Secrets your underage GAA manager never wanted you to know

We've all been told white lies the whole way through our lives.

Simple things to help us get by every day and the principle is the same when it comes to our GAA careers. There's a mixture of talent and personality in every GAA club, especially at underage level and, as the young hands and feet of tomorrow are being moulded, there are a few porkies being told along the way. Here's some of the secrets that we were never let in on when we were growing up, striving for the most improved player award all the while. 1. It wasn't tactical You were brought off because you were either playing shit or because they wanted to get a better player on. 2. You're probably not a late developer Those stories you were told about lads on the county team who never played minors or under-21s, they were still class players, starring for their schools, and maybe just needed to hit the weights to fine-tune their games. 3. The manager isn't harder on his son than he is anybody else No matter how many times he says it, let's face it: the son's shit... and he's still playing every week. 4. Big Johnny isn't thrown into full forward because he's a good high ball option He's in there to keep him out of the way. 5. You're a bloody brilliant 'keeper In other words, we really f**king need a 'keeper. 6. We have a good game plan Give it to Timmy and get the hell out of his way. 7. He doesn't know how it works either "If you're going to keep making a balls of it, let's just move on." That drill was way over his head. 8. There's no-one in that ear piece But it looks cool. 9. Core exercises Coaches are just being told to do them, they don't know why. So they're giving you circuit training to take the evening off. 10. "I don't need to be here" He does. He's got nothing else on. And last but not least... 11. If you don't train, you WILL play As long as you're good enough, like. The GAA Hour podcast is out every Wednesday. Subscribe here on iTunes or listen on Soundcloud.