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Mick points the way
 By
David Thorpe
London football is at a crossroads as the County Board starts the search
for a new football manager and it has become clear that it will take the
appointment of someone of the stature of Mick O’Dwyer to ensure
success for the Inter-county side in the capital.
While it is extremely un-likely a manager of the pro-wess of O’Dwyer
would come to London, the Waterville maestro’s efforts in taking
Wicklow to the Murphy Cup final in Croke Park this year has shown the
impact that a high-profile manager can have on a county.
While there would be massive financial implications for London GAA in
appointing an Irish-based manager, radical ideas are needed if the county
side is to reach headier heights and challenge for silverware.
As speculation increases as to the likely candidates for the vacant football
and hurling jobs it becomes clear that there are few eligible and interested
candidates with the right experience from within the county.
Perhaps the time has come for the London County Board to turn their attentions
to Ireland as they hunt for new Inter-county managers.
Most in London GAA and the Irish community will scoff at the idea of paying
someone to travel from Ireland to take charge of the London footballers
but if a high-profile candidate were to emerge as being interested in
the job surely the community could unite in making it possible.
The boost to the GAA in London in terms of media exposure and interest
among the underage players who are the future of Gaelic Games in this
country could make the investment money well spent.
Sceptics will say that the level at which the London football team operate
cannot justify the expense of re-cruiting a high-profile manager from
Ireland.
However the impact which O’Dwyer has had on Wicklow football shows
what a top-class manager can do in a county with even the most meagre
of resources.
The Garden County have emerged from the football wilderness and their
appearance in Croke Park for the Tommy Murphy Cup final against Antrim
will be their third visit to GAA headquarters this year.
The League win against Carlow showed what London footballers can achieve.
At such a pivotal time in the history of the county senior football side
one wrong move could revert them back to the status of whipping boys but
with a little imagination and a lot of effort London could be making their
own headlines in the years to come. |
