0:01

This is the sport that I do like. You know

0:03

I've done this sport since I was 11, 10 years

0:06

of age. I've dedicated and sacrificed

0:08

my whole life to this sport.

0:10

OTB AM, live

0:12

weekday mornings from 7.30 on the OTB

0:14

Sports app. OTB

0:17

AM, the sports breakfast show

0:19

from off the ball.

0:33

Alright, 7.30

0:33

on this Wednesday morning.

0:35

Very welcome along to OTB AM, the sports

0:38

breakfast show from off the ball with myself Shane Hannan

0:40

and Nathan Murphy. Good morning. Good

0:42

morning. I like that introduction Shane. Bit

0:45

of energy and enthusiasm. No messing, no

0:47

messing. Colm Buie, good morning. So

0:49

I was trying the TV last night and at

0:51

this time of the year I kind of flicked between BBC One and

0:53

BBC Two. For reasons I'm sure you can understand. So

0:58

I defaulted to TV and went straight to BBC One last

1:00

night. Who's on the screen live

1:03

on the One

1:03

Show with Germaine Ginas? Andy

1:05

Ridgely. Oh from Wham. Who's

1:08

Andy Ridgely? This

1:12

guy had never heard of Club

1:15

Tropicana. Had never heard of the song Club Tropicana

1:17

until 7.25am yesterday. Not

1:20

that I hadn't heard of it. I had heard of it but

1:22

it's not my Spotify playlist.

1:24

Cameron, who's Mutcher Jr. Yeah, that's true. Was

1:26

singing along to it there beforehand. It's not on anyone's

1:28

Spotify playlist but it just pops up in your life. It's essential

1:30

to people's lives. So I nearly dropped

1:33

the remote Shane with excitement. Can you be starstruck

1:35

by someone on TV? I was like that's the Andy Ridgely

1:37

nowadays. He's very placid now. Totally

1:40

different character to the one that's in the documentary. Of course

1:42

you wouldn't know it if you haven't seen the documentary. You need

1:44

to see it. One more person saw it since

1:46

yesterday. Emma Carroll. Do

1:49

you know I talked about Bridges yesterday for like

1:51

maybe 20 seconds. That was

1:53

dull. The

1:55

Wham documentary was far more interesting. I've seen the

1:57

Wham documentary. Have you?

1:59

You seem shocked like this is the most popular documentary

2:02

around right now. Ah come here, have you? It's not some

2:04

sort of niche thing that you've discovered. Come here now.

2:07

Come here, I was asking people around who was

2:09

on the show, it's like, have you seen it? No, no, no. And

2:12

you're mad? Of course I've seen it. Yeah,

2:14

just landed in there. I don't know why he saw it. Why? Because

2:17

you saw it. No,

2:18

because it's excellent. Right, right, right. The

2:20

anticipation was there and the trailer was phenomenal. What's

2:22

an excellent lesson? Oh, absolutely. Brilliant.

2:25

And just in that, much like,

2:28

I'm not going to compare to the Beatles documentary,

2:31

Get Back, but again,

2:33

this narrative has built up for decades around

2:35

Lennon and McCartney and they're

2:37

falling out. And actually this was, like

2:40

the brilliance of Get Back was sort of the genius

2:42

in the monotony of them just sitting there and getting

2:44

on and chatting and creating some of the greatest songs

2:47

of all time.

2:48

And obviously around Wham, there's that sense that, well,

2:50

George Michael went here and Andrew originally was just left

2:52

behind. And originally it's just no bitterness

2:55

at all. Just the... He's the coolest,

2:57

coolest cat going. But

2:58

they were friends up until Michael's death, yeah? Yeah,

3:01

well, what, yeah. I watched this, that

3:03

Parkinson documentary from 1998. So that's

3:05

like 10 years after they broke up and he's like,

3:08

well, we don't see each other that much anymore, but I know he

3:10

surfs in Cornwall and he made the smart decision,

3:12

but it didn't seem like there was any animosity. Right. But

3:15

I don't think they saw each other much.

3:16

No, I think they just drifted apart because

3:18

they, well, George Michael obviously went on

3:20

to bigger and better things. So Emma

3:23

Carroll sent me a photo

3:24

of the thumbnail of a documentary on Netflix last

3:27

night. And I only saw the message about an hour and 10 minutes

3:29

later, which is towards the end of the documentary. So

3:31

I'm not going to say anything. The

3:32

thumbnail's... I'm going to say anything. That's

3:34

all I have to do to... No, Emma was like, I'm about to watch it. Because I

3:36

didn't even realise the timeline. I always assumed that

3:39

the George Michael solo era just

3:41

began after Wham,

3:44

but actually he was doing a lot of his own stuff.

3:46

Like his ascent to superstardom had happened

3:48

in the latter years at a bar. And that's whisper.

3:51

And originally he was like, not do it yourself, no matter.

3:53

Have you basically over the last three mornings

3:55

told me the entire plot or is it still worth it? Well,

3:58

there's no plot. It's a true story.

3:59

here. No, not the fact, but like the order

4:02

of which the doc- I don't want to tell you what happens

4:04

after the documentary finishes. Yeah.

4:07

Yeah, well what's the problem like? I'm going to go and win

4:09

the character. Right. Right.

4:12

But like, you know, what I mean by that is like all the interesting stuff

4:14

you've kind of, you know, Peter- No, that's promotion.

4:16

That's called promotion. You're

4:19

going to watch this and be like, wow. Because at

4:21

the moment, all you're hearing is me talking about it. You have to

4:23

see it in motion, in pictures and talking.

4:25

Okay. And it's done, you love Azif Kapadia. You

4:28

love Senna. Yeah, yeah. His exact same style of documentary.

4:30

Okay. Anyway, Emma came in this morning and

4:33

she was like, this is how she said it to me. This is

4:35

very good. She was like, I was worried, column.

4:37

Oh no. I was worried after all

4:39

the build up. And what did she say? I

4:42

wish there was a part two. Ah, well- A

4:44

part two of course would have been- But there's just a general niceness

4:47

to the documentary. Sometimes these documentaries you expect

4:49

to be built up as the true story

4:51

of the breakdown between Ridgeley and Michael.

4:54

There's none of that. And you know, it's still

4:56

everybody captivating. What do you call them? Jug.

4:59

Jug. Cause his real name, his actual name, like his

5:02

Greek name. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.

5:05

And he was cool like, you know, Chicky Chappy Cockney Geezer

5:07

like Ridgeley. And

5:10

George was the awkward one. We are getting to ruin it. Like

5:12

Ridgeley, you know, when they started out,

5:14

Ridgeley was a man. Ridgeley's boy, like handsome,

5:16

like warty eighties very well with

5:18

suit and swagger. And

5:21

Michael grew into himself. He did. He

5:23

did. And he would say- It's

5:26

a nerdy one. This guy, like my sister was

5:28

devastated over George

5:30

Michael's preferences. Right. Put

5:32

it that way. Jesus, yeah. I will

5:35

watch it before the weekend. He won't though. Because

5:37

I've been on too, but boiling point for a while. Boiling

5:39

point, yeah. The reason I'm put

5:42

off boiling point is because I watched it on called Gems, which

5:44

I've told is as stressed for the movie as boiling point. Yeah, but it's

5:46

far more related. But have you worked in the service

5:48

industry? I have. You've got to watch

5:50

it. That's

5:51

why I don't want to watch it. Oh no, you don't work there anymore. No, I don't. You

5:53

service the people now instead. Well, there you go. Service

5:56

industry shows. Yeah. Yeah.

5:58

I will watch it though before the-

5:59

weekend that's that's actually a promise touch wood that

6:02

I will that I will watch it Nathan you weren't

6:04

watching it last night because you're in talent miss the one

6:06

show now there's very few things that take me away

6:08

from the one show of a Tuesday evening but

6:10

Shamrock Rovers in Europe is

6:13

one of those rare things and yeah

6:15

it was a I won't say it was a shit show but it

6:17

wasn't far off it was an absolute disaster it

6:19

was as poor a Shamrock Rovers performance

6:23

as we've seen in Europe at

6:25

this stage of the competition in qualifying for a long

6:27

long time their home record over the last couple of years

6:29

in qualification has been very good

6:32

but this was a massive wake

6:34

up call for Stephen Bradley

6:37

probably a match of everybody around Rovers that's

6:39

exactly where they are

6:41

in some ways it shouldn't be a surprise like

6:43

there are four points clear at the top of the league but they've played 25 games

6:46

they've won 13 of them

6:48

yeah so they

6:50

are just about getting by because everybody below them is beating

6:52

each other and while the standard league has probably come up like

6:55

Rovers aren't any better than last year in fact they were lesser team

6:57

than last year when you look at the fact that Andy Lyons

6:59

isn't there anymore I was Danny Mandrea was pretty

7:02

much gone by Europe last season anyways Chris McCann

7:04

has gone the middle of midfield and last night

7:06

in the first half was shocking

7:09

I could not believe how poor

7:11

Rovers were in that first half like they were

7:13

like the awaiting couldn't string passes together this Icelandic

7:16

side breedable ik now they've

7:18

had the advantage of a couple European games they came

7:20

through a little mini qualifying tournament so

7:22

bit of momentum bit of form but

7:25

Rovers strong

7:27

favourites to progress from this time and

7:30

really back to the first half played them off the park but they

7:32

played like the home side dominated possession

7:34

were slick in passing thought Rovers

7:37

I think the way they set up was too

7:40

negative playing at home in the first leg

7:42

yeah like they played as always played three

7:44

at the back but they played two holding

7:46

midfielders

7:48

two full two wing backs who never

7:51

got forward in the first half at all and

7:53

then Jack Byrne and Dylan Watts

7:55

as the two behind Rory Gaffney Byrne is always going

7:57

to drop incredibly deep Watts never got

8:00

up near Gaffney. So you had this scenario where Jack Byrne

8:02

would get in the ball and he twisted and he turned and he twisted and he turned

8:04

and he'd go back and he'd go back and his only ball was

8:06

a long ball to Gaffney who in fairness he made the mistake

8:08

in the build up to the goal but was

8:11

you know thought the best player in the pitch and the strongest player

8:13

in the pitch but yeah it felt

8:15

like a knife where Rovers needed to be an

8:18

awful lot braver. Not help,

8:20

there were a couple of injuries and definitely Ferrugia

8:23

and Clark like the wing

8:25

backs are crucial for everything that Rovers

8:27

wanted to do and Finn and Cavanagh just didn't offer

8:30

a similar outlet but yeah I

8:32

had to go to Iceland next week it's not over but

8:35

in terms of where the club is going and what

8:37

they would see is you know constant progress

8:40

this is the game you have to win this is the biggest

8:43

game of the year you win this you're

8:45

guaranteed a Europa Conference League playoff at

8:47

a minimum so you win if they win next week they

8:49

go play Copenhagen in the next round of the Champions League

8:51

qualifiers even if they lose that they go to the

8:54

Europa League even if they lose that they

8:56

go to the Conference League playoff whereas if they're

8:58

beaten next week they're into the second qualifying round

9:00

of the conference and they've

9:02

got three rounds to get through to get to the group

9:05

stage so I think there'll be a bit

9:07

of soul searching you know I was watching Wimbledon

9:09

yesterday and they cut to the crowd

9:10

at one stage and they're like oh there's two

9:13

gentlemen enjoying their afternoon

9:15

I don't think they fully realized it was

9:17

Dermot Desmond and JP McManus who were just sitting in

9:19

the crowd a lot is made of Dermot

9:21

Desmond's investment I think they need to invest some more

9:24

you cannot afford to keep losing quite

9:26

quality young players

9:28

and not bring

9:30

a level of quality in and it's an aging squad

9:32

and they they really looked at last night and they've looked at probably

9:34

throughout this season there are three games without a win and three games

9:36

without a goal as well like I Stephen Bandy

9:39

hit his ceiling I know the four points ahead of time

9:42

I think it's

9:43

I think Bradley maybe last night did get it wrong

9:45

in terms of his midfield

9:48

setup it felt like a night very early that you needed

9:50

the power of Richie Tal and well when

9:52

Tal Camoni played out in the right hand side but like

9:54

Watts has been in and out this year and

9:57

just couldn't really get himself involved

10:00

the game at all was it a night to play Johnny Kenny up

10:02

front alongside Rory Gaffney again at home

10:05

get your lead bring something Over

10:07

to Iceland next week where they're gonna be playing on a plastic pitch

10:11

Again, which is not a scenario they

10:13

want to find themselves in chasing goals

10:15

away from home in Europe I

10:17

don't think it's case at all that Stephen Bradley

10:19

has hit his ceiling I think it's maybe a case that this

10:21

group of Shamar Grover players have hit their ceiling

10:24

I look it it looks like it'll still be enough

10:26

for them to win the League of Ireland and Without

10:30

Huge investment. I'm

10:32

sure any amount of league of Ireland plans would say Grover's

10:35

investment does more investment there than there is anywhere

10:37

Yeah,

10:38

but if they want to get to a scenario where they're cruising

10:40

to league titles and Competing.

10:42

Yeah Were breed

10:45

a bit played down too much because they've

10:47

ten or ten current or former Internationals,

10:49

I know maybe you could say that's Icelandic internationals, whatever

10:52

the level is there But I know Steve

10:54

Bradley wasn't playing them down in advance of the game, but they're

10:56

not a

10:57

bad side No, but

10:59

they're third in the Icelandic League and there are 11

11:01

points off the top of the table and it's

11:04

the Champions League qualifiers There's not going to be a huge

11:06

amount of bad sides and it'll generally

11:08

be teams who are comfortable in possession because most

11:10

teams that win leagues aren't teams that sit

11:12

back and go on the counter attack and I still

11:15

think When you look at the form

11:17

lines in the met that McDonald's I'd say to

11:19

me He was steal all his lines from when he's

11:21

on later in the week And that probably

11:23

the talk around Rovers having watched and Stephen Bradley

11:26

had gone over and sort of watch that Qualification

11:28

tournament that they were better than

11:30

people were expecting They were better than what the bookies were

11:33

suggesting and they showed that last

11:35

night But

11:36

first round of Champions League qualifiers

11:39

You got to be progressing if you're Shamrock Rovers if you're want

11:41

to go where you feel you're going as

11:43

a club But yeah, I just

11:46

felt it was so flat

11:49

flat around the stadium didn't

11:51

create enough chances, but you know,

11:53

they get a silver line and Rory Gaffney

11:55

who You know Rory's 33 at this stage

11:57

has had a great career. He's player of the year

11:59

last year. There's nobody really

12:02

coming in to take on the mantle. Johnny Kenny's done grand

12:04

but the fact he's not given a start at home in a huge

12:06

European game probably shows where he's at at the

12:08

moment and I definitely think

12:11

the selection in midfield, like Jack Byrne

12:13

didn't have his, he's been in really good

12:15

run of form probably up to the last couple of weeks.

12:18

He

12:18

got on the ball plenty but Justin

12:21

didn't seem to have any options at all. Now Ferruggio

12:23

should be back next week for the

12:25

second leg and he alone I think would make an

12:28

enormous, enormous difference and Trevor

12:30

Clark's had a good season since coming in in

12:32

place of Andy Lyons but if

12:35

they lose and if they go out

12:37

here, they have a mountain to climb to qualify

12:40

for the group stage of the conference league which I would think is

12:42

sort of the minimum requirement. Should the free kick have been

12:44

saved? I was

12:46

down the other end of the ground and

12:48

it looked very central. Now it was an absolute rocket.

12:51

It did look very

12:54

central and the wall was a bit flimsy

12:56

and I don't know, can you see it late if it's that far

12:58

out? What was it, 30 yards out pretty much exactly? It

13:01

did look as though it was a bit central and again another

13:03

injury. Alan Maness was on the bench, maybe he comes

13:05

back, Liam Paul's done okay but I don't think

13:08

he's of the quality of Maness.

13:10

No, definitely not. It was a

13:12

strange free kick, one of those where you see it first and you're like, oh this

13:14

is top-ins, then you see the angle from behind the

13:16

goal and you're like, nope, not quite. Just to mention

13:18

what's coming up between now and 10 o'clock on the show this morning with

13:21

myself and Nathan.

13:21

We will have Keith Tracy shortly around 10 minutes time

13:23

or so to look back more on that Shamrock Rovers

13:26

game, Anthony Moyles, 10 past date to preview the

13:28

All-

13:59

It is

14:02

to go until the Republic of Ireland's first World

14:04

Cup match against Australia in Brisbane.

14:06

So it's the first time we've got kind of close to the team

14:09

since arriving. All incredibly

14:11

jet lagged and I don't know how coherent

14:13

we

14:13

were when we were talking to them but they

14:15

seem good for them. So the jet

14:17

lag hit you hard and hit you fast?

14:21

Yeah like I got into Brisbane

14:23

about 11 o'clock in the evening,

14:26

like Australian time and

14:28

for some reason I just keep waking up at two o'clock

14:31

in the morning and not being able to go back to sleep. So

14:33

yeah I've been up since two o'clock this morning

14:36

feeling it a little bit now at quarter to

14:38

five in the evening but also hopefully over

14:40

the next couple of days. I've been given some hints and tips

14:42

by some locals here who are watching Open Trainings,

14:45

people who are originally from Ireland

14:48

and here to celebrate the team. Actually one of them

14:50

I asked them who their favourite member of Off

14:52

the Ball was and Shane you were the

14:54

person that they said so I said I would pass

14:56

on. Who are you talking to? Who are these people?

14:58

Like God. I actually I have

15:00

video and audio evidence of

15:02

it which I can send through to you. The Eagles you've just

15:04

heard. Wait, wait. The Eagles and this studio.

15:07

Wait, two. Wait, Kathleen does

15:09

that mean you asked that person twice?

15:11

So then you said who's your favourite and then I'll do it again there

15:13

for video and audio? No,

15:15

no, no as in I had it like I was already

15:17

chatting away to them about like why they came here to

15:20

the team. Guys lived here for uh

15:23

he's lived here for 30 years and he puts

15:25

AM and also the weekend show up on

15:27

the big screen on the TV and watches it on YouTube.

15:30

What's

15:30

his name? What's his name Kathleen? Noel.

15:33

Noel, shout out to Noel. He's great. From Belfast.

15:36

Great, great taste. It's my uncle Noel

15:38

in Belfast there. No it's not. Shout

15:40

out to Noel. I'm happy you are. Look at this. These

15:43

are both devastated. I can't believe it. I'm

15:46

just interested in those tastes that's all. Two lads got

15:48

it. So you're meeting some

15:51

well well versed and mature Irish

15:53

fans over there. Are there many Irish fans you're popping into on the street?

15:56

Totally.

15:57

Not so many on the street so far.

15:59

I think a lot of people are still just flying

16:02

in from just talking to the couple of people that

16:04

are here at the open training session. Actually, a lot of the

16:06

people that are at the training session are just from

16:08

Brisbane or have been living here for a while anyways.

16:12

There's the Queensland supporters group, so

16:14

they welcomed the team into the airport

16:17

when they flew in. You guys might have seen the viral

16:19

photos of Katie with the baby and the whole

16:21

team with the baby was on the front pages of some of the papers

16:23

at home. Yeah, so they've been doing the

16:25

rounds a lot with the team and talking to

16:28

various people trying to

16:29

stir up a bit of activity. I was also informed

16:32

that the Queensland GA semi-finals,

16:35

senior semi-finals, happened on Sunday, so

16:37

a shout out to them as well. No one

16:39

told me who's playing and I'm waiting to get that information.

16:42

Well,

16:42

you're doing live commentary on Sunday, so you don't want to find

16:44

out. I know, I know. You're probably going to be

16:46

presenting the trophy, Kathleen. Actually, can we get that? Can

16:49

we organise that? It is.

16:51

Oh, yeah. What's the name of the competition?

16:53

It's just the Queensland

16:55

semi-finals for the gap.

16:56

Oh, it's the semi-final. Okay, but for the final,

16:58

you could be back. And I think it would

17:01

be appropriate for you to present the trophy

17:03

to the winners. Yeah. Well, the lads,

17:05

Noel and Shane,

17:07

the Shane Han and Fang Club were asking me,

17:09

did I have any good prizes? Because

17:11

they have like a little... That's like a gedger. They

17:14

have like a little World Cup draw and I was joking that

17:17

I could get them an off-the-ball sign jersey and they were actually

17:19

very keen on the idea,

17:19

so I have to start doing them. I'll get them a little

17:22

bit like... He's kind of Andrew Weasley and we're kind of George Michael over here,

17:24

I think, in many ways. Richie's still alive, so happy

17:26

news. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa,

17:28

whoa, whoa. Whoa, whoa. It's not

17:30

his favourite anymore. Is that the type of hero you want? Like,

17:32

you know... I'll send over like a little

17:34

Mona and Teddy or a cameo video. I'm

17:36

so excited actually. We've got to know the real

17:38

you. Like, he says stuff with this offer all the time.

17:41

Like, it's way worse. You bring it out of me lads, you know?

17:43

It's way worse out there. Kathleen,

17:45

obviously Ireland actually aren't playing in Brisbane until

17:47

the last game, so I'd imagine most of the family are

17:49

probably going

17:49

to go straight to Sydney. But

17:52

there are games in Brisbane and from

17:54

what I was reading yesterday, there's quite a few teams based

17:57

in Brisbane as well for the trade. Is there much of

17:59

a sense this...

17:59

This World Cup, the biggest ever women's World Cup,

18:02

is on the verge of kicking off?

18:05

There isn't a massive amount, I have to say. Like, there's

18:07

a couple of flags around the place, but it is

18:09

also kind of relatively anonymous. I've

18:12

talked to a few different people in, like, say

18:14

restaurants or shops and just kind of ask them, you know,

18:16

they'd be like, oh, what are you doing over here?

18:19

And I'd say the World Cup's on. And they're kind of like, oh,

18:21

yeah. And people have a vague notion that it's on, but I don't

18:23

know if that's the hype really set in yet. It certainly

18:25

doesn't feel like it, but also I've only properly had

18:28

time to wander around Brisbane for, like, a day now.

18:30

So it could be as the week goes on, more

18:33

and more of that kind of starts building

18:35

up. I know England are about

18:37

the place, and I was chatting to some of the

18:40

media that are covering them, and they said

18:42

there's actually been quite a good hype around them, but

18:44

their base is a bit further down

18:46

the coast from

18:48

here. So I think a couple of thousand people turned up for

18:51

their open training session, which was quite good going, considering

18:53

how

18:53

far away from home they are. That's what I was going to ask you, Hadley, and

18:55

I know you've only had a day or so to see Brisbane. You've got a

18:57

lovely photo on the back of the star this morning

19:00

of Amber Barrett and Heather Payne with

19:02

the Brisbane nice looking skyline behind them and

19:05

decent looking weather as well. Nice

19:07

city so far.

19:09

Yeah, it is really nice. Like, in fairness, yesterday

19:11

was glorious. It was like 23, 24 degrees, blue skies.

19:15

You were kind of wandering around. It's a little bit strange because

19:17

it's winter here, so it starts getting dark

19:19

at, like, 5 o'clock in the evening, and I just wasn't prepared

19:22

for that, having been used to being an

19:24

Irish summer. But then today, we were joking

19:26

that because we were pitchside where the team

19:28

were training, doing these interviews. And

19:31

the last two times we've interviewed the players in

19:34

back home in Ireland in the UCD Bowl is absolutely lashed rain.

19:36

And like, you know, the weather at home has been quite nice recently. It's

19:39

like one of the few days it's lashed rain. And

19:41

of course, we were chatting to Vera earlier and what happens. It

19:43

starts to rain. And all the, like, locals were like,

19:45

oh, we haven't seen rain in a few days. It's very strange.

19:47

Lashing rain at 6 o'clock this morning here, so. Yeah. I

19:50

would. I think we just brought it with us. I

19:52

would, Kathleen, describe Brisbane as underrated

19:55

in Australia. Yeah, I lived there. Oh, you lived

19:57

in Brisbane? Learn me. Yeah, Sydney.

19:59

But my family in Brisbane

20:02

is not a family in Brisbane. The

20:04

city cash, the city cash where it's at in Brisbane,

20:06

you get that? It's like a boat

20:09

travel. That's like their big, it's almost

20:11

like their boss over there. You go everywhere in the city cash.

20:13

Very cool city.

20:15

It is quite cool. I did actually walk by that the

20:17

other day and I was doing a hot one but

20:19

then I wasn't entirely sure where I'd end up. Hipster,

20:22

real hipster kind of vibe. That's why I call them that

20:24

I think. What? Real

20:26

hipster vibe in Brisbane, is it? No. Very

20:29

commercial. What European city would it

20:31

most compare to? Oh wow, you're really putting me on the

20:33

spot here. I'm in the commercial

20:35

district where I'm staying and

20:37

it's very like Canary Wharf. Like that's

20:39

what it feels like. And then when you go over to the

20:41

South Bank and along the river, it's a

20:43

lot more

20:45

chill vibes. Like vaguely

20:47

European at times, I think. Kind

20:49

of reminds me of Lisbon or something, you know, along

20:52

the river there when you can go.

20:53

If it's a hipster Australian

20:56

city, you're looking for it in Melbourne. Right,

20:58

that's the hipster spot. That's the parents. That's

21:01

really parents. That's what Colin most enjoys then. Yeah,

21:03

I couldn't live there now. Kathleen, we will catch

21:05

up over the next few days. Is there any news, Kathleen? She's

21:07

at Open Training a week out in the World

21:10

Cup. I don't know if you noticed, but our captain was hobbling off

21:12

the bridge the last time we saw him. Sorry, yeah, is Katie all right?

21:14

How are we getting there? How are we getting there? Is Katie

21:16

all right?

21:16

Katie McCabe is absolutely fine. She is in

21:19

full training out there. She

21:21

had a scan before

21:23

the training session and everything. So, and she's been

21:25

reviewed for the last couple of days. There are

21:28

no injury concerns with the squad

21:30

at the moment. From what I saw when I was out there, the only

21:32

player who was trying to train in slightly to the side was

21:34

Rucha Littlejohn, but also she has been doing that

21:37

for the majority of training sessions this

21:40

entire buildup. So I think like

21:42

we talked before on the show about the fact that she stopped

21:45

playing with her club kind of early to make sure that she stayed

21:47

injury free. So possibly just that, but yeah, team

21:49

is all fit and ready. Vera is excited. Game

21:52

behind closed doors on Friday against

21:54

Columbia.

21:56

So that will be interesting

21:58

just to see does everyone come out of...

21:59

that with no injuries whatsoever. And

22:02

yeah, there'll be lots of content coming over the next couple

22:04

of days. Some Vira interviews wing

22:06

their way to you through very slow Australia

22:08

Wi-Fi at the moment.

22:09

Because I was a bit concerned that maybe you weren't in Brisbane

22:11

because we've no way of that you pulled a fast

22:14

one here that you made up some sort of story

22:16

about being that fan of Shane Hannon, which is all he's heard. We

22:20

need some visual proof here, Kathleen.

22:22

Nathan I still have the sore back

22:24

from the 20 hour flight

22:26

over here stuck on the tarmac in Dubai.

22:28

I was going to say because she's carrying this

22:30

show. I thought she was going

22:33

to go from carrying you during the broadcast

22:35

to tell her last Thursday night. But

22:37

no, she's not as cynical as us. Guys, my ego

22:39

is just not as sick as yours. No, that's fair. Kathleen,

22:42

any idea when the Columbia match is kicking off? What time?

22:45

It's eight o'clock Australian

22:47

time. So eight o'clock Brisbane time, which is nine hours

22:50

ahead of you guys. Okay. Will

22:52

we even hear the results? That's

22:53

like producer column coming in. Yeah.

22:57

We probably won't hear the result. A lot

22:59

of the time what you get is just like a

23:01

little bit of trickle of information through about

23:03

it. So, you know, any injuries, how

23:06

it went. If we got absolutely hammered,

23:08

you'd probably hear a foot apart from that. You

23:11

remember when they had the Germany game in Marbella,

23:13

it was all pretty tight. A

23:15

few sources from outside the camp let me

23:17

know what happened in that one. So maybe

23:19

that will happen and everyone needs to tune into Coigig

23:22

to hear more, lest I say anymore. Wow.

23:25

Good. Get the Coigig pod

23:27

wherever you get your podcasts. Kathleen, we're checking

23:29

again across the next couple of days before that Columbia

23:31

game. Thanks so many for hopping on this evening. Sounds

23:34

good. Thanks guys. Enjoy

23:36

the city, Kat.

23:36

I will. And if you meet any fans

23:39

of... Oh, you lads. Just do

23:41

text us in video that, honestly. Yeah,

23:44

I did leave it out that Joe and Joe were also

23:46

in the list of people mentioned. But AM is well

23:48

represented. How happy is

23:50

this guy? He's no creativity, no imagination.

23:53

The two most famous people are a big deal. Yeah. You

23:56

know, he's got... Nate's like, what? A current sport

23:59

forecast of the year.

23:59

Yeah, it's true. Yeah, it's true raining raining.

24:02

Yeah raining and defending three time Catheryn

24:05

great stuff. Thanks a minute

24:06

Thanks guys As

24:08

I try to deal with these two lads mumbling beside me and

24:11

it's never easy dealing with the egos in the studio

24:13

But this morning it's particularly difficult and

24:16

probably the most Yes, sorry Will

24:19

either of us be the most trusted person in Ireland? Obviously

24:23

the front page is dominated by a certain

24:25

Ryan Tubberley dollar at war and

24:27

the front of the star

24:29

Describe yesterday by his agent as the most trusted

24:31

person. Yes, that's that hence hence that like

24:33

who is the most it let Let us know in the comments who

24:36

is the most trusted sports

24:38

person

24:39

in Ireland? It's can you want

24:41

to trust your sports? It's Katie Taylor's not

24:43

is not in Ireland, but she's most Irish Me

24:45

all over her dig for me. Oh, you're

24:47

a sports person. You trust him Oh

24:49

with the way our tea is gone here. I

24:52

let's keep an eye on these things true. It's saying now

24:54

ready

24:55

Yes, I suggested I trusted me Shane

24:58

is most I think Shane now is the most Popular

25:01

sports in Ireland what's trusted

25:03

Pajar Carrington be trusted in Harrington you would

25:05

trust Yeah, like trust with your life like

25:07

you know, yes, that's the kind of a good decision

25:10

for you Would you just have to

25:12

be a bit mad as the other thing? Yeah

25:15

That's what you do. Yeah, I think I think it's definitely

25:17

well rounded enough that he would be near that

25:20

if I was to Hand over a major

25:22

life decision to somebody not my answer.

25:25

I think I think it would be near the top She was

25:27

Coleman Yeah,

25:29

that is a great answer. He's the most Sir,

25:32

you try I'd let him do like

25:34

I trust him with my life. What 100%

25:36

here's how here's how good a guy She

25:38

was Coleman is David Myler who's one of his best mates

25:41

and you wouldn't say this about one of your best mates He goes, you

25:44

know

25:44

type of guy you wouldn't mind your daughter Mary see that

25:46

that's the definition of trust Yeah,

25:48

that's the moment will be that's a high bar Cool,

25:51

that's a great option. Yeah, let us know in the comments though

25:53

If you have any other thought it'll be all around the world. Well, this is it.

25:56

No one Belfast knows his stuff

25:58

So any comments coming in? on

26:00

insectally trust this tennis tank. People

26:03

are commenting on their favorite bridges. Robert Hughes says Sydney

26:05

and Brisbane bridges, two great bridges. Are

26:08

they commenting? Kean Rose says Joe Dolan

26:10

Bridge and Mullen Garcon's sensational. I don't know, I don't

26:12

know Shane. If we're talking about bridges in Australia,

26:14

I can think of a rather more impressive one than the

26:16

one in Brisbane. Possibly, yeah, yeah, there is a

26:19

pretty famous one. I've been up on top of this in the Harbour

26:21

Bridge.

26:21

Oh really? Have you been on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge?

26:24

I'll call them Stan. I've had the call in there. They can't,

26:26

they can't. The can't show us. It's

26:29

the crotch shot that I'll be waiting for. Go on,

26:31

go on. Go on, so great

26:33

stuff. Colin, thanks a million for joining

26:35

us. 7.56 a.m. This

26:38

Wednesday morning's O2BM with myself and Nathan up until 10

26:40

o'clock. Up next, we're gonna have Keith Tracy live

26:42

in studio. First though, Ashlyn talking with the Shamrock

26:45

Rivers manager, Stephen Bradley, after last night's

26:47

match.

26:47

Rory Gaffney had

26:49

chances, especially in that first half. I think it was 15 minutes

26:52

gone. And it was just well saved.

26:54

Greenberg coming off the bench. Thought he had a great impact.

26:57

Yeah,

26:57

we had really good chances. We had the best chances of the game.

27:00

I think they had one header in the first half. That's the only

27:02

chance they had in the game. We got

27:04

really good chances, first half and second

27:06

half. And we just didn't

27:08

obviously take them, but that's the way it goes

27:10

sometimes. Yeah, we were

27:12

frustrated. We couldn't

27:14

take one of them. But like I said, that's the way it

27:17

goes.

27:17

Yeah, it's disappointing to go to

27:19

Tiesland now. The second leg will go

27:22

down. It's not gonna be easy.

27:23

No, it won't be easy, but we knew tonight wouldn't be

27:25

easy. They're a good side. And

27:28

I think they showed that for parts

27:30

of the game. But like I said, when we played to

27:32

our levels and

27:35

we showed that we're more than a match for anyone. And I

27:38

feel if we bring them levels to Iceland next week, well,

27:40

I have no doubt we can win the game and go through.

27:43

7.58 AM on this Wednesday morning's O2B AM. The sports

27:46

break was showing off the ball. We're 7.00 Nathan until 10

27:48

o'clock. Keith Tracy joining us in the studio as well. Morning, Keith.

27:50

How are you, as well, Rory? Keeping well. Steven

27:53

Bradley, a little bit downtrodden after the match last night.

27:55

I think it's fair to say, but I mean, he kind

27:57

of said it in advance of the game. He expected this.

27:59

team to be dangerous enough

28:02

and right he was. Yeah, he was very right. I

28:06

think a lot of people were reading

28:08

into the rankings and thinking that Rovers

28:10

were going to beat them but the

28:13

first 45 minutes from Rovers was really poor

28:15

for me. I think obviously they haven't been

28:18

great in the league. I know people would be screaming at

28:20

the top of the league but for me they just haven't

28:22

reached the levels that you would expect to that team and that

28:24

squad. So I think it just rolled in.

28:26

The first 10 minutes Sean Haugh loses

28:28

his man in the six yard box. The header goes straight

28:30

at the goalkeeper. That easy could have been one nail down.

28:33

That's the first 10 minutes. Make

28:35

no mistake about it, when you come

28:37

in and you start training your first day of pre-season

28:40

you start talking about Europe. The Irish club start talking

28:42

about Europe. I know they do. So Shamrock Rovers

28:44

have been looking forward to this. So to start

28:47

as slow as they did, I just don't understand

28:49

it. So I give Breida Blick a lot

28:51

of credit. I think they were better than a lot of

28:53

people thought they would be and even in the

28:55

92nd minute I think they had a wide free kick and they

28:57

put seven people in the box. So

29:00

they came to play. They didn't come to sit back and

29:02

see what Rovers have. They came and

29:03

I think they felt Rovers power.

29:05

I think after that, I think Breida Blick would be even more

29:08

confident now going into the second leg. So

29:10

look, it's by no means done and dusted but

29:13

Rovers need to go there and win the game

29:15

which is going to be very, very difficult. I know

29:17

the vibes out of Stephen Bradley were that they

29:19

knew what Breida Blick were going to bring, that they were

29:22

better than what, say, the bookies were suggesting

29:24

and what people were talking about in advance. The sense

29:26

of the ground was that it caught the supporters by shock

29:28

how good Breida Blick were and I do wonder with the players

29:31

as well with how fast they started the game because

29:33

Rovers last year, okay, a time

29:35

in qualification was the second leg and there was a sense that they

29:37

had nothing to lose but they came, they attacked

29:39

really good teams, performed very

29:42

strongly but 20 minutes into that game you're going,

29:44

this team are a step above where Rovers are.

29:46

Yeah, well look, I

29:49

would say that the fourth half you're thinking

29:51

Breida Blick are really, really good. I

29:53

struggle for Shamrock Rovers but I

29:55

would look to the second half, Nate, and it was a lot more competitive

29:57

in the second half when Rovers were at it when they were going

29:59

going after people, they were pressing a little bit

30:02

more. When Graham Bourke came on for about 10-15

30:04

minutes, he started pulling strings, maybe

30:07

had a few chances. And Rovers did,

30:09

I think they did five shots on target in the game.

30:11

Cavanagh had one where he cut in on his right and sort

30:14

of skied it. There was a lovely little angle there, just a

30:16

call. So they did make chances. I think

30:18

Steven Bradley and Rovers should just forget about that force

30:21

hat because that can happen in football. It's a

30:23

little bit unforgiving when you're saying, you

30:25

know, Rovers have been looking forward to this, the fans have been looking

30:27

forward to this. You know, a lot of people put

30:29

all their

30:29

eggs into the, into the European basket. A

30:32

lot, a lot of the Rovers fans have.

30:34

So to turn up and be that poor in the first 45 minutes,

30:37

we just hope that that isn't the difference between

30:39

the two teams after the two legs. And it

30:41

could very well be because it seems like

30:44

going on the second half alone, there's very

30:46

little between these two teams. And the goal even

30:48

in itself was disappointing. Gaffney,

30:50

two-keen, detected three-kick, gives the ball away. And then

30:53

obviously Dan Cleary is forced to make the rash challenge. Like

30:55

it's just disappointing that that's how the goal

30:57

was conceded. Because that, as you said, that could be the

30:59

goal that... Yeah,

30:59

it is. These big games, they always

31:02

come down to fine margins and even the free kick

31:04

itself, I thought, I think it's Gaffney

31:06

who leaves a bit of a gap and the ball comes through the gap

31:08

in the wall. And even I think it's fairly central.

31:10

I don't like criticising goalkeepers,

31:12

but when it's essential is that I think even

31:15

when, when Minovic hits it, you

31:17

know, when you hit a strike like that, generally when it

31:19

comes up, you're thinking that's hitting the back of the net. I

31:21

don't think you'd have got that feeling. So he'd have been a little

31:23

bit surprised that I went in, but I get

31:25

that he would have seen it late. There was gaps in the wall, which

31:27

there shouldn't have been. So I think Rovers

31:29

has made a couple of basic mistakes and a

31:32

silly free kick they give away. But again, when they

31:34

did go direct to Gaffney from front

31:36

to back, I thought they looked dangerous. I thought Gaffney done

31:38

well, won his one-on-one battles, but Brede

31:40

Blick then adapted and went one long, one

31:42

short, and he started to figure

31:45

it out as well. So look, they look like a very, very good

31:47

team, but Rovers have felt that power now. So

31:49

hopefully Rovers now will

31:50

be at it from the off if they can get a goal in

31:52

the force 20 minutes over there. Then,

31:55

you know, anything can happen, but it's going to be very, very difficult

31:57

from what we've seen.

31:58

What did you think about Rovers teams? selection last

32:00

night both team selection and tactics and

32:02

the way they set up particularly in that first

32:05

half where you know Richie Towle is on

32:07

the bench Graham Burke is on the bench I

32:09

see injury problems with the wing backs that are so crucial

32:12

to the mafrougia it felt like a massive loss last

32:14

night but they didn't seem to have any link

32:17

at all between Gaffney and what was behind

32:20

yeah well I don't I think that was obviously down the tag

32:22

I'd like to see Graham Bourke play from the start whoever

32:24

you want to take out there I'd have just wedged

32:26

him in somehow I think his goals are torn

32:28

so far in the league has been really

32:29

really good and you look you play your best players

32:32

in the biggest game but look Steven Bradley generally

32:34

gets it right so I'm not sure what's going on in

32:36

the background if he has a niggle or he's not feeling

32:39

a hundred percent so I'd like to see

32:41

Graham Bourke in there but the reason I think Rovers

32:43

couldn't play through the middle is because Breida Blick

32:45

were really really good they were showing them into the pitch

32:48

and they were sort of they were sending little

32:50

traps all over the place and as soon as Rovers did

32:52

go into the middle of the pitch they were closing the door they

32:54

were nicking the ball and look I

32:56

do think I say it all the time there's only one

32:59

team in club football that can demand

33:01

that they play in every every asset of the

33:03

game and that's Manchester City anybody

33:05

else if the press is good play away from

33:07

it you see him once or twice to stand them on the halfway line

33:10

if you start clipping balls into the channel and I know

33:12

Rovers did do that a little bit more in the second half

33:15

they will eventually back off so to

33:17

keep forcing it and forcing it I think was it was

33:19

playing in the Breida Blick's hand I think that press

33:21

was good sometimes if the press is good you keep

33:23

playing over the top until it gets a little bit looser and

33:26

then you find the gaps you could argue this has

33:28

been coming though they look at Rovers results

33:30

this season okay top of the league but 25

33:32

games was it 13 wins

33:35

eight draws four defeats like

33:38

they've come back to the as much as maybe you

33:40

know

33:41

Dundalk paths have improved this year

33:43

maybe Derry haven't kicked on the way people have expected

33:46

the Rovers have come back to the pack

33:48

yeah maybe I

33:51

still feel they're in second at Torquay you know to be at

33:53

to be top of the league and saying they're in second

33:55

at Torquay but

33:58

you could say that before last night because if you're gonna

33:59

click through the gears last night's the night you do it. That's

34:02

it but it really isn't that easy and believe

34:04

me it took me a big big chunk of me playing

34:07

career to believe that to understand it's

34:09

not a tap you don't just turn it on and off when you want. There

34:11

has to be an all the time thing so Rovers

34:13

being in second and third gear in the league and still winning

34:16

games still being top of the league they probably

34:18

just got a little bit comfortable and thought we'd be okay

34:20

and we'll turn on when we order bros. I guess the question

34:22

I'm asking is because I think

34:24

an awful lot of people would have felt watching Rovers that they are in

34:26

second or third gear and it's going to happen actually maybe

34:29

that is them at their best.

34:30

I don't think so I think with the

34:32

individual talent I think you get them all

34:35

them players playing properly Jack Bohn, Graham

34:37

Bork, even Aaron Green are like Gaffney

34:39

as well I love as a player for Ruja is a big

34:41

miss when he comes back in I do think there's

34:43

a lot more to come and Stephen Bradley knows and

34:46

when you listen to Stephen Bradley's interviews he doesn't

34:48

panic even even last season

34:50

when he went and playing well at the start of

34:52

this season he said don't worry it will click he knows

34:54

what he has in the dressing room so there's

34:56

an awful lot more to come and hopefully

34:59

when they play next week hopefully Rovers

35:01

take Braida Big Boy a boy surprised on a

35:03

little bit better than they're expecting the concerning thing

35:06

is and the Braida Blick manager made this point after

35:08

the match last night Rovers have more European pedigree

35:10

they've

35:10

a bigger budget and they're a bigger club

35:13

than Braida Blick that is that famous

35:15

line with Sean Boylan stick your get your shyness out of your

35:17

back pocket like the Irish clubs need

35:20

to start like

35:21

taking these games by the by

35:24

the horns because this is a match that Rovers

35:26

should be winning on paper

35:28

yes you can boy into

35:30

that a lot of the media will come out and say that and

35:32

you boy into the rankings and you think okay on

35:34

paper we should beat these but did that the sprinkled with

35:37

ice landing international to some internationals knocking

35:39

around so they do have some pedigree

35:41

they wait to try the way they try to play football

35:43

and like I said in the 92nd minute when they're putting

35:45

seven players in the box this is not a shy

35:47

team this is a team that want to play football so

35:50

even that and itself would tell you that they're a confident bunch

35:52

of lads and the way they knocked it about in the middle of the pitch

35:55

some of the one-two stuff the way they press and

35:57

they're all athletic they can all get around the pitch even

35:59

the center half are quite athletic as well. So

36:01

when you have three, two at the back, they can

36:04

cover up the ground. So look, they

36:06

do have weaknesses. The high line is a

36:08

weakness. They do put an awful

36:10

lot of bodies forward to the press. Once

36:12

or twice we did see Rovers, Jackborn flicking

36:14

around the corner, one touch stuff. It's dangerous

36:17

stuff if you lose it, they're in your final tour.

36:19

But if you break the press, you're running out there by

36:21

tree. So it's very, very dangerous

36:23

stuff, but it's great to watch and Rovers will have

36:25

to get it right next week. I think as well,

36:29

it is very difficult to acclimatize

36:32

isn't the right word, but to when you go to European

36:34

football, you're playing different champions, you're playing

36:36

the best teams in their league. So I know

36:39

I saw I think she was getting a bit of stick after the covers

36:42

last night for saying that Rovers aren't being pushed hard

36:44

enough in the league of Ireland by what's

36:46

around them, which you know, considering

36:48

the way the league table is not exactly running away

36:51

with it. It that's it's

36:53

hard to criticize those around them there. But

36:55

Rovers dominate possession pretty much every game they play

36:58

in Ireland because of the best team because technically

37:00

they have the most gifted players. Jack

37:02

Byrne can run the show in the league of Ireland. This

37:04

team, like they

37:06

won the Icelandic league, they want to be by being

37:08

the best team by being the most comfortable on the ball. There's

37:11

very few teams who win their league by

37:13

sitting deep by coming at you on the counter attack.

37:15

So Rovers probably aren't used

37:17

to playing against a team that are technically

37:20

as good as that side were last night, even if they're

37:22

not one of the best teams in Europe.

37:24

Yes, that's true. And look at Brede

37:26

Blick obviously won the league last season, and

37:29

I think they lost two or three or better players. So that

37:31

was the reason I thought they'd be weakened and Rovers

37:33

would raise their game. So I expected it to

37:35

be a very, very, very tight game overall.

37:37

But I thought Rovers might be able to nick it. But

37:40

Brede Blick are very good, very, very,

37:42

very compact on the ball. They make very

37:45

few mistakes and they are good.

37:47

But there is weaknesses there. When Rovers did play one

37:49

or two touch, you can see them starting to make holes.

37:51

They were making rash challenges. But

37:54

like I say, it

37:55

is going to be difficult for always Naitans right? They're

37:57

not used to not having the ball. But you know.

37:59

Sometimes you have to just fight fire with fire

38:02

if a team are possession based the

38:04

way to hoard them is when you're nickel Go straight for the juggler

38:06

now wrote teams will generally do that the rover

38:08

So they will know how to do it and they

38:10

just maybe if you get somebody up front with Gaffney Gaffney

38:13

at times I know I thought he was decent last night,

38:15

but I did think he was isolated Yeah So if

38:17

you get in at home in Europe like should that is

38:20

is it not a night where you have to put Johnny Kenny

38:22

up? There are you put towel right up alongside

38:24

him the physicality you tell getting in there. It's

38:26

just felt at home Hey now

38:29

they've put themselves

38:29

very much behind the a-ball going to Iceland that

38:32

they needed to show a little bit more ambition Yeah,

38:35

I think that Stephen Bradley and

38:37

Rovers were thinking listen We'll put out our team

38:39

will do what we want and I don't mean that in

38:41

a in a in a cocky way I just think

38:44

they thought on paper what better than breed a blick We should

38:46

be able to have our way with them But breed a blick

38:48

obviously knew they had something up their sleeve So I do

38:50

think now next week Stephen

38:52

badly will get a little bit more down and dirty with the

38:54

tactics He might play to a fronty might go from back

38:57

to front a little bit more So I do think

38:59

tactics will come into it

38:59

a bit more But yeah, I think maybe

39:02

even even the Rovers fans like you said name were a little

39:04

bit quite after the start I think even they were talking

39:06

boys are boys with how good these were It's

39:09

interesting the wording of Stephen Bradley after the match as well

39:11

He didn't say you know, sometimes you're accused of not

39:13

showing teams enough respect in Europe But he said we showed

39:16

them too much respect, which

39:17

is a fair point probably you can you can sense that by the

39:19

way They set up.

39:20

Yeah Well, it can be a bit a bit of

39:22

a surprise when you set up and you're not quite sure what

39:24

you're going out To when all of a sudden you're thinking oh

39:26

my god, these are decent and you know You go chasing

39:29

shadows all of a sudden and but to be fair again

39:31

Just forget that force half because the force

39:33

half they were so so passive. They were standing off

39:35

people I remember seeing there no nothing chemists

39:38

But then clearly was on the halfway line

39:40

and a day left wing I just literally skipped past

39:42

them down bone so all themself and I was thinking You

39:45

can't do that at this level of football. You can't do

39:47

that. You either drag them down. You go and jockey

39:49

them You slow them down you force them inside the

39:51

bodies. You can't just sell yourself now They recovered

39:53

and nothing happened, but it's just little things

39:56

like that. You think what what is going through your head there You're

39:58

not thinking about what's behind you

39:59

It just needs to be a little

40:02

bit sharper all over the pitch from Rovers and they

40:04

can start like that over there They're not as good as last

40:06

year as part of the problem Like if you look at where what

40:08

they've lost from probably just over 12 months

40:10

ago when Mandreu left Andy lines has gone

40:13

like Chris McCown became a really big player During

40:15

the European campaign last year that

40:17

haven't been able to replace them with

40:20

similar quality All right Trevor Clark, you know,

40:22

it's done well this season but missed out last night

40:24

as well It feels as though they're in a little

40:26

bit of limbo in that they have enough resources

40:29

to be the best team in Ireland But

40:31

it doesn't feel as though the resources are there to

40:34

kick on

40:35

To being a really strong competitive

40:38

European side year-on-year

40:40

It just missed out in conference league football even this

40:42

will be a huge setback

40:43

Yeah, it would

40:44

but look I do think I do

40:46

think it comes down to the strength of the league and

40:48

I Look at Rovers are winning the

40:50

league and I do think there's a bit of truth and watch do we born

40:52

was saying last night About Rovers not being pushed

40:54

it if if the competition you're up against

40:57

weekend We go is not quite up to the standard

40:59

you're gonna face in Europe Then there is gonna

41:01

be a bit of getting used to it now The

41:03

one thing for me is that Rovers have felt that

41:05

power now Hopefully they will be they know what to

41:07

expect but do we think Rovers

41:10

are worse than they were last year? Maybe

41:12

on paper. I think lines is a big big miss

41:14

but again for Ruzia I think it will be okay

41:16

when he comes back. So I think one or two

41:18

injuries. I

41:19

Think there's an awful lot more to come. I think

41:21

they've the best squad by play a country

41:24

mile in the league There's an awful lot more to come and I

41:27

just think they're underperforming at them in the name I put

41:29

you in an awkward position one of the things rovers

41:31

have done very well over the last few years Obviously look around the league

41:34

and bring in players Young

41:36

players to strengthen themselves When you

41:38

look at what rovers

41:39

have at the moment are there are players around

41:41

the league that you look at that you think they should Be targeting

41:43

maybe even during this transfer window Possibly

41:46

but it's very hard to do to

41:48

do any business just at the minute well for

41:51

rovers in this league I'm sure they could have the pick of anybody

41:53

in the Irish League at the minute obviously having Europe But

41:56

look there is little gems in there. I think there's great little

41:58

footballers, but I'm not Not sure who

42:00

they could go out and get to be honest with you. I like the

42:02

likes of Darragh Markey, little

42:05

diamonds in the rough people like that. But

42:07

look, I don't think it's the amount, the bodies, you

42:10

know, I'm looking at the bench last night, the likes of Arden

42:12

Green, people coming off the bench.

42:15

I think the squad is strong. I think it's fine. I

42:17

think they'll win the league at a canter this season. So

42:19

they just need to be, need me to be

42:21

a little bit more on it in Europe. I don't think they're

42:24

as weak as maybe the force 45 minutes

42:26

showing.

42:27

Just looking at their record away from home in Europe

42:29

like the last few years. So since they've beaten

42:32

the Icelandic team, Stjarnan in 2017, they've managed

42:34

only two wins in 14

42:36

away ties in Europe. So

42:39

that's concerning. That probably highlights

42:41

the task that's ahead of them maybe. Yeah, again, but

42:43

I think that Stephen

42:45

Bradley and Rovers, when they play away from home,

42:48

they tend to play

42:49

exactly they would at home. More

42:51

positively. Yeah, they play very positively,

42:53

which, you know, obviously now looking at the

42:55

facts that they've only won two and 14 away from

42:57

home, it could probably be viewed as a little

42:59

bit naive. Maybe now they need to go

43:01

and win the game. So look, I

43:04

don't know the a shut up shop for the four 60 minutes. Just

43:06

make sure, breathe a blick, don't go on the score line and then you

43:08

don't throw the kitchen sink at them or do you

43:10

go and play open expansive football and you could be out

43:12

of the toy after 20 minutes. It's look

43:14

at Stephen, we're going to approach this. They'll have a look at what,

43:16

how he thinks they can, how they can hurt them. But the

43:19

number one thing is to try and keep breathable. Like if

43:21

breathable score over there, it's going to be a, it's

43:23

already an uphill battle, but it's going to be Mount Everest

43:25

breathable score. So the number one thing

43:27

is a clean sheet. Keep them out and

43:30

just get your front lads to express

43:32

themselves a little bit more half can't be as passive

43:34

at the where can sell themselves like they did.

43:36

And the one thing for me in the whole

43:38

of the 90 minutes, Rovers had, you know,

43:41

a couple of minutes here or there where they were torn in the screw,

43:43

but very little momentum in the game, very

43:45

rarely where you're thinking it's on the way. There's

43:47

a goal coming here. It was little moments,

43:49

but not enough, not enough pressure for me. Yeah,

43:52

I think they

43:53

just need to keep a tight away from home now because not look

43:55

last year Farron Farris and Ludograth are

43:57

probably a step above what they're going to play this time. But

44:00

they

44:00

just made so many stupid mistakes

44:02

away from home it ended up costing them because they were brilliant them

44:05

back in Tala That's like actually

44:07

you know

44:08

almost playing for extra time being mature about

44:10

this may not be the worst idea Yeah,

44:13

well look that's it. You just don't don't

44:15

be out of game a half-time You know if

44:17

it's still one nail on aggregate That's

44:19

no problem just stay in the game stick around

44:21

the longer it stays nil all over there The

44:24

more they will get edgy because they know a sucker

44:26

punch could be on the way so look

44:28

I don't want rovers to go there and play a low

44:31

block and void pressure And you know just come under the

44:33

caution hopefully you know nick it on the

44:35

on the counter I do think there's a hybrid

44:37

approach here They can play a little bit of football, but

44:39

you know when there's a 50-50 fighting ball in your

44:42

own final tour Just hook it into the channel. Yeah, you know

44:44

don't be trying to get it down and play in their marriage It's

44:46

not in the fourth half anyway Just play a hybrid

44:48

approach play sensible football keep

44:50

yourself in the game And then like I say when

44:52

we get into the business end 60-70 minutes

44:55

start making a few more risks and

44:57

Hopefully hopefully we can hit them We

44:59

should keep before we go mentioned some of the transfers

45:01

involving Irish players that have kind of happened over the last week or

45:03

two We course last week heard about Nathan Collins

45:06

to Brentford She does the Albania

45:08

to loot and town Ryan Manning's joined Russell

45:10

Martin at Southampton Which an interesting move for

45:12

him and both work together of course with Swansea

45:14

Jason Knight to Bristol City and back pages

45:16

of the Son I'm looking at here Matt Daugherty Closing

45:19

in on a sensational return to wolves for free

45:22

three years after Spurs paid 15 million Forum

45:24

and wolves ratchet gonna play Celtic in Dublin on the 29th

45:27

of July both

45:27

teams pulled out of a preseason tournament in South Korea

45:30

Promoters failing to fulfill their obligations so

45:32

could have is that is wolves second debut

45:34

in Dublin But an interesting move for for Matt Daugherty

45:37

back to wolves Yeah, a decent move a lot

45:39

of the a lot of the meals for the Irish boys on paper

45:41

are decent moves again That's a

45:43

very decent meal from Matt and you would expect

45:46

them to play out wolves I know was have

45:48

a decent a decent defensive record

45:50

on the lot but a gee Hopefully now

45:52

he comes in and plays even the I've been anyone really

45:54

gets me excited because I've been he going to luton

45:57

you know luton don't have millions to be thrown around

45:59

You would imagine how they brought him in the door that he

46:02

will play so he'll he'll get

46:04

the cut He's teething the Premier League and Collins to

46:06

Brentford as well as it is a really really good

46:08

move But people said this to me 12 months ago

46:10

I wasn't a great move for for Collins to be going

46:12

to wolves didn't turn out that way So

46:15

this will only be a good move of Nathan plays of Nathan

46:17

doesn't play You know, I think the Irish

46:19

team will suffer for it in the long run It's great that

46:21

dirty isn't going to Saudi Arabia for any

46:24

number of reasons Wolves is

46:26

just an interesting one at the moment because it does

46:28

seem there's a lot of issues around the club There

46:30

was you know the speculation at the end of season Maybe La Pategi

46:32

would go because there was no money the fact they've

46:35

sold Nathan Collins and the speculation

46:37

around Max Killman We sort of thought again this time last

46:39

season Kilman and Collins would be the best young said

46:41

they're back pairing in the Premier League and we'll play together

46:43

for five years Talking Kilman potentially

46:45

going to Napoli another trying to keep him on a contract But

46:48

that'd be the one worry Matt Daugherty that

46:50

he's going back to a wolf

46:51

side Albeit incredibly well coaches

46:54

seen by La Pategi that are in a bit

46:56

of a state of flux But from where he's been like he

46:58

just needs to play football. It's been Like

47:01

six months without any games at all at Atletico

47:03

Madrid and even the previous couple years been

47:05

so stop start I taught them

47:07

like if you get anywhere back that hasn't been

47:09

as exciting an Irish player in the Premier

47:12

League Yeah, since that seat last season already

47:14

had it was like it was it was exceptional Yeah,

47:17

we do and when he plays well matter

47:19

matter brilliant player going forward There's obviously

47:21

question

47:21

marks on him in a 1v1

47:23

defensive situation sometimes for gone forward.

47:26

He's really really good But la

47:28

Pategi hopefully when he gets him in the door We'll

47:31

stand them up show him how to defend and just just

47:33

be a little bit better a little bit Harder

47:36

to beat in those situations, but look he has everything he

47:38

needs and if he plays it'll turn out

47:40

to be it to be A great move and I actually I do

47:42

think that he will get back in there I think he has a

47:45

he has a bit of a low for wolves I think there's something in him

47:47

that just wants to do well for that club. So

47:49

hopefully if that's it That should be a decent

47:52

match for for Matt and for Laurence. Yeah,

47:54

a couple of exciting signs Keith Thanks a million for for

47:56

coming in as per usual. Great stuff Keith Tracy

47:58

there with us on

47:59

Wednesday morning's OTB AM, the sports break for showing

48:02

off the wall with myself and Nathan with you until 10

48:04

o'clock, loads more still to come on the show, between now and 10 o'clock,

48:07

Anthony Moyles will be with us in studio very very

48:09

shortly Mickey Graham, the former Cavam

48:11

manager who's just left his role after five seasons

48:13

in charge to join us in around 20 minutes or so

48:16

Keith Wod then, picking his five best tries for

48:18

matches he was involved in but up next

48:21

it is Anthony Moyles' studio back in a sec 20 past 9

48:26

approaching, 20 past 8 approaching in fact, I'm now

48:28

ahead of myself on Wednesday

48:29

morning's OTB AM, the sports break for show on

48:32

off the wall with myself and Nathan through until 10 o'clock Anthony Moyles

48:34

is in the studio, morning Anthony Morning Shane, how

48:36

are you? Keeping well, keeping well, 3 o'clock this

48:38

Saturday, the big one

48:40

the title cup final down in Meath is there

48:42

a... The open top bus parade is booked in

48:44

for Nav and for Sunday afternoon To West Meath,

48:46

a pretty big celebration That is a joke, will there

48:48

be similar celebrations in Meath? Umm...

48:51

potentially

48:53

Potentially Is there excitement for us? Hard

48:56

to gauge really I think there is, I think there is

48:59

a bit of an open evening the

49:01

other day with the players and I believe

49:03

it was a good turnout

49:06

I wouldn't say it's a fever

49:08

pitch but it's... It's

49:12

maybe simmering under the surface That I've got the

49:14

flags out is my question I

49:16

haven't seen all the whole pile of that to be honest

49:18

with you When was the last time you saw a whole pile of Meath

49:21

flags? I did, it's a long... it's a wild You

49:23

were paying me for the wild No,

49:26

I think... I think... Yeah,

49:29

weirdly there is Junior Championship actually this weekend,

49:31

weirdly enough Right So,

49:34

yeah, not that that may take much from us

49:36

But... Yeah,

49:39

I think... Look, people are... Looking

49:42

forward to it in the sense of I'd say

49:44

people just want to see the team develop

49:47

and move on and try to obviously

49:49

secure Samburwar football for next year

49:55

I don't know, there's a bit of a weird sense in

49:57

me at the moment with the whole thing

50:00

I get that feeling anyway. In the sense

50:02

that people understand that it's a rebuilding

50:04

process. I think there are

50:07

people who are well

50:09

behind the team, but

50:11

it's the same. It's a

50:14

second level championship

50:16

competition, and I suppose

50:19

it's just not going to have that same kind of draw.

50:21

And that's just been totally straight with

50:23

you. I guess we won't know probably until

50:25

this time next year what it all means for

50:28

me is the other thing because on the one

50:30

hand

50:31

winning is a habit and a very nice habit and maybe they

50:33

kick on and they bring momentum if they

50:35

win at the weekend into the league next year. On

50:37

the other hand, you've got a Mororx style

50:39

of football and wanting to go a bit old school and kicking

50:42

the ball in. Maybe that works in the Talton Cup, but

50:44

then you're back to reality.

50:46

Yeah, I

50:49

think the average age of the down team is probably about 23, 24.

50:52

I wouldn't say I'd say it's pretty similar on

50:54

the mid team. So two very, very young

50:57

teams, I think two counties that have obviously

50:59

proud tradition and that need to,

51:01

I suppose, realize and maybe

51:03

have realized over the last one or two seasons

51:05

that actually things are different

51:07

now and we need to do things a

51:10

la Derry. So we need to change

51:12

things in lots of respects,

51:15

club,

51:16

development squads, how coaches

51:19

are developed, how coaches are trained, all

51:21

the way up to the top table. So I

51:23

think there's still a lot of work to do there. I think there's still

51:25

a good bit of work to do there on mid. I'm not sure about

51:27

down. Look, on mid, how

51:30

far are mid off say at Cork? Because Cork

51:32

had such a brilliant year. But are mid far

51:34

off that? They're not far off in

51:36

the sense. I still think we're one or two

51:39

probably really good

51:42

forwards off it. My

51:44

fear for this weekend, and just to go back to

51:46

Nathan's point, I think this is all about development.

51:49

You heard Pierce Lavishley talking the other day to down captain about

51:51

development, development of the squad, getting

51:54

into Sam Maguire football for next year, having

51:56

that guarantee, having that card in the back pocket,

51:58

regardless of what goes on up in the back.

51:59

ulcer. You know,

52:02

for me, again, obviously the same type

52:04

of thing, probably a little bit less of a treacherous

52:06

road, shall we say, although

52:08

Lancer is improving and getting a bit more competitive.

52:11

So it's important for

52:14

the lads within the squad. And listen,

52:16

he as a manager in column of work

52:18

has now had them for an extended period of time.

52:21

You know, they could have been gone

52:23

six weeks ago. So now he's had

52:25

an extra six to eight weeks to actually train

52:27

with these fellas, see what they're like. He's blooded

52:29

loads and loads of new talent, loads of

52:31

fellas getting their debuts and coming on and playing.

52:34

So, you know, they're gaining confidence.

52:37

You know, there's lots of 18, 19, 20 year olds. So it's good

52:41

for both squads. Have any of

52:43

them stood out?

52:45

Yeah, I think, well, I think Connor Grey has done very,

52:47

very well. Jack Flynn has done well. There's a

52:49

lot of big men around the middle. I think Dahi

52:51

McGown has done well, you know,

52:53

at different times. They've options. Dahi

52:55

McGown Coffee has done well. Like

52:58

it's, you'd probably say Jordan Morris

53:00

is starting to start and the show has promise.

53:03

Machu Costolo has been very, very good

53:05

recently. My worry

53:08

with me coming into this game is the

53:10

last time they played down, down kick the 17 wides.

53:13

Yeah,

53:15

that's a haul. And Parnell Park is a tight pitch.

53:17

Yeah. You know, it's, you know,

53:19

it's the surroundings around it. Like Crow Park,

53:22

whatever I am wants to say, it plays

53:25

big, it plays wide. It's very

53:27

difficult to keep it compact. And down

53:29

will love that because down will come at you with

53:31

pace. You saw against Leesh. Now that was a bit of

53:33

a misnomer to be honest with you, but if

53:36

they smell space and if they see

53:38

the gaps are there, they will hunt goals.

53:40

Yeah. And I'm a little bit worried for Mead in

53:42

the sense of I think

53:44

Mead's forward set up, certainly in

53:46

the last while, unless he changes it, Jordan

53:49

Morris Lynch and Machu Costolo are

53:51

three kind of traditional style forwards. If you

53:53

get me, you know, they're not, they're

53:55

not the workhorses who are going to be back and just

53:57

do the dog work. They're, they're, they're excellent.

53:59

of what to do. Really, really good forwards. But

54:03

I just don't think in the modern game you can play three of

54:05

your six in that style. Okay, so

54:07

I'd be worried that the down defence will see

54:10

that and will drive them the other way. And

54:13

you know, will force them to defend

54:15

back in their own half, which is not where you want those

54:17

lads. So will he change that up? Hopefully,

54:20

I think he might, maybe he won't. I

54:23

would, because I think you need to be in

54:25

the game. And I think you probably need to

54:27

frustrate down a little bit and also do your own

54:29

counter attack. So I think he wants to

54:31

he wants to deliver long ball. But I

54:33

think there's a time and a place for that. And

54:36

I think long ball is best seen now delivered

54:38

when you're on a counter attack, you know, to leave two lads

54:40

up front and spray those diagonal balls

54:43

in. But look, it's great, it is good

54:45

to be in a final. It's great for the players involved.

54:48

And they will approach this, this is

54:50

all the approach over the last week or two, even meeting,

54:53

you know, young fans and all that, that's all

54:55

dealing with that. So it's experience for the future,

54:57

hopefully for them that they're in a lancer final or whatever

55:00

it is, you know, it's a couple of me and

55:02

our fans are complaining, but voicing

55:04

their opinions on online about the fact

55:06

that this game could have maybe been put with the Kerry

55:08

and Derry match, maybe to allow more meeting

55:11

down fans to go out to sell out and Saturday, a lot

55:13

of Dublin Monon fans will obviously be

55:15

in Croke Park. I don't know. Is that

55:17

Yeah, I

55:19

don't. It might have been. But like, look, I

55:21

don't think the players are things. Most

55:23

of the media fans want us to go out and support the dubs as well, don't

55:25

course. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And that's what you

55:27

have to deal with. Yeah. Of

55:32

course, with my colleague here on the left. But

55:35

no, look, it's, you know,

55:37

Nathan is actually, he's righted to

55:40

some regard in the sense of obviously,

55:42

all the families and awful

55:45

lot of families that have moved into mead from that from

55:47

Dublin and obviously neighbouring counties such

55:49

as Kilar etc, etc. There has

55:51

to be something to shout for for those kids. They have

55:54

to be able to look up and see heroes,

55:56

you know. So in that sense, they

55:59

have to be able to.

55:59

to see them on television. They have to be able to

56:02

see them in big games. So they have to

56:04

aspire to be these kids or be

56:06

these players. So I'm actually

56:09

definitely seeing more jerseys around and all of that

56:11

different stuff. So look, it's a good one. I'm

56:13

not, to be honest with you, I think it's going to be a total

56:15

shootout. I can't see it being a

56:17

low scoring game. So... Not to a downplay,

56:20

no. No, no. And I think Mead

56:22

will probably say, right, well, we're just going to go

56:24

toe to toe with you and just see what happens.

56:27

You know, so, yeah. It

56:29

is

56:29

the curtain raiser for the half pass five, the

56:32

opening semifinal between the Dubs and Monaghan.

56:35

Like

56:35

Darrow share writing in the papers today saying

56:37

it's going to be a Dublin Kerry final. Phil and

56:39

McMahann was echoing that last week. Go on, Ethan. Careful

56:42

here. Be careful here, right? You

56:44

know what's going on. I sense I'm being stitched

56:46

up. Exactly, exactly. Vinny

56:49

Corrie's been on. I need something. I

56:51

need something for that dressing room wall. Just

56:53

an honour. I think if we score, imagine

56:55

we managed to score a point or two against the great Dubs.

56:58

Share the pitch with them, Ethan. You're right. Look, you're dead

57:00

right. Point to Neech. What an honour. There's so many

57:02

great stories this week. You've got Clifford

57:04

single handedly trying to lead Kerry

57:05

back. Like the return of this great Dublin

57:08

side. Derry with all the brilliant underage work

57:10

that's on him. And who are you on the same?

57:12

Monaghan or there? I'm only there in the seventies. Good time. Not

57:14

a long time. No, exactly. Can you make

57:16

an argument for an upset in that game?

57:20

Here it is. I walk you up to the cliff face,

57:22

by the way, there.

57:26

There you go. I think it's a six point. Six

57:28

point. I've already had too

57:30

much. I've still too

57:33

much vitriol coming from Kerry. Kerry Fanners. I

57:35

picked

57:35

up a little bit of a massage. Can

57:38

I make an argument for Monaghan? I actually

57:40

can. I can make an argument for Monaghan. Look,

57:44

Monaghan are there on credit.

57:46

They have absolutely deserved to be there. I

57:49

think they were slightly lucky the last day. But

57:51

at the same time, they were in the game.

57:54

And when it looked like the game was going away from them,

57:56

that never say die attitude. And that's

57:58

not a flip and die. arguments. You can't just

58:01

say, you know, some teams have it and some

58:03

teams genuinely don't have it. And they

58:05

have it. They have, we spoke about this the

58:07

last day, about Vinnie Corrie and the embodiment

58:09

of that that he has and the players have

58:12

taken that mantle. I think they

58:14

have a lot of threats, Mona. And I think what Mona can

58:16

do is Mona can actually play it in quite a few

58:18

different ways. Like they have obviously the

58:20

McManus, they have the Mone

58:22

threat, they have, you know,

58:25

obviously, McCarthy and the guys from Wing back

58:27

so long. But they can play it in a different way.

58:29

And I think what

58:29

they have learnt an awful lot, I was looking back on

58:32

like the Derry game, you know, when they were really,

58:35

they were pitiful that day. And I don't mean

58:37

in a sense, but they really kind of got their eyes

58:39

wide open, I think that day. And the management team

58:41

learnt an awful lot about how to play

58:44

a team that will sit in on top

58:46

of you. And then they won't let you have that

58:48

space up front. And if you remember that day,

58:51

Derry brought McManus and the boys back down

58:53

the pitch. They were doing a lot of the feeling at the far

58:55

end. So Mona had learnt and they've kind of

58:57

said, okay, well, we'll use our weapons at

58:59

certain

58:59

times and within certain strategies

59:03

and tactics involving certain teams. So

59:05

I think they look at this Dublin team and say, okay, you

59:08

know,

59:09

is McManus, is he the man

59:11

to actually have on at the start to try

59:14

to worry that full back line? Or is he someone

59:16

that we can bring in? Do we want a Mone

59:18

type of individual who's in there at that

59:20

full forward and we can lamp

59:23

ball into him, you know, and maybe cause a

59:25

bit of issues for the Dublin full back line? Because

59:27

Mayo Ware getting joy out

59:30

of that before O'Shea had to come out. And

59:32

I still think that man in there,

59:34

a big man where you can even kick ball or hand

59:36

pass ball into him and have runners coming

59:38

off of him, they still attracted that Dublin team. I don't

59:40

think they like to turn around and run back towards

59:43

their own goal. So that's an

59:45

area. So I think

59:47

they will absolutely be in the game. I

59:49

think they will probably say to themselves,

59:51

which you have to do against Dublin. You have to be wary

59:54

of that fast start. And you also can't,

59:56

even if they get four or five or six away from you, Dublin

59:59

sometimes will.

59:59

kind of nearly drop it back in the fourth

1:00:02

gear and let you come and you have to make hay

1:00:04

when that happens. I think they have to and

1:00:06

this is the brilliant thing about Monaghan and we saw it earlier

1:00:08

on in the year,

1:00:10

any chance that they come up for them, they have

1:00:12

to just go for it. Actually if there's a gold chance.

1:00:14

Rhino 2. Rhino 2. Even

1:00:17

if it's a half gold chance, even if it's a 10% gold

1:00:19

chance, you know, just go for it.

1:00:21

Don't leave there with any regrets. Don't

1:00:24

play a conservative game. I really can't.

1:00:26

I just... No? No. I was wondering,

1:00:28

should we all just agree here and now that no matter what

1:00:30

way Monaghan set up, we're not going to criticise them on

1:00:32

one day? That if they want to take a half diamond style

1:00:35

of football, if they want to hold

1:00:37

onto possession for five or six minutes and

1:00:39

bore the life out of a lot

1:00:40

of us, let them at it.

1:00:42

Their only job is to win this game. I completely agree with

1:00:44

you. Can they do that? I completely agree with you but what I... I

1:00:46

don't think they have the arsenal and

1:00:49

I don't think they have to win that game if they

1:00:51

do that. Right. I think they have to throw

1:00:53

out... Look, you don't go

1:00:55

bananas from minute one. But

1:00:57

what I'm saying is that within the game,

1:01:01

you can change things at certain times. And I think

1:01:03

they have the intelligence to do that and I think they

1:01:05

have the ability to do that and I think they also have the players

1:01:07

to do that. They're very, very strong down the spine. And

1:01:10

as I said, it's two of the best half backs in the country

1:01:12

now. Yeah. They really do. You

1:01:15

know, their midfield is...

1:01:17

It's OK. It'll

1:01:19

compete. I'd probably worry a little bit about

1:01:22

that sector. Yeah. And

1:01:24

then, you know, their half forward line

1:01:26

are combative and they're going

1:01:28

to have to be because the Dublin half back line, I

1:01:30

don't think they will play McCaffrey. I don't think they'll

1:01:32

start him regardless

1:01:34

if he's 100% or not. I think he is that,

1:01:37

you know, that

1:01:38

jack in the box, that ace in the hole that they

1:01:40

have to come on when the game is stretched.

1:01:43

So then I think it will come down to a bench situation

1:01:45

as well. Yeah, the goals thing is interesting

1:01:47

because like in the league

1:01:49

game when Dublin got relegated in Clonus at the end

1:01:51

of last season, like Dublin hit 118

1:01:54

in Clonus but Manon managed to put up 313. So they're

1:01:56

obviously targeting goals. I think Jack McCarran got 2-5 or

1:01:58

something that day.

1:01:59

The McManus one is interesting,

1:02:02

I probably bring him off the bench like

1:02:04

the last day. The impact there

1:02:06

that he had against Armagh was clear and

1:02:09

obvious. Maybe some people might disagree,

1:02:11

but it seems to be working so far this season because

1:02:13

there's a lot of young, fast attacking

1:02:15

talent to that Monaghan team that maybe can

1:02:18

start the game for you. I think that's what you

1:02:20

need. I think that's what you need. You

1:02:22

need to go, as I say, toe to toe. So

1:02:25

you know what Dublin will do, whether it's merchant or what,

1:02:27

they'll bring that massive

1:02:29

pace coming from the back line, just

1:02:32

trying to catch

1:02:32

it. What can't happen is Monaghan can't really

1:02:34

get caught in a loud type situation, which is, I'm

1:02:37

saying go toe to toe with him, but what you can't do

1:02:39

is you can't all press

1:02:41

forward and be exposed on that quick break.

1:02:44

So I think McCarren's

1:02:46

positioning will be interesting. Do you remember before

1:02:48

where he would actually come out from full forward

1:02:50

and he was kind of playing that quarterback role on the half

1:02:52

forward line? I think he is

1:02:54

good at that, but

1:02:56

I think what they can do with McManus, leave him on the

1:02:58

bench, do that with McCarren, try

1:03:01

to control the ball when they have it and

1:03:03

not press so many forward and have

1:03:05

the likes of McCarthy and O'Connell coming at

1:03:07

pace and kicking those long range scores. That's

1:03:10

kind of how your first half would match up. And

1:03:12

if you watch most games and really

1:03:14

Dublin, when they did the massive damage, it literally

1:03:17

was five minutes after half time. That

1:03:19

five minute spell from 35 to 40, they scored a thing, 1-4. So

1:03:24

they went from, I think it was maybe

1:03:26

1-7

1:03:26

to 6 to

1:03:29

2-8 or whatever it was. I mean, that

1:03:31

was it. That was a game over. But they squeezed

1:03:33

them on the kick outs. They won three or four and

1:03:35

the only one that Mayo got was the one

1:03:37

that went over the sideline, if you remember. And

1:03:41

I think it was the lad

1:03:44

who is centre half forward, sorry for Mayo.

1:03:47

Do you want Flynn? No, it wasn't Flynn that day.

1:03:51

He was down injured. But the sideline

1:03:53

ball within, they lost that ball. John Small got a hand

1:03:55

on it and the goal came from that. So in other words,

1:03:58

they basically won four or four kick outs.

1:03:59

And that was the squeeze. Now,

1:04:02

Beggin

1:04:03

is massively vital in that role.

1:04:06

And I think in Beggin, they have an ability

1:04:08

and they have a guy who won't allow that to

1:04:11

happen. So I think when that squeeze comes on

1:04:13

from Dublin, which makes the reference,

1:04:15

you know, he's like, oh, it's quite scary. And

1:04:17

it will be. They will squeeze across because

1:04:19

of McCarthy, they've Fenton, they've Howard,

1:04:22

they'll squeeze that whole sector. That's

1:04:24

where Beggin and his position and his ability to go

1:04:26

really long will help.

1:04:29

It's interesting you mentioned the loud game because David Burke

1:04:31

was in here with the last weekend. He was obviously

1:04:33

reacting to the criticism that Ross Common took

1:04:36

and he said, well, you can't go out and do a loud deal.

1:04:38

It's Dublin. You're going to get absolutely hammered.

1:04:41

Your sense is there is actually a middle ground between the

1:04:43

two of them. There is a middle ground. And I think, you know,

1:04:45

if Mickey Hart probably had his time back again, he'd go,

1:04:48

you know, yeah, we probably went

1:04:50

at them. And you can get caught in that

1:04:52

because all of a sudden you get the ball, you're in a break and you

1:04:54

know, everyone charges forward. And then all of a sudden

1:04:56

you either kick it wide or they turn you over and

1:04:58

now they have you

1:04:59

up the field and they transition the ball really quickly

1:05:01

and boom, it's a goal. And they smell the goal. They

1:05:03

know it's a goal because they see very quickly. Actually,

1:05:06

it's three on three here. Even if it's three on four,

1:05:08

they think this is a goal opportunity for us. They

1:05:10

don't have to have the extra man. If

1:05:13

they see three on six, they go, okay, it's not a goal

1:05:15

opportunity. We just work our score. We work

1:05:17

our point. But if they can sense that

1:05:20

they will go and do it because inevitably

1:05:22

the first man icon or someone that will take

1:05:24

his man on. Yeah. And if he beats you, now we're

1:05:27

down. Now we're equal. So

1:05:29

there is that middle ground. I

1:05:34

think what you have to do is you have to understand when Dave

1:05:36

the ball, what are we doing and when we've the ball, that's

1:05:38

where I'm kind of saying Mona and I have to be

1:05:41

that bit more loads of pace.

1:05:43

You know, yeah, just that kind of nearly,

1:05:46

it's nearly controlled kind of aggression and control

1:05:49

kind of not madness,

1:05:51

but just having the ability to try

1:05:53

a cross field ball. Yeah. Put it in there. Put in a mark,

1:05:55

have players around them, cause a bit of mayhem. You

1:05:57

know, I think they have to bring that.

1:05:59

start. I

1:06:02

don't think so. No. You

1:06:04

don't think that was just a bit of a kick up the ass? I

1:06:08

don't think so. I don't think so. I think

1:06:10

when I look at the, like can you drop by Skal?

1:06:13

No. So, Scully's moving

1:06:15

well now. And what Scully does is,

1:06:19

it's really, you know, one of those where you

1:06:21

have to watch him for the game. Because

1:06:23

he just does stuff that people don't see.

1:06:26

He blocks off areas where fellas look

1:06:28

up the kick and they're like, ah, there he is. You

1:06:30

know, he's always an out-ball. Always

1:06:32

an out-ball. In your struggling defense, you look up, bump, he's

1:06:34

there. And then he'll bring it those

1:06:37

extra 10 yards. So where fellas are struggling,

1:06:39

you know, to be honest, sometimes he looks like he's kind of just languishing

1:06:42

along. But he just injects that pace and

1:06:44

he's moving away from you. And all of a sudden you're

1:06:46

up the pitch. You know, Howard

1:06:49

is

1:06:50

absolutely back to what I think he was

1:06:52

a couple of years ago. And

1:06:54

then you've Khan. I just don't

1:06:57

think he finds himself into that. Bugler

1:07:01

is an interesting character

1:07:03

in the sense of, again, sometimes he

1:07:05

looks like he's playing within himself. But I think

1:07:08

what they've said is that he is more

1:07:10

youthful till Kenny. And he can give us a bit

1:07:12

more on the scoring. If we're

1:07:14

struggling with

1:07:15

Khan and we're struggling to decide, this

1:07:17

fella will pop over three or four points. So

1:07:19

that's why I think he might struggle to be on. Derry Kerry

1:07:22

at four o'clock on Sunday. A lot

1:07:24

of fans tuning in right now waiting to see what you say

1:07:26

about them. Kerry for Sam, right?

1:07:28

He went lumba on a lumba all over. Is

1:07:31

there anything? Next 10 years. Second

1:07:33

you wrote them off, I lumped on it. Yeah, exactly.

1:07:36

Like Derry, the way Derry play will

1:07:38

be interesting to see how that fares against this Kerry

1:07:40

team.

1:07:42

Can Derry get the job done on Sunday or is it

1:07:44

a very, very tall order? I

1:07:46

think they can. I

1:07:49

don't think they will, but they can. I

1:07:52

think if you look at most

1:07:54

games that Derry have played, if Derry get out in front of

1:07:57

you by three or four points, they

1:07:59

manage to

1:07:59

control and squeeze the game. Now I know Cork

1:08:02

are back to within one on a couple

1:08:04

of occasions, but

1:08:06

I don't think in that game Derry were ever...

1:08:09

I thought they controlled it quite well. They

1:08:11

never panic. They never panic. I think they have an

1:08:13

unbelievable kind

1:08:15

of self-confidence and

1:08:18

awareness of what they do and how they play.

1:08:21

Think of the journey that that Derry team have come

1:08:23

on. It's absolutely commendable for the whole

1:08:26

county to win the minor during the week. They

1:08:28

were absolutely...

1:08:29

Brilliant. ...dong shit for players. No,

1:08:33

but I'm listening to the counties. For five or six years, I remember Joe

1:08:35

Brawley writing about them saying, where

1:08:37

are we going here? And to see where they

1:08:39

have come to is fantastic. So I

1:08:43

think what would be interesting from Derry's perspective,

1:08:45

I think the game... I think it may

1:08:47

not be a classic. Jack O'Connor has kind of

1:08:49

already warned the Kerry fans not

1:08:52

to get too upset about the

1:08:54

style of play. He understands it's going to be a total

1:08:57

arm wrestle.

1:08:59

I think the game within the game is going to be very

1:09:01

interesting. So from a Derry

1:09:04

perspective, how will they move morally

1:09:06

from that central position? Tyrone

1:09:09

fell completely into the trap and trying

1:09:11

to play around the corner in the

1:09:13

D, little short, little...

1:09:16

getting the cannabis to come around the corner and trying

1:09:18

to compress their attack very,

1:09:20

very narrow. And Kerry just mopped

1:09:22

that up. Derry will bring a lot

1:09:25

of wit to it. They will be fine with

1:09:27

bringing the ball all the way from

1:09:29

the Hogenstand

1:09:29

side across the queues. They

1:09:32

will have not a problem with doing that.

1:09:35

And can they move morally? Can they

1:09:37

do their little one where they isolate Rogers in the

1:09:39

middle of the field and look to get a couple of scores

1:09:41

from him and obviously trying to get...

1:09:45

McWiggin on the ball and so forth. Because he

1:09:47

was purring off the last day from play. Yeah,

1:09:49

he got five, I think, and five freeze or

1:09:51

four freeze. He was purring a little bit the last

1:09:53

day. But teams are working out that

1:09:56

if you stop him, you kind of stop Derry.

1:09:59

And so there's a question for them with Morley. They need to

1:10:02

pull Morley out of there. And

1:10:04

they need to try to create those gaps to try to get

1:10:06

a goal or two. I think they need a goal or two. I

1:10:09

think from their back, they're fine. Like I mean,

1:10:11

powerful midfield. I think

1:10:14

their defense is solid enough. They will look to probably

1:10:16

counter-attack, but Kerry will not fall into

1:10:18

that. Kerry will know they want to counter-attack.

1:10:20

So Kerry will actually say, okay,

1:10:23

if you want to do what you do, we will

1:10:25

also – you

1:10:26

know the way Derry sometimes when

1:10:28

you're playing them, they will put a lot of forwards

1:10:30

in your half. So what they

1:10:33

do is they push you right into the end

1:10:35

line to create the space. They don't just leave two

1:10:37

lads in there. They might put six people in there. So that

1:10:39

means all your defenders are actually employed.

1:10:42

What I think is Kerry will do the same. So they'll put Clifford

1:10:44

right on the end line, and they'll just look

1:10:46

for power, and they look for, you know, the

1:10:48

ability that they have in there. That

1:10:51

I think is going to be Derry's

1:10:53

issue. From a Kerry perspective, it's

1:10:56

most definitely going to be can

1:10:59

they remain patient,

1:11:01

and can they get the fellows that they need to get on

1:11:03

the ball. Well, Sean O'Shea's performance against

1:11:05

Terone, obviously, a massive boost, because now

1:11:07

they're not just – never just

1:11:10

relying on David Clifford, but actually in a game like this

1:11:12

that you're saying is probably not going to be the greatest

1:11:14

watch, you're sort of trusting that O'Shea

1:11:16

and Clifford between them are going to kick 11, 12 points.

1:11:19

Yeah. I think it's also –

1:11:22

the big thing – and, you know, Kerry people can

1:11:25

lamp me all they want, but the

1:11:27

big question mark that I thought hung

1:11:29

over Kerry before the Tyrone

1:11:31

game was that I felt that Tyrone

1:11:33

would bring

1:11:35

that bit of mayhem that I'm talking about and that real

1:11:37

intensity in the tackle, certainly

1:11:39

from, you know, 2 to 10, and

1:11:42

that they would really physically put

1:11:45

it up to Kerry. And they didn't. They

1:11:47

rolled over and Kerry tickled their belly

1:11:49

a couple of times, and that was the end of it.

1:11:52

I think Derry will do this. Derry will

1:11:54

definitely bring that, but I think Kerry are

1:11:56

well able for it. As a matter of fact, Kerry

1:11:58

did the bullying that day.

1:12:00

no doubt about it against Tyrone. I

1:12:02

don't think they will bully as much, but

1:12:04

I think they will be very much

1:12:06

in the sense of that, no, there's,

1:12:09

like, I mean, we are well capable for this. So

1:12:11

they have that also. There's no question mark really

1:12:13

over that. Yeah. And as

1:12:16

regards Pawdy and

1:12:18

how he plays, I think Derry will have a

1:12:20

plan for that. Like, they will man mark him,

1:12:22

obviously, and they'll go where he goes. But I think

1:12:24

it's going to be a much more of a game of,

1:12:27

it's going to be attritional, of course, but

1:12:29

it's going to be freeze,

1:12:30

it's going to be who can take their chances, and you're

1:12:32

going to be, again, looking at this situation where

1:12:34

you have your free takers, are your free takers

1:12:36

hitting kind of 90% efficiency? That's

1:12:38

where you're going to, and when you look at both sides, you're saying,

1:12:41

well, Kerry may have the advantage

1:12:43

on that side too. Final prediction, so we have Mickey Graham

1:12:45

standing by the cavern, outgoing cavern manager. The

1:12:47

way we do the quick picks is you pick your team,

1:12:50

1-3 points, 4-6 or 7 plus. So

1:12:52

for the Talton and the 2-7 finals. Very complicated. Yeah.

1:12:56

Usually just writes Kerry off and leaves the studio on. Yeah,

1:12:59

picks up the pieces. What a margin,

1:13:00

what a rough margin. So how do you see the three games

1:13:02

going briefly? Ahh! Put

1:13:05

you on the spot massively. I think Kerry will win,

1:13:07

double my win, and I have

1:13:10

to say, me to win. Right, fair. Which

1:13:12

would be the tightest of those two semi-finals, you think? I

1:13:16

think Kerry

1:13:19

Derry will be tight. Yeah, okay.

1:13:20

Hopefully they'll be on the tight as well. Anthony

1:13:23

Grissoff, thanks for coming in as per usual. Anthony Moyles

1:13:25

with us there at 8.45am

1:13:27

approaching on Wednesday morning's O2B, the

1:13:30

sports breakfast show on off the ball. I

1:13:32

did just say the outgoing cavern, senior football boss

1:13:34

Mickey Graham joins us on the line now. Morning, Mickey, how are things?

1:13:37

Morning, lads, how are you keeping? Keeping well, thanks for your patience

1:13:39

there, thanks for hanging on. So how are you feeling about this?

1:13:42

Five seasons in charge, a lot of ups, a lot

1:13:44

of downs. It was, I'd

1:13:46

imagine a difficult decision to step away.

1:13:49

Yeah, it was definitely,

1:13:51

especially when you're involved with your own

1:13:53

county and able

1:13:55

to work with a lot of those players from under age,

1:13:58

from under 16 levels right now.

1:13:59

up to senior level so

1:14:02

I'll be very close to a lot of them and

1:14:05

as I said I was given two years last year and

1:14:08

decided maybe to step away this last year. Was

1:14:11

there a reason why you felt the extra

1:14:13

year you didn't want to go the second year in

1:14:15

that extension? No,

1:14:17

I just thought the demands of it at the

1:14:19

moment is huge. Like five years

1:14:22

at the inter-county level now

1:14:25

is a big thing because you look at the demands

1:14:28

of inter-county management and any

1:14:30

man that lasts five years and any inter-county

1:14:32

job is doing well and I think after

1:14:34

Keir McGinney and Podge Collins I think I was

1:14:36

the third longest

1:14:39

serving manager so it just shows you

1:14:41

the dedication that's required at that level.

1:14:43

What have the last few days been like Mickey

1:14:46

and the sort of messages you've been getting? Because often when

1:14:48

inter-county managers leave there's a mixed

1:14:51

response from people in the county. The

1:14:53

messages we've seen this morning and even I've seen

1:14:55

online over the last few days is a real warmth towards

1:14:57

you from the calving people and such an appreciation

1:15:00

for what you've done over the five years.

1:15:02

Yeah, just unbelievable the well

1:15:04

wishes I've got since I stepped away. I

1:15:06

switched the phone offs Monday

1:15:09

evening for a couple of hours and when I put it back

1:15:11

on it nearly exploded but it just showed

1:15:13

you the goodwill from the calving people and a

1:15:16

lot of friends and players

1:15:18

that I've even worked with and maybe had stepped away

1:15:20

the last couple of years. I've

1:15:22

been really sending me messages and it's

1:15:25

much appreciated and as I said all you can do

1:15:28

when you're managing your own counties do your best

1:15:30

and put everything into it and I believe I've

1:15:32

done that and as I said we've had

1:15:34

some good days, I've had some bad days and

1:15:36

I always said you embrace the

1:15:38

good days while you arrive because there will be enough

1:15:41

bad days when you're in this business. 1997 Mickey

1:15:44

was hanging over calving and calving

1:15:46

fans like a bad smell for so long

1:15:48

just to get that ultra final over the line. And

1:15:52

that Covid year 2020 I mean talk to us about what that

1:15:54

meant because I know it was strange

1:15:56

and we were all having to watch it on TV and with

1:15:59

Covid there were no

1:15:59

crowds but that win over Donegal and that

1:16:02

first Ulster title for Kavan

1:16:04

in so long that must have been so special. Yeah

1:16:07

it was very special day and the year before

1:16:09

obviously Donegal beat us in the 2019 final

1:16:12

and I felt that after that game we

1:16:14

learned an awful lot about ourselves we knew where we needed

1:16:17

to get that physically Donegal and pose themselves

1:16:19

on us that day so we knew that

1:16:21

you know if we were to have any success

1:16:23

that we had to try and match these teams physically

1:16:26

so we put a lot of work into that but you

1:16:28

know going down to Armad that night we

1:16:30

firmly believed that we were going to win that

1:16:32

game and I have to say in my

1:16:35

five years there I've never seen a performance

1:16:37

like it from the lads you know to just give it everything

1:16:39

that you could possibly ask and in

1:16:42

the way that they've done it and you know

1:16:44

our backs

1:16:44

were against the wall we were down to 14 men

1:16:47

twice and you still managed

1:16:49

to eke out the result

1:16:51

and as I said while the crowd wasn't there

1:16:54

it was a special special night and I think

1:16:56

that in years to come people will always remember

1:16:58

where the world at night you know what I mean and as

1:17:01

I said it was a strange journey home coming home from

1:17:03

it sitting in the car on your own quiet

1:17:05

road but once you got to Kavan you

1:17:08

realise what you were after doing then.

1:17:10

It was a special feeling you could even see some of the bonfires

1:17:12

coming back into Kavan as well and I know as I

1:17:14

said look the celebrations weren't maybe what they what

1:17:16

they could or should have been but for Covid

1:17:18

but that reaction from the Kavan

1:17:20

people probably just highlighted showed

1:17:22

you how much football means in Kavan I

1:17:24

guess.

1:17:26

Yeah look at when we got back

1:17:28

to Kingspan briefly Park there was a Lorry there

1:17:30

trailer we got up on it and

1:17:32

we talked yeah we're out here but

1:17:34

we were five hours there and you

1:17:36

know people were driving passing their cars and

1:17:39

but it was special for the kids because

1:17:41

and people themselves that because they had been locked

1:17:43

up for so long just to get out for

1:17:46

the night it was like a day trip for them you know and

1:17:48

and the lads in fairness to them stayed

1:17:50

in that trailer until every single car had passed

1:17:52

by the town was gridlocked there for four or five

1:17:54

hours but it made a lot of kids and

1:17:57

kids day and as I said for a lot of

1:17:59

people that

1:17:59

hadn't seen Kevin winning the title as well. There

1:18:02

was a lot of people, that was the first time. So it

1:18:04

meant an awful lot and you'd be hoping that that would have

1:18:06

inspired the next generation, hopefully in the years

1:18:08

to come.

1:18:09

There was definitely a yo-yo element to the

1:18:12

Allianz League campaigns over the last couple of years like all

1:18:14

the way down to Division Four and 2022, but

1:18:17

then successive promotions. So I mean, you're leaving Kevin

1:18:20

and such a positive place in Division Two.

1:18:23

Yeah, we look at it, it would have been very easy

1:18:25

when we went down to Division Four to step

1:18:27

away and say, let somebody else pick up the pieces.

1:18:29

So I always said that the

1:18:31

main aim was to get back up and be playing at the top

1:18:34

two tiers, Division One and Two, there's

1:18:36

where you need to be. And I wouldn't

1:18:38

have been happy stepping away at that stage. So I

1:18:41

promised to myself that I would try and get back up to

1:18:43

Division Two and try and get back in into

1:18:45

Sam McGuire series. So we achieved

1:18:47

that, but the way the competition's

1:18:50

has gone now is that when I first

1:18:52

came in, it was all about getting ready for championship,

1:18:55

but now the league has nearly become the second most important

1:18:57

competition and the calendar now. So

1:19:00

after the all-round series, and I think even the prevention now

1:19:02

is pushed back into toward place.

1:19:04

You're probably the perfect man to ask about the Tatting Cup

1:19:06

and how it's worked or otherwise. Like, I guess

1:19:09

a lot of people fancy Kevin, even in the final last year against

1:19:11

Westmeath, albeit Westmeath getting over the line. And

1:19:14

then this year, I mean, you bounced back from that defeat to

1:19:16

our man, the Ulster Championship, win your group

1:19:19

games in the Tatting Cup and then come up against

1:19:21

a very strong downside, not the

1:19:23

draw you probably wanted. And

1:19:26

how do you feel the Tatting Cup has worked so far?

1:19:29

Look, it depends on what teams you

1:19:31

know by interest. If you're looking to

1:19:33

develop and improve, managers and

1:19:35

teams will definitely go after and target it. Like,

1:19:37

we would have looked at, we had a number of young lads that came

1:19:40

into the squad and it was a great opportunity

1:19:42

to expose them to this. And we felt like last

1:19:44

year's Tatting Cup, while we didn't win it, you

1:19:46

know, a couple of new lads got exposed to that

1:19:48

level and you could see the difference in them this year, you

1:19:51

know, they were more established. So,

1:19:53

you know, and then the opportunity to play in

1:19:56

the All-Iron series is up for grabs as well.

1:19:58

That can't be underestimated.

1:19:59

So there is teams that do take

1:20:02

it seriously. And then there's teams that when they get

1:20:04

knocked out of the prevention championships, some

1:20:06

of the lads have the bags packed ready for America. So

1:20:08

you know, that can be a hindrance

1:20:10

to some counties who are looking to progress.

1:20:13

But definitely I think that you look it down

1:20:15

and you look at me and you talk to either one

1:20:18

of those, then this week, they'd be more than delighted

1:20:20

to win that hatching cup.

1:20:21

We've just been talking about Derry and the progress

1:20:24

that they've made over the last five or six

1:20:26

years, true underage level, starting

1:20:28

to be reflected in the senior team as well, moving

1:20:30

up through the leagues and the Allianz league and now finding

1:20:33

themselves in an All Ireland semi-final

1:20:35

and the quality that's coming through. How difficult

1:20:37

is it for counties that are in that sort

1:20:40

of yo-yo position to make sure you

1:20:42

have the structures in place that

1:20:44

when Kevin kick on from here, when the

1:20:46

next manager comes in, that you stay in division

1:20:48

too, that you become an All Ireland team. How important

1:20:50

is it and how difficult is it to get

1:20:52

close to that real

1:20:54

maybe top six, top eight teams?

1:20:57

It is very difficult and you need the right

1:20:59

structures in place and I believe Kevin do have the

1:21:01

right structures in place. There's a lot of good work being

1:21:03

done behind the scenes there. We've

1:21:06

been very competitive in Ulster the last number of

1:21:08

years at underage, a bit not maybe

1:21:10

getting the title in

1:21:13

Ulster title at underage just to really

1:21:15

inspire lads to stick at it. But

1:21:17

yeah, look at it's important now because there's

1:21:19

so much emphasis on the league. Strengthen depth

1:21:21

in panels is huge now. You need re-strengthen

1:21:24

depth. You look at the teams now, the top teams

1:21:27

and the players

1:21:27

that they're bringing off the bench. So it's

1:21:29

become a 20-21 man game now,

1:21:32

the county setup. So it's

1:21:34

important that you have such talent in

1:21:36

reserve. You nearly need as good of players coming off

1:21:38

the bench than you do to actually start and now the way

1:21:41

it's gone. Do teams and managers

1:21:43

like yourself, Mickey, care

1:21:45

about the provincial championships anymore? Because as

1:21:47

you said, the league has almost taken on such a

1:21:50

priority and the

1:21:52

provincial championships especially when you see this

1:21:55

year for example, the league finals taking place

1:21:57

and then I think for a lot of teams you had one week straight.

1:21:59

into the championship. It almost

1:22:02

takes away from the league finals and takes away from the start of

1:22:04

the championship as well. So where

1:22:06

do you stand on the provincial as things are

1:22:08

currently?

1:22:09

Yeah, look, I suppose I'm involved in one of the

1:22:11

probably the best provincial championships in the country and

1:22:14

also on any given day anybody can beat

1:22:16

anybody, but this was probably the first year that

1:22:19

I felt that there wasn't a real

1:22:21

edge to it like there was in previous years because

1:22:23

I think a lot of the teams, the top teams were

1:22:26

looking forward or down the line, they were looking at the

1:22:29

All-Ireland series, they had put so much

1:22:31

into the league and trying to get

1:22:33

the balance right where you're

1:22:35

up for every league game, can you keep continuing

1:22:37

and get up for every championship game or

1:22:40

provincial championship game and then expect to do the same?

1:22:42

I don't think it's possible. I think you need to

1:22:44

get the balance right of knowing when to

1:22:47

try and I think what a lot of teams do is try

1:22:49

and consolidate the position in the league's force

1:22:52

and then to go into a block of hard training and

1:22:54

then, you know, don't start to sharpen the

1:22:57

blades, come down to the provincial championships and I think

1:22:59

Dublin and Kerry are two prime examples

1:23:01

of how they got it right. You know, probably didn't

1:23:03

have brilliant league campaigns, probably

1:23:05

got a couple of defeats, couple of draws, but

1:23:08

you've seen them the last day, you know, they were like

1:23:10

a team that at the time they were run properly and, you

1:23:12

know, when you have the quality that both

1:23:14

those teams have, you can see, understand how

1:23:17

they've got it right.

1:23:18

I'm sure you'll be available

1:23:21

for any calls from the next cabin manager

1:23:23

with any advice. If you were giving some

1:23:25

guidance on things you've learned this year, in particular with

1:23:27

that flow of the season and

1:23:29

the way that it has changed, what are the

1:23:31

main things you would look back on that you learned this

1:23:34

year, in particular around, you know, a good

1:23:36

league campaign, but then trying to keep that momentum

1:23:38

and fitness levels and all

1:23:40

that stuff together into the summer?

1:23:42

Yeah, look, I suppose when you look at the best sports

1:23:45

in the world, even soccer and rugby teams do,

1:23:47

especially professional teams,

1:23:49

they do dip at certain times during the season

1:23:51

because it is hard to keep that intensity

1:23:54

and that edge up all the time. So, you

1:23:56

know, I think, as I said, the world was going

1:23:59

back in again. Next year I would say let's

1:24:01

target the league early on, let's consolidate

1:24:03

a position in the league and then try and maybe

1:24:05

get a bit of work done but at the same time try and

1:24:07

get promoted. But you need to be looking,

1:24:10

if you're serious about competing in the All-Ireland

1:24:12

series, you need to be looking further down the line

1:24:14

now and maybe even bypassing also the

1:24:16

way it is gone now because you

1:24:18

look at Westmeade, they had a great

1:24:21

All-Ireland series, very unlucky not to come through

1:24:23

it. But as I said, they were knocked out at

1:24:26

the Leinster Championship and as I said,

1:24:28

I think that favoured them when they went into the

1:24:30

All-Ireland series. So definitely I'd be looking at how

1:24:32

we can get the balance right and make

1:24:35

sure that you don't peak too soon because I felt

1:24:37

after our league campaign we did have a hit

1:24:39

of a lull and I felt we were coming back but it was too

1:24:41

late then, you know.

1:24:43

What do you make of the state of the game at the moment,

1:24:45

Mickey, in terms of the rude changes I guess

1:24:47

in recent years? There's a lot of talk

1:24:49

about the attacking mark and Davey Burke was in studio with

1:24:51

us very recently, the last couple of weeks and he

1:24:54

for one is certainly not a fan of it. What

1:24:56

do you make of the attacking mark and I guess the other rude changes that have been

1:24:58

brought in?

1:24:59

Yeah, look, I'm not a fan of it myself. Back

1:25:01

in the day when I was playing and even playing with

1:25:04

some great exciting players, I

1:25:06

think the attacking mark takes away from the

1:25:08

one-on-ones now. When a lad wins an attacking

1:25:10

mark, he put his hand up and kick it where it's years

1:25:13

ago when I fell at one of that ball out in front,

1:25:15

his first thing was to take his man on and that

1:25:18

brought excitement and that brought people to the edge of

1:25:20

their seats and we don't see enough of that now. We

1:25:22

don't see enough of lads taking men on one-on-ones

1:25:25

and I think the attacking mark has nullified

1:25:27

that because many times have you seen somebody

1:25:29

win an attacking mark and he isn't a one-on-one situation.

1:25:32

We'd be love to see him taking them on and going for a goal

1:25:35

and as I said, that puts people to

1:25:37

the edge of their seats and it brings great excitement.

1:25:39

People love to see players going at men and

1:25:42

I just think that element of our game has been lost.

1:25:44

It was a reading quote from Ricey McManaman.

1:25:47

It was part of your backroom team with Kavan there in the last day or

1:25:49

two and he was talking about one thing that people didn't

1:25:51

realise about your system is the man management

1:25:54

that you would have brought to that Kavan set up and how the players

1:25:56

kind of bought into everything you were

1:25:58

doing. You look at that Kavan team and look at the team. of the

1:26:00

names in front of me here like Girog

1:26:02

McKeernan, Kean Mackey, Martin Riley,

1:26:05

Martin Dunn, players that have been around for so long.

1:26:08

And this is the human element too, I suppose, Mickey, as well. You've

1:26:10

been in the dressing room with these players for the last five years. I'm

1:26:12

sure you're going to miss just the camaraderie

1:26:15

and the small things, even aside from the football.

1:26:18

Oh, without a doubt, that is the biggest thing

1:26:20

I miss. I treated every single player the

1:26:23

same in there. I had so much respect

1:26:25

because of the time and dedication these boys and

1:26:28

the sacrifice they make towards Calvin

1:26:30

football. A lot of people outside wouldn't see

1:26:32

that. But yeah, look, as I said, I would

1:26:34

have worked with a lot of these lads at underage level where

1:26:37

they've seen them develop the whole way through from under 16 right

1:26:39

up to senior level and seen the footballers they've

1:26:41

become. It's something that I will miss.

1:26:44

As I said, I wouldn't have a bad word to say, but I need

1:26:46

them. Great lads to work with and it was an honor

1:26:48

just to be sharing the same changing

1:26:50

rooms with all these boys. And hopefully now, as

1:26:53

a supporter, I can go and cheer them on and see them

1:26:55

continuing their upward curve.

1:26:58

Inter-County Management Management in general

1:27:01

often seems to be out of an addiction amongst people. I think it

1:27:03

was 2018 was the first time you were on with us when you had the success

1:27:05

with Mullen Okta and you went slightly

1:27:07

over the border that time with Mullen Okta.

1:27:10

Do you want to stay in the game? When

1:27:13

you've had a little bit of a break, would you be interested? Would

1:27:15

you manage outside a cabin again?

1:27:17

I definitely think I'd manage it.

1:27:20

It's an addiction. I love

1:27:22

football. I love being involved. I love getting

1:27:24

rolling up the sleeves and getting the hands dirty.

1:27:27

Yes, it's great to see

1:27:29

you need a break and recharge, but I'm

1:27:31

always looking to learn. You're always looking to pick up new

1:27:34

things. I think I definitely would go around

1:27:36

and have a look at other sports, maybe other

1:27:39

counties or whatever they're doing and try

1:27:41

and keep learning and keep

1:27:43

improving my knowledge of the game because you never stop

1:27:45

learning. Every day is a school day. So, yeah,

1:27:48

look at it. I think if I walked away from it, you

1:27:51

could fall behind in the way the game is going because the

1:27:53

game is evolving every year and you

1:27:55

just want to stay up to speed. So, never say never,

1:27:57

I suppose. Finally, Mickey, how do you see the...

1:27:59

the remainder of this year's All-Ireland Championship

1:28:02

going. We've got the two semi-finals as we go. We've got the

1:28:04

top in the Cup final as well, but Dublin

1:28:07

and Kerry, two trains that are hard to stop

1:28:09

at the moment.

1:28:10

Yeah, definitely. Look, I suppose

1:28:12

the one thing about Monaghan is you have to

1:28:14

give them great credit for, you know, keep sticking

1:28:16

at it and, you know, getting to an All-Ireland semi-final.

1:28:19

And I know for a fact that when Dublin are

1:28:21

looking for challenge matches, Monaghan is nearly the first

1:28:23

team to go to because they know they're going to get a hard,

1:28:26

hard battle and they're going to be asked lots of questions.

1:28:28

So, and Monaghan would be very familiar with Dublin.

1:28:30

So they'll hold no fear. Have they got

1:28:32

enough to beat them? I just think

1:28:35

they might just fall short, but, you know, you

1:28:37

never know. Football's a strange game, one big performance,

1:28:39

you know,

1:28:40

and you never know what will happen. The other game,

1:28:43

I think it'll be close. I think,

1:28:45

you know, coming down the home stretch, 60, 65 minutes,

1:28:47

don't be surprised this game is only 9, 8 or 10

1:28:50

at 10 all because I think the

1:28:53

Derry will look to bring it to an arm wrestle. They will look

1:28:55

to keep it tight and the longer that game

1:28:57

stays tight, the more pressure piles and Derry

1:29:00

will carry. So if Derry can

1:29:02

keep that game tight for as long as possible,

1:29:04

the pressure starts to build and carry again and

1:29:06

that's where the mistakes come in. And if

1:29:08

Derry managed to get the noses in front with a few

1:29:10

minutes to go, that could be very hard to turn over. So I think

1:29:12

that game could actually be quite close. Mickey,

1:29:15

great stuff. We've got a lovely messaging from Ronan Hurrican

1:29:17

who says, thanks so much for a great few years. Mickey,

1:29:19

the joy you and the team brought to Kevin supporters in that bleak

1:29:21

winter of 2020 after a very tough

1:29:23

Ulster Championship draw will never be forgotten. So I

1:29:26

think that's the sentiment generally speaking that we're getting

1:29:28

into the show this morning. So congrats on the five seasons with Kevin

1:29:31

and luck. We'll look forward to seeing what you're, what you get

1:29:33

up to next. No problem. It's always

1:29:35

a pleasure. Thank you very much. Great stuff. Mickey Graham

1:29:37

there, the outgoing Kevin Senior Football Manager

1:29:39

joining us on OTPM. The sports break is showing off the

1:29:41

ball from this Wednesday

1:29:44

morning at 9 a.m. with myself and Nathan. Here are some highlights

1:29:46

coming up on the OTP podcast network for you today. We've got

1:29:48

the boxer, Michaela Walsh. We've got

1:29:50

the news round and Ruby Daly as well. After the break,

1:29:53

we will have Keith Wood joining myself

1:29:55

and Nathan during the Addsto clip from the latest

1:29:57

episode of the football pot where James, Patti

1:29:59

and Tom I'd added three things Monaghan

1:30:01

need to do to start a chance against the dubs. The

1:30:04

football part is in partnership with AIB

1:30:06

proud sponsors of the football hurling and kamogie

1:30:08

all-out in club championships. Check out hashtag the

1:30:10

toughest for more back in a sec.

1:30:12

The

1:30:15

sports breakfast show from off

1:30:17

the ball. Yeah 904

1:30:20

a.m. on Wednesday mornings OTB and the sports breakfast show

1:30:22

from off the ball with myself and Nathan. Glad to say we have

1:30:24

Keith Wood joining us on the line now this morning. Morning

1:30:26

Keith. Morning

1:30:27

gents, how are you? Keep in well, keep in well. Thanks

1:30:30

for hopping on. We decided to do something a little bit different

1:30:32

and pick or get you to pick rather five tries

1:30:36

For moments at which you are on the pitch

1:30:38

so they don't have to be your tries They can be someone else's tries. You just

1:30:40

had to be on the pitch. We picked five his own didn't

1:30:43

they? Come on five your own five his own.

1:30:45

Sorry lads total narcissist

1:30:47

had to pick on my own. Yeah Yeah, well you

1:30:49

could have picked five brilliant ones of your own to be fair But

1:30:52

you haven't gone that direction. We'll get into them in just a second

1:30:54

Have you been following the the other 20s World Championship

1:30:56

Keith? It's been it's been going very well so far

1:30:58

and a brilliant final to afford it.

1:31:01

It's been extraordinary really and I think

1:31:03

with With the backdrop

1:31:06

of of the terrible tragedy of

1:31:08

Greg Oliver How

1:31:11

they can turn up onto the field at all. It's been

1:31:13

quite extraordinary. So But

1:31:16

if you even if you put that aside just a

1:31:18

manner in which they're playing has been impressive

1:31:21

not everything has gone well I

1:31:23

have to say I love watching 20s Roby because

1:31:26

It's not over coached. There's a good

1:31:29

coaching and but the players are very natural

1:31:33

They haven't been through a system for a long period of time

1:31:35

and not everybody is analyzed to

1:31:37

the health hilt and

1:31:41

Mistakes happen and it's how these young

1:31:44

fellows and they're very young men how they react

1:31:46

to those mistakes It's been it's

1:31:48

been quite extraordinary. So not everything's gone their

1:31:50

way and and they're known a final.

1:31:53

I mean it's it's They

1:31:55

look really impressive. They've got some

1:31:57

fantastic players what they're playing with a great

1:31:59

team

1:31:59

spirit,

1:32:01

it's kind of a joy to watch. As

1:32:04

an Irish nation I think we're quite reticent

1:32:07

to join hype trains and to really

1:32:09

get on board them. We've seen it in the football with Evan

1:32:12

Ferguson for example but the likes of Brian

1:32:14

Gleeson. I mean we're all

1:32:16

getting pretty excited about him and I think rightly so.

1:32:18

I

1:32:19

look I think the

1:32:21

standout like

1:32:24

he didn't get picked in the first game I don't know whether he's injured

1:32:26

or not injured but he's been for

1:32:29

nearly every match I've watched him it's between himself

1:32:32

Ru and Quinn and Prendergast

1:32:35

for man of the match I mean between the three

1:32:37

of them they're sharing the spoils all the time but

1:32:40

Gleeson looks

1:32:42

fully formed he looks ready for the big stage

1:32:45

he's consistently playing

1:32:47

well carrying well he runs cracking

1:32:49

lines

1:32:52

every time there's a big moment needed any

1:32:55

of the three of those seem to be the ones that come up trumps

1:32:57

and Gleeson has been the pick of the bunch.

1:33:00

Yeah really looking forward to that final on Friday

1:33:02

with plenty more build up to that one in advance

1:33:04

against against the French. Your five

1:33:07

best tries in which you were involved

1:33:09

you had to be involved in the games Keith we'll go

1:33:11

in order I guess of when these tries happened to the first

1:33:14

is 1994 the blonde locks

1:33:16

of Simon Gagan against England.

1:33:18

Yeah look it's funny I've typical

1:33:21

of me I've kind of changed exactly

1:33:23

what your parameters were. I just went for five

1:33:25

that I could remember quite comfortably and

1:33:28

also not ones that like

1:33:30

some of these are remembered of course they are but not

1:33:33

some of the the typical ones you'd have

1:33:35

because

1:33:36

there's Brian Adresco you could have him for

1:33:38

about 15 different ones and I actually put him

1:33:40

in for one because it's one of my

1:33:42

favorite tries of all time which was in

1:33:45

the 2009

1:33:48

Grand Slam game against England and

1:33:51

it was a pick and go from Adresco

1:33:54

but it was it's one of my favorite tries because he

1:33:57

was the guy that had to go and do it and then I remember

1:33:59

that was

1:33:59

wasn't actually involved in that game. I was watching from

1:34:02

the stand, so that was of no value to me at all.

1:34:04

So that kind of upset me a little because

1:34:06

it is one of my favourite tries. But I

1:34:08

was in the stand for this one too. I was on the bench

1:34:10

in 1994 when Gagan and

1:34:16

I just think we missed so much from Simon

1:34:18

Gagan and of

1:34:21

all innocuous sounding things, he

1:34:23

retired in 1997 with a

1:34:25

bad toe injury and it just

1:34:27

seems a total shame. We didn't

1:34:29

get

1:34:29

to see him. We saw him

1:34:32

at his best because he was extraordinary. He was an

1:34:34

incredibly erratic and

1:34:36

dangerous runner with the blonde flowing locks

1:34:38

as you say. But that try was an

1:34:40

amazing one. I was sitting with Kenna Connell in the

1:34:42

stand. I can remember it as clearly as

1:34:45

day I'd Kenna Connell on one side and Gary

1:34:47

Halpin on the other. We

1:34:51

rarely scored from set

1:34:54

piece. If I remember rightly, it was either a scrummer

1:34:56

line out on the other side of the field.

1:34:59

But all the players just maybe

1:35:03

just kick off or something. I can't remember

1:35:05

exactly what it was. But when

1:35:08

you're looking through all the names, it was Bradley and

1:35:11

Philip Gannar Conner O'Shea were playing. There's

1:35:13

an awful lot of guys there that coached

1:35:16

over the years afterwards.

1:35:20

Richard Wallace came in from

1:35:23

the right wing to become the extra man to

1:35:25

pass it to Gagan and still 15 yards

1:35:28

or whatever. Ireland had beaten England in 93 and

1:35:30

it was totally against the odds.

1:35:32

This was the opportunity for revenge for

1:35:35

England. That's why it sticks out so much.

1:35:37

Gagan gets it, holds the ball in his wrong hand,

1:35:40

which I do remember as keenly as anything.

1:35:42

Hold it in his right hand running down to the left

1:35:45

touch line and still shimmied his way into

1:35:47

the corner. Every

1:35:49

time he played, he set the world alight.

1:35:52

I was what, probably 12

1:35:54

around that time? And I most definitely did

1:35:57

not grow up in rugby country. But something

1:35:59

about that day all.

1:35:59

stands out and I think it was Simon Geggens,

1:36:02

flowing blonde locks. The fact

1:36:04

I think it was the first time in six years England had been

1:36:06

beaten and also the sense that this was

1:36:08

an otherworldly try. That this was something

1:36:10

that we just heard about that the all blacks did. It was the

1:36:12

quality of it as well from

1:36:14

Geggen. It felt at a

1:36:17

difficult time in maybe

1:36:19

Irish rugby life as a real seminal moment.

1:36:22

It was, I mean it's funny,

1:36:24

it's interesting. It was, was it

1:36:26

seminal or not or did it paper over

1:36:28

the cracks?

1:36:30

93 and Mick Galway had scored in 93

1:36:32

to beat England at

1:36:36

in Lansdowne

1:36:38