Irish Independent - GAA Articles

He's dead right that back to back wins aren't easy.

Don't think anyone is saying otherwise.

We shall see

Sweeney has gone for Kerry . He may be right but the rationale that leads him in that direction is appalling . Contextualising every Dublin achievement and looking broadly at everything else.

http://m.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-g…e-34715519.html

I'd love to know where Kerry are hiding all these players that are going to win them Sam. On the League showing they need at least 4/5.

You would have to believe that we are the best placed panel to do it for a long time when you consider our experiences in 2012/2014 . The loss of Rory in particular is a drawback but sometimes these things refocus and galvanise the remaining players.

http://m.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-g…s-34740875.html

'If I started now, I don't think I'd make it - smaller guys are going to struggle'

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-g…e-34754933.html

Think al is going to be a regular columnist with the sindo , wonders will never cease ,a dub writing for the kerryman😂😂

His Ma is a Kerry woman ...

Good Article seems a top bloke.

Wonder where Kimmage got his doping allegation from?

I find it interesting Brogan's comment about him possibly not making it now due to size, if you compare photos of him as a 21 with a photo of the current crop. He might be right.

It is a valid point. Good example with Gooch. the power of some players now if your not doing your gym work it will be difficult to put a stamp on games. I have seen a few minor games this year Div 1. Every club is buying into it. you can see the difference in the players who are embracing it and who aren't.

They might not be as skillfull but bigger players are having more of an impact now with there power and pace. Full of running of the ball and putting in huge hits.

Is it really all that different to 10 years ago? I recall the Dublin team under Pillar were initially all about pace but couldn't match Tyrone, Armagh or Kerry for power/physicality. After 2005, especially by 2007, they had 'bulked up' alot. By 2008 they looked to be very physical. Interestingly, it was at that stage we got blown away by Tyrone (and then Kerry), where before we were very competitive.

Did Tyrone & Kerry move back more to pace? Or were they ahead/better with their conditioning? Most people still see Dublin as being more about pace than power but maybe that was recently and we have sacrificed some of the pace for more power? Certainly quite a few of the lads have physically 'filled out' since 2011, perhaps thats just a natural process with age, and/or the fact they only started the really serious conditioning when they came into the senior team (McCarthy 2011?, Jack 2013, CK 2012, and so on)

Its all about pace and power. Pace is the minimum requirement.

Bulk is no use without the power. As Alan said to a lot of agility and flexibly stuff will be added to each players programme.

A few years ago it was all about Stamina and bulk. Most teams training now any running they do with out the ball is all interval runs and timed.

Don't mean to be unkind Al but I've read that twice and I don't know what you are on about.

Fact is the emphasis has changed hugely in the last 10 years, and possibly moving back to a similar physique as back then but with different attributes/ expectations. The point Brogan makes is valid though, he uses Costello as an example and you could also use McHugh too - both have the ability but, McHugh especially, look like kids lining out against some of the players these days.

The idea that a Brogan could get overlooked in a climate like this is down to the calibre of coach and manager, as with all things - like ill-equipped teams playing the blanket for example - you will have some who cannot see beyond the latest spreadsheet phenomenon.

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Don't mean to be unkind Al but I've read that twice and I don't know what you are on about.

Fact is the emphasis has changed hugely in the last 10 years, and possibly moving back to a similar physique as back then but with different attributes/ expectations. The point Brogan makes is valid though, he uses Costello as an example and you could also use McHugh too - both have the ability but, McHugh especially, look like kids lining out against some of the players these days.

The idea that a Brogan could get overlooked in a climate like this is down to the calibre of coach and manager, as with all things - like ill-equipped teams playing the blanket for example - you will have some who cannot see beyond the latest spreadsheet phenomenon.

Well keep trying. South Dub answered it very much on point. So you're saying you're cluless Vs a SSider?

https://www.reservoirdubs.com/t/irish-indepe…es/27/16?u=wifi

I have always thought that team were the wrong shape physically. I suspect Tyrone are in that bracket also now and Kildare were heading there under McGeeny. So I just think it was a matter of approach, Dublin were doing the wrong things. Maybe every team was heading in the wrong direction, but Dublin just got there faster.

For all the talk of money etc in Dublin, for me, the biggest single thing that differentiates Dublin at the moment is their athleticism, and that is mainly a matter of how people are trained. I remember bringing it up on the old forum that every other county has an S&C trainer whereas Dublin have an Athletics trainer (It led to the mother and all of people going down the wrong road, but the main point is still valid).

But that article has two things in it that could come back in the future and has possibly started already somewhere on some mad forums - a) the thing about Kimmage saying he received a call saying Dublin were blood doping and b) Alan saying he was never tested. Both are normal enough statements within the context of that interview, but take them out of it, and they are not. For example, the thing about Kimmage receiving call about Dublin blood doping, becomes with a very slight change in emphasis - 'Kimmage has it on good authority that Dublin are blood doping'.

Kimmage is somewhere between slightly and very mad, mainly in a good way - but he has to be handled with extreme care.

Last point - what is it with people queuing up to do stuff for the Independent? It is a hideous paper and always has been. It's ethos, which is basically pro loyalist / pro Unionist, is miles away from the ethos of the GAA and no self respecting GAA person should ever think of taking their money.