Dublin players don’t spend their whole lives training, their whole lives in the gym.
Sean Cavanagh recently claimed that a big reason behind Dublin’s dominance of the inter-county football landscape is that their players’ lives revolve around the game, that they don’t work jobs similar to other county’s players, perhaps hinting that they are more like a professional team than an amateur team.
The Tyrone man was demoralised after his side were demolished by the Dubs, and argued that they have players as skillful as Dublin’s, just that they’re not as well physically conditioned because of the extra-time the Dublin lads have to spend working on this aspect.
Cavanagh’s claims came up for discussion on Thursday’s GAA Hour Show, and neither Colm Parkinson or Steven McDonnell agreed with them.
“He started talking about Dublin’s players not having day jobs, and I don’t agree with that,” began Parkinson.
Parkinson then brought up an interesting subject, where he claimed that inter-county players are able to work around their jobs, that most bosses appreciate the commitment they are making to the game, that they’ll have to miss work or to get off early for some games, and it’s hard to argue with that.
“Maybe their jobs are flexible and they can get off for games and that, but I would think most inter-county players have that,”
Working a full-time job and playing GAA at the same time can be a tough balancing act, but most bosses are understanding and accommodating to these needs.
Armagh legend Steven McDonnell worked a full-time job throughout his 12-year Armagh career, and though it forced him to make sacrifices, he rarely missed out either way.
“When you go back to your own time playing inter-county, my own time, any time that I was involved with a big game, or something very important football wise, my time was flexible as well, so the same can be said for 99% of inter-county players, as long as there’s a commitment there to work them hours at a different time. Most bosses will be okay with that,” added the Armagh man.
If you really want to do both, you can. It ensures you’re always busy, but isn’t busy the way to be?
On top of this, Cavanagh’s claims are fundamentally wrong about Dublin’s players, because they are all working jobs just like players of other counties.
Of course, it’s a benefit to them that they are based in Dublin, but that’s hardly their fault.
“I can actually verify that the Dublin players are working, because on my way over here, quite regularly, I drive up the quays and I see Cian O’Sullivan in his work clothes,” said McDonnell.
“Bernard Brogan has his own business, he has to put in his own hours…Paul Flynn works in recruitment, you can list them all off, they all have jobs,” added Parkinson.
And he’s right there, because they do all have jobs, just like any other inter-county team.
- Steven Cluxton – Teacher.
- Philly McMahon – Business.
- Cian O’Sullivan – Tax Consultant PWC.
- Michael Fitzsimons – Physiotherapist.
- Jonny Cooper – Student recruitment, DCU.
- John Small – Account officer, Digicom Office technology.
- Eric Lowndes – Teacher.
- Brian Fenton – Physiotherapist, Beaumount Hospital.
- James McCarthy -Bank rep.
- Ciarán Kilkenny – Student St Pat’s Drumcondra.
- Con O’Callaghan – Student, UCD.
- Jack McCaffrey – Student, UCD.
- Paul Mannion – Digital innovation student, UCD.
- Paddy Andrews – Dealer in stockbrokers.
- Dean Rock – Leisure centre executive, Stewarts sports centre, Palmerstown.
- Kevin McManamon – Sports psychology consultant.
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