SO MANY THINGS about the last decade of Armagh football has been remarkable. But they have also coincided with a period in which the discourse around GAA management has plunged into the toilet, social media ramming it further down to the U-bend.
In all that time, Kieran McGeeney has been a handy target for some.
Most of all journalists would have had a go at explaining how he managed to retain his job without the sight of silverware. The ten year stay has been unprecedented in the modern coaching age. Nuances have not always been appreciated.
Other times, he’s been a handy target for those that have not tested themselves in management. Urban myths have sprung up like weeds about the training load of the Armagh panel and occasional coups that had to be quelled.
In his moment of triumph, McGeeney could have launched into a classic Golden Cleric Speech and few would have begrudged him the chance, speaking from his position of authority. But he opted for the same consistent message he has delivered for years now; “The people that know very little seem to make a lot of noise.”
When he comes in to speak to the press, he wore a picture of contentment that he has barely shown the footballing world since those heady days of late September, 2002.
The first question to an All Ireland manager is always the same first question.
How does it feel?
“To be honest, I’m just delighted for these boys,” said McGeeney, gesturing to Tiernan Kelly on his right, and Oisin O’Neill on his left, but also meaning all of the 42 players that have been part of this effort.
“Back when we were playing, we got a couple of carrots to keep us going. Ulster championships…
“We had a couple of knockbacks, but these fellas have got knockback after knockback after knockback, and they just keep coming. Penalty shootouts, everybody telling them they can’t win tight games, can’t beat teams above them … (pause) … gave them a perfect answer.
“All-Ireland champions 2024. Delighted for them, absolutely over the moon. I couldn’t be any happier for them now, a great bunch of fellas. But to do what they’ve done over the last four or five years has been outstanding, to come back and win that one today.”
McGeeney joins the illustrious company of Kevin Heffernan, Tony Hanahoe, Billy Morgan, Páidí ÓSé and Brian Dooher as men who captained their county to an All Ireland, before coming back to win one as manager.
As the ultimate competitor, how do the two disciplines compare?
“Listen, when you play, you actually have an influence on it. You don’t when you don’t cross the white line. All the stuff is done before.
“I probably wasn’t such a happy fella back then! So I probably feel happier now!
“No, I’m going to enjoy this one, I’m going to enjoy this week. I really am. I’m over the moon for these fellas, I hope they have a ball this week, because the county’s gone mad and I’ve been trying to keep them away from it. So, I’ll let them loose on it this week.”
What amazes the casual fan is the sheer length of time McGeeney has given to this gig. There’s a lot of looking over your shoulder to see who is nibbling on your bottom in ten years.
“I suppose time is a commodity not afforded to most people these days, and I’m lucky with these lads here. I’d ask them every year – or every week – whether they still wanted me about. They tell me a few different things!” he laughs.
“But in the whole, they did. And once Armagh wanted me about, that was an easy choice. I know what it takes in a small county and a small club to try and win something. It takes a while; it takes a lot of people.”
And what does it mean to Armagh? How hard indeed, is it for a small county (of which Armagh certainly are one) to do it?
“It took us 120 years to win the first one. It is difficult. It is not that you don’t have the players and it is not that you can’t, but the structures in the past have definitely been weighed against it,” McGeeney said.
“It is not a level playing field by any stretch of the imagination. Even finances and all that stuff, you are trying to bring things and change things in the background and bring structures in, you are trying to get clubs behind you, but it takes so many moving wheels that some of the bigger counties probably don’t understand that they even have a cultural thing in terms of winning.
“All of those things take time to implement. It is Armagh’s responsibility now to see if they can do this because there are another four or five teams that would easily feel if they play Armagh tomorrow they’d beat them. It is up to these fells to want to improve and stay at the top and go on and try and win another one.”
Three players predated McGeeney; captain Aidan Forker, Rory Grugan and Stefan Campbell. They ended up being his most trusted and vocal supporters.
It was vital to keep old hands on like that. Even a Stephen Sheridan who ran his race, stepped into the backroom team.
McGeeney admits that the three veterans have taken some harsh words from him, but found they were always willing to strap the yoke to their backs.
“That is how counties like ours work. You get waves of players and you are trying to keep those older players.”
And just like that, he expresses his wish that they might stay on for another year or two. Year 11 begins.
