There is only one Micko - Long live the king - long live Micko. To those that dared to suggest that Mayo's victory over Laois would be the final chapter in the Mick O'Dwyer story - how foolish you are! Not only has Micko returned with a bang but his timing was surreal. In a week when Nicky Brennan was bemoaning the fact that so many club managers at club and county level are getting paid - Micko's new appointment blew this and every other headline out the window. The press launch to unveil Micko as manager of the Wicklow footballers was held in the plush surrounds of the Westbury hotel in Dublin's city centre. The sight of the wry Kerry man sitting next to Sean Mulryan of Ballymore Properties, (one of the most successful businessmen in the country and now proud sponsor of Wicklow), may have left Brennan somewhat red faced. The initial reaction to the new Wicklow manager has been mainly positive with only a few doubting the motives of the legendary Kerry man. This disappointed me greatly that scribes, some of whom are ex-players and should know better, can question O'Dwyer's motives. They fail to see that the greatest manager the game has ever had is so deep rooted to the game that he can not be detached. A quick glance down memory lane reveals that as a player and manager success was never far from his shoulder. It was first back in 1954, yes over a half a century ago, that Micko initially donned the green and gold for Kerry minors. As a player he was renowned for being comfortable on the ball and his versatility resulted in him playing both in defence and in attack. In his latter years what he lacked in pace he more than made up for with accuracy, anticipation and guile. As a player he won eight National League medals - a record that is unlikely to be broken today and four All-Ireland Senior medals. This feat as a player seems to be rarely mentioned such was his success in management. With his club Waterville he played in three county finals in a row 1968, '69 and '70 - but lost them all. But it was in 1975 that O'Dwyer was appointed manager of the Kerry U-21 and senior side and thus embarked on a never to be forgotten journey. It was evident right from the beginning that he had the Midas touch as he led both the U21's and seniors to All-Ireland victories in his first year. What followed is well documented as he went on to groom one of the most successful and popular teams in the history of the GAA. When the time came for him to step aside the charismatic O'Dwyer left with eight senior All-Ireland titles to show for his term in charge. Despite the fact that as a manager he may have had a reputation as a cute Kerry man, O'Dwyer always appeared very approachable. I can recall my first time meeting Micko and how he was able to leave such a lasting impression. It was back in 1991 the day after Tyrone had defeated Kerry to win our first All Ireland U 21 title. The Tyrone team were staying in the same hotel in Newbridge as Micko and a few of us went over to meet him. We left an hour later enthralled by his stories and enriched by his many thoughts on how the game of Gaelic football should be played. I've met Micko on many occasions since. Time has not mellowed his forthright opinions or his eagerness to discuss the game that he loves so much. Micko's next term as manager was in Kildare. His arrival came as a breath of fresh air to the Lilywhites. Success was not instant but the profile of gaelic football in the county rose to a level previously unseen. The standard too began to rise and it was in 1988 that Micko led Kildare to their first Leinster title since 1956. The fact that they were defeated in a truly memorable All Ireland final in '98 was of little consolation to O' Dwyer. He guided them to a second Leinster crown in 2000 and since his departure, Kildare have failed to come close to achieving such honours. Having expended so much energy with the Lilywhites many predicted that the 'boul' Micko could now ride off into the sunset. However the lure of inter county management was to prove too strong again. He stayed in Leinster to take over Laois - like Kildare a county that had not been accustomed to much success in recent years. Once more Micko was able to wave the wand and in 2003 Ian Fitzgerald was the first Laois man to lift the Leinster cup in over 57 years. Like everywhere else he went standards rose. Micko put huge demands on himself and he expected players to do likewise. Not everyone in Laois took to Micko's approach. After defeats in the National League this year, whimpers of old fashioned training methods were often offered up as an excuse by some of the players. In an effort to appease them Micko sought specialised coaches to assist him. After falling heavily to Dublin in the championship Micko returned to his old tried and trusted methods - a few wins later and they had defeated the reigning All Ireland champions - yes Tyrone. Once more Micko's exit from Laois left many wondering will we see this man again parading the sidelines. He didn't take long to give an emphatic response. This time however the challenge is the biggest taken so far. Recently Wicklow were listed NO 31 in the gaelic football rankings. To win one game in the Leinster championship would probably be deemed a success. Nonetheless before a ball has been kicked the interest in the fortunes of the Wicklow County Footballers has reached unprecedented levels. At 70 Micko could be forgiven for retiring to the garden taking life a little easier. Undoubtedly, in linking up with the garden county he will still enjoy life but is he capable of making it bloom? - Now that would be the final chapter! Tweet

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