after meath won sam in 99 in school i was out on a break with some of the lads,i was in school in balbriggan, and we bumped into spud murphy whos fom our club.he stopped for a chat to see how i was getting on and all and the lads that were with me were amazed.

theres a lot of chancer managers out there especially at club level i often see club teams and id be convinced a fair amount of us on here would do a better job than them!!just on the interaction thing love this photo from the meath match on sunday

The interaction between players and fans isn't just in GAA it's in rugby as well, you'll often meet Munster players walking around the place in Limerick, in fact a couple of years ago at Christmas Paul O'Connell seemed to follow me into every shop in the Crescent, it got so bad that he said to me in the 5th or 6th shop "I'm not following you, promise", the next day I was out for lunch and he walked in, jokingly he came over asking me not to call the guards on him, made a great impression on the work colleagues who were with me

Mountainlad

Clareman wrote: »

Oops, forgot to reply to this bit.

Loughnane's style of management was to leave his selectors look after their areas (physical and skills), breakdown the players for weeks leading up to games but then build them up to be the best in the world in the days leading up to the games.

There was no such thing as laying out gear before training/matches (I think Pat O'Donnell arrived a week before a match with a load of boots and he was cleared being told to bring Puma Kings), there was no such thing as diets or nutrition (after training all the players would head to the Sherwood for whatever they wanted and there was milk laid on for free from Golden Vale), there was no stats (except for the score board), there was no major tatical decisions (except aim the ball at Clancy or Fingers or diagonal away, never straight balls), no video analysis.

The players that have gone on to be involved in other teams aren't following any of Loughnane's styles, they are players that had to do whatever it took to win and did it, as managers they are trying to bring the "whatever it takes mentality" to their new teams

Would you think that he didn't incorporate any of those things in because they weren't really options at the time, or that certainly the GAA hadn't broken that ground yet? Like I would have thought that these managers doing that now is just a product of how management has progressed. And of course people are looking at anything and everything to try and gain some advantage over Kilkenny.

I would have thought the whatever it takes mentality was Loughnane's mantra. And also I would have thought that Loughnane recognized that his team weren't as skilful maybe as a team like Offaly (not to say they weren't at all or they didn't have some outstanding players) so he felt they needed the physical edge. Whether he delivered it himself or not wasn't the issue. Fitzgerald doesn't handle the physical training either.

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

Lago wrote: »

I was talking to my physio about this and he said that even though he causes me a lot of pain during treatment, everything he's doing has a reason and a benefit and training should be the same, there's no point doing anything without a point to it. And he's dead right.

100% correct
2 of my best mates have Fifa coaching badges. One of the lads also plays a lot of GAA. One of the things they were thought when getting the Fifa badges, is everything that is done in the training session, the players should know when they can apply it to a real match situation. I have had very few managers that ever did this. I know some managers that have used the same drills for an u12 team, and a senior team! Same training sessions every time, same warm up routine, same drills in the same order, and a training match at the end. The 2 best managers I've ever had hardly ever gave the exact same training session twice, there would usually be something a bit different. These managers also got by far the best results out of out team.

As for the authoritarian style managers, there needs to be a level of respect between the players and managers. When the managers push players too far, this respect can easily be broken, and a player isn't going to play for a manager if there is no respect. Thats the reason I dropped football instead of hurling.

ciarriaithuaidh

On the OP, if Murphy has been instructed specifically not to sign autographs then it is petty by McGuinness, BUT maybe they were getting a bus somewhere to do a pool or other recovery session..or maybe he was rushing to get a flight to Glasgow for his new job and only had a few mins to speak to the players...or maybe there was some other reason, I don't know and neither do you. We DO know that McGuinness is fairly paranoid and can be very petty when he wants to be (Cassidy/Bogue affair for example), but I think its a step too far creating a thread having a dig at GAA managers based on this little incident. Another way of looking at it would be that if Michael Murphy signed 1 autograph, then he would probably be surrounded by 30+ kids and would be either massively delayed or would have to push past a lot of disappointed kids which would probably look a lot worse. Thats just a thought mind.

On Lago's posts, I feel sorry that you have trainers/managers who flog you and have no regard for warm down and recovery. That kind of attitude is totally wrong in every sense. You are going overboard saying that this kind of practice is prevalent in the entire GAA though..it isn't in my experience. Yes, there are still a few lunatics out there who see stretching as some sort of voodoo and like nothing better than seeing lads running through ankle deep mud..but they are a dying breed thankfully. Certainly in the clubs I've been involved with in the last 5 years there has been a massive evolution in terms of proper training techniques, proper recovery/rehabilitation/prehabilitation. I'm talking about even down as far as Junior club level here. Maybe things are vastly different in some counties, would be surprised if there was any half decent hurling or football club anywhere in the country who don't take sports science principles on board these days.

I think there IS a point to be made at county level about players being put under pressure (some by themselves) to play games when not 100% by some managers. It makes no sense and I don't know why they do it. One recent example I know of is a county player who went through a Sigerson campaign half injured. Went on a pre-arranged holiday in the middle of it and was told on his return that he was to play a meaningless game 36 hours after he landed back on Irish soil by his county manager. I think most of these incidents are part of some mindset of control or siege mentality by managers..Then again of course there are some (as mentioned in thread) who are just plain daft.

Just so people know the angle I'm coming from here, I'm a novice trainer/manager at club level myself. Know several others in the same boat and we'd be all of the same mindset regardng proper warm up/down, prehab training, nutrition/hydration etc....Maybe we're in the minority and I'm living in a bubble, but just think some of the criticism has been too harsh.

keane2097

Well I know you're one of the good ones old stock!

Tbh I have a bit of an issue with how players are treated in general of which this is just one angle. The service Michael McCann and in particular Tony Scullion have give to Antrim over the years lets face it with very little hope of any medals on the other side deserves so much better than a transient manager new in the door to boot them off the panelfor going to a relatives rememberence service. That's just inhumane. Apparently Scullion still doesn't know whether he's gone forgood or not.

There are a lot of others as well. Donaggy was dropped off the Kerry team for going to the Champions League final and missing training one night because his dogs got out and went missing. This was a couple of weeks after he lined out within a day or two of his dad dying. The level of entitlement fans and management seem to feel and the lack of acknowledgement that players have lives outside of this thing they voluntarily dedicate so much of themselves to is awful. I know players are only in there because they want to be but it doesn't have to be so black and white. A bit of compassion should be expected!

padd b1975

We in Mayo were well ahead of the posse when it comes to mad managers.

I am sure most posters will have heard about the infamous 'pushing cars' training session.

There was also the one where players were ordered to run up and down the field and jump in the air and pretend to catch an invisible size 5 O'NEILLS!!

Halfway through this particular drill, Anthony Finnerty was spotted running back to the dressing rooms, when asked where he was going he replied that he was going to get his gloves as it was starting to rain!!

Yep...

62 years and counting.

nice_guy80

padd b1975 wrote: »

We in Mayo were well ahead of the posse when it comes to mad managers.

I am sure most posters will have heard about the infamous 'pushing cars' training session.

There was also the one where players were ordered to run up and down the field and jump in the air and pretend to catch an invisible size 5 O'NEILLS!!

Halfway through this particular drill, Anthony Finnerty was spotted running back to the dressing rooms, when asked where he was going he replied that he was going to get his gloves as it was starting to rain!!

Yep...

62 years and counting.

pushing cars was actually a good idea

except players at the time weren't able to get their heads around it

patmac

Very sad if true about Murphy. I was at the Kerry vs Galway league match a couple of years ago in Salthill and was amazed by the Kerry players doing interviews signing autographs for a good hour after the game and thought what great ambassadors for the game. Of course there was no thread about that.
Was told that McGeeney would ring players at any time sometimes 5 in the morning for training sessions and everyone had to be in Newbridge or wherever in an hour, course I have no way of verifying this and it could be complete bollix.

keane2097

For the record, this wasn't meant to be focussed on Michael Murphy and that autograph thing, more a thread about how players aren't being treated with the humanity they deserve considering the effort they put in.

klairondavis

patmac wrote: »

Was told that McGeeney would ring players at any time sometimes 5 in the morning for training sessions and everyone had to be in Newbridge or wherever in an hour, course I have no way of verifying this and it could be complete bollix.

I know a lot is asked of the Kildare players from the current management but the above story is complete rubbish.

ciarriaithuaidh

keane2097 wrote: »

Well I know you're one of the good ones old stock!

Tbh I have a bit of an issue with how players are treated in general of which this is just one angle. The service Michael McCann and in particular Tony Scullion have give to Antrim over the years lets face it with very little hope of any medals on the other side deserves so much better than a transient manager new in the door to boot them off the panelfor going to a relatives rememberence service. That's just inhumane. Apparently Scullion still doesn't know whether he's gone forgood or not.

There are a lot of others as well. Donaggy was dropped off the Kerry team for going to the Champions League final and missing training one night because his dogs got out and went missing. This was a couple of weeks after he lined out within a day or two of his dad dying. The level of entitlement fans and management seem to feel and the lack of acknowledgement that players have lives outside of this thing they voluntarily dedicate so much of themselves to is awful. I know players are only in there because they want to be but it doesn't have to be so black and white. A bit of compassion should be expected!

Yeah I meant to say also that the story about the Antrim lads and the funeral is ridiculous if true. I don't know Frank Dawson from Adam, but it seems outrageous if whats being reported is true. The manager has alleged (cryptically) that they may not be telling the truth, so we'll have to see how it plays out.
I remember Donaghy being dropped for going to the Champions league final..I seem to recall it was the week before a championship game, so I wouldn't have a problem with the managers decision there to be honest.

I know exactly where you coming from though Keane, and you aren't wrong. Players sacrifice a lot, social lives, time, commitment, injuries...from the age of 17 or 18 until they finish with the senior county squad and are often treated like a commodity by managers who disregard all other aspects of a players life. Its partly down to human nature and partly down to the nature of the sport, and quite often (like the case in Antrim) all that is lacking is proper communcation.

rebel girl 15

The Antrim one was an anniversary Mass, not a funeral btw - that was madness tbh, given the fact that the two lads were going to get to the match in time anyway

davegrohl48

A few bugbears of mine:
- Inter-county warmups gone up to 20 - 25 minutes and pretty intense. Club sides have started to copy this. No regard for the fact you are effectively extending the game duration to 90 - 95 minutes. Watch rugby/soccer and you never see match pace warmups, they're all floating around easing into it.
- High volumes of Cone sprints with players who might be coming back from cruciate injuries etc. Also managers who have long sessions of 1 1/2 hours and call for "speed work" at the end of the session.
- Doing skill drills to exhaustion with the emphasis on speed rather than technique. Such managers rarely comment on technique and are of the "born with talent" mentality
- The lack of focus in general on technique and repetition in pre-season.
- The over proliferation of posession drills. I'v seen serious amounts of injuries come out of these. Comment I heard once "and if anyone gets injured roll off out to the side and we keep going". Also these posession drills there's often no emphasis on tackling properly, it's just teaching players to foul.
- Managers who don't do fitness tests at all.

Clareman

davegrohl48 wrote: »

A few bugbears of mine:
- Inter-county warmups gone up to 20 - 25 minutes and pretty intense. Club sides have started to copy this. No regard for the fact you are effectively extending the game duration to 90 - 95 minutes. Watch rugby/soccer and you never see match pace warmups, they're all floating around easing into it.

I've heard of club teams that do their warm ups at their home ground and then drive to the match locations (~10 miles away) about an hour before hand so they can see the end of the game that was on before theirs.

nice_guy80

davegrohl48 wrote: »

A few bugbears of mine:
- Inter-county warmups gone up to 20 - 25 minutes and pretty intense. Club sides have started to copy this. No regard for the fact you are effectively extending the game duration to 90 - 95 minutes. Watch rugby/soccer and you never see match pace warmups, they're all floating around easing into it.
- High volumes of Cone sprints with players who might be coming back from cruciate injuries etc. Also managers who have long sessions of 1 1/2 hours and call for "speed work" at the end of the session.
- Doing skill drills to exhaustion with the emphasis on speed rather than technique. Such managers rarely comment on technique and are of the "born with talent" mentality
- The lack of focus in general on technique and repetition in pre-season.
- The over proliferation of posession drills. I'v seen serious amounts of injuries come out of these. Comment I heard once "and if anyone gets injured roll off out to the side and we keep going". Also these posession drills there's often no emphasis on tackling properly, it's just teaching players to foul.
- Managers who don't do fitness tests at all.

the likes of pro rugby and soccer teams have already done a lot of stuff indoor before they ever come out on the field
mobilisation exercises, foam rolling etc

rugby is a different sport - different warm ups required

go to a premier league game or champions league game and see the warm up they do

Actually, Kilkenny do the best warm up i've ever seen. short, snappy, focussed.

dzer2

Hi Mate

Just a few things

davegrohl48 wrote: »

A few bugbears of mine:
- Inter-county warmups gone up to 20 - 25 minutes and pretty intense. Club sides have started to copy this. No regard for the fact you are effectively extending the game duration to 90 - 95 minutes. Watch rugby/soccer and you never see match pace warmups, they're all floating around easing into it.

a lot of inter county teams have started to copy these sports doing a warm up and then going back into the dressing room.

- High volumes of Cone sprints with players who might be coming back from cruciate injuries etc. Also managers who have long sessions of 1 1/2 hours and call for "speed work" at the end of the session.

There is a lot of research out there now that is being taken on board about recovery and it has to be as hard as the training. I have known trainers that ran the sh1te out of us at the next training session after losing a match by a point. He never took in to account the free taker missed 4 frees from inside the 45 yard line in front of goal.

- Doing skill drills to exhaustion with the emphasis on speed rather than technique. Such managers rarely comment on technique and are of the "born with talent" mentality

i agree with doing the skills at speed but the technique thing is unique to each player and only if the player cannot do it a speed should you interfere with the technique. The time to tweek the technique is when the player is learning the game and skill. What you will find that a lot of players revert to type under pressure and thats what happens when doing skills at speed in match conditions.
- The lack of focus in general on technique and repetition in pre-season.

Poor trainer most coaches need to to do courses to improve themselves yearly.

- The over proliferation of posession drills. I'v seen serious amounts of injuries come out of these. Comment I heard once "and if anyone gets injured roll off out to the side and we keep going". Also these posession drills there's often no emphasis on tackling properly, it's just teaching players to foul.

Most players will end up fouling other players its constant fouling that needs to be cut out. I take it this as a football training scheme you are talking about. If so there is very vague reffing of the rules of tackling at all levels and it needs to be sorted out.
- Managers who don't do fitness tests at all.

I am not totally convinced about fitness tests while they give you an idea how the team are progressing you should be able to see it through your training and games structure. I know of a few clubs that spent a large amount on these tests and only some of the players bought into it. It ended up that the money was wasted.

Stoner

I saw Murphy in the O'Byrne cup sign two or three autographs and posing in pictures Kids at the request of their parents. He was not over the moon doing it once the game started up again (he was on the line not playing) but he did whatever he was asked and was decent about it.