I'm always fascinated in the nuances between the Manager and Lead Coach combination versus a Manager who is the lead Coach.

e.g Jim Gavin, Jim McGuiness, Pep, Klopp versus Pádraic Joyce, Jack O'Connor, Kevin McStay, Declan Bonner.

Jim Gavin & Jim McGuiness lead training, shape tactics as well as defining the philosophy, culture and control executive decisions etc.

While other managers will give a lead coach more control to define the teams coaching philosophy and tactics. Such as Stephen Roachford under Declan Bonner and Kevin McStay.

Cian O'Neill has a very interesting track record, he is a highly successful & proven Hurling and Football coach. But under his own admission struggled with the overwhelming pressure while manager of his native Kildare.

But after returning to a lead coaching role under Joyce, he has excelled in Galway winning 3 successive Connacht titles & 2 All Ireland final appearances.

Was his absence in the Galway backroom team a factor this year? and will his inclusion in Kerry back room team make a difference this year?

The_viewer (Donegal) - Posts: 20 - 02/07/2025 21:40:15    2623279

The reality is that it is so hard to find that generational, all singing all dancing Team Manager that delivers All irelands

Dublin - Heffo, Jim Gavin, Dessie Farrell
Kerry - Micko, Páidí Ó Sé & Jack O Connor
Donegal - Brian McEniff
Meath - Sean Boylan
Cork - Billy Morgan
Galway - John O Mahony
Down - Pete McGrath
Tyrone - Mickey Harte

There is then a raft of managers who were good enough to deliver an Ireland against the odds, but couldn't produce sustained excellence
Eugene McGee, Eamonn Coleman, Pat O'Neill, Joe Kernan, Pat O'Shea, Conor Counihan, Pat Gilroy, Jim McGuinness, Éamonn Fitzmaurice, Feargal Logan & Brian Dooher, Kieran McGeeney

There are then a cohort of nearly men, who brought their counties to great heights consistently, without landing the big one.
Art McRory, Larry Tompkins, John Maughan, Mickey Moran, Stephen Rochford, James Horan, Pádraic Joyce

Then you have the managers who brought relative success to weaker counties
Liam Kearns, Malachy O'Rourke and Sean MacCague

The idea of a first team coach to go with the manager is a new development (you would be well pushed to name the coaches to go with each of the most successful managers.

In reality, the successful managers took over the whole show, from fundraising to organizing food and transport.
Those kind of individuals (who can do it all) are few and far between.

All counties would be better served with a director of football model (where a full time individual organizes the logistics, S&C, physios, medical etc for all the county teams) and leave a coach to coach and pick the senior team.

There are lots of qualified coaches, who could coach a single team. There are very few who can take over the whole operation and deliver all Irelands.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1495 - 07/07/2025 15:50:43    2624178

brayballer (Wicklow) - Posts: 201 - 07/07/2025 16:22:50    2624191