From the Irish News...
CAVAN assistant manager Paul Grimley last night slammed some TV punditry as being "sarcastic" and "smart-ass" following their drawn Ulster Championship match with Down on Sunday.
Grimley was angered by some comments that were made about a few of the Cavan players during RTE's live transmission that, he claimed, were "bordering on personalised attacks".
The Pearse Og clubman argued that some pundits were trying to be controversial and funny instead of offering viewers mature analysis.
"I think some pundits' views are bordering on personalised attacks," blasted Grimley. "These smart-ass remarks are being made on national television and they are mocking amateur players.
"There are figures out there who are trying to emulate other pundits of the past where they think they need to be controversial and funny."
Grimley declined to mention the Cavan players whom, he claimed, were on the receiving end of the "sarcastic" punditry.
"There is no regard shown whatsoever for these players who have to go to work in the morning and face potential ridicule after something was said on television about them. Most people have no problem with criticism and players and managers will often get criticised, it's part of the job, but it has to make sense, it has to be constructive and it needs a context. Some pundits need to seriously look at themselves," Grimley added.
"They are all intelligent people and they must realise that their words carry great responsibility. They need to cut out the sarcasm and the jokes and give mature analysis to people watching their programmes. It's okay if a guest speaker at a dinner makes a few jokes because there is only a couple of hundred people there, but this is national TV."
Grimley believed that some GAA personalities were trying to copy soccer's controversial analyst Eamon Dunphy, but added: "The difference with Dunphy is that he's talking about professionals. In saying that, you wouldn't hear soccer's Alan Hansen or Alan Shearer belittling their fellow professionals."
Grimley, of course, has been in the unenviable position before of having to deal with disparaging comments that were made by Pat Spillane about the Armagh footballers.
Asked how Armagh dealt with Spillane's antagonistic comments five years ago, Grimley revealed:
"The Armagh players found Spillane's criticisms very hard at the start and it was the topic of
conversation on a number of occasions. I suppose the way the Armagh players dealt with it was to win an All-Ireland. But you have to address it with players. You have to deal with each situation in a sensitive way."
Grimley maintained that the sharp criticism would only strengthen the Cavan players' resolve when they meet Down in Newry next Sunday.
"The commitment the Cavan players have shown over the last six months has been unbelievable," he said. "Sunday's match was a little bit strange for me because in my days with Armagh we never had home advantage as such. And that brings an added pressure of its own, which I think Down may feel at the weekend."
CAVAN assistant manager Paul Grimley last night slammed some TV punditry as being "sarcastic" and "smart-ass" following their drawn Ulster Championship match with Down on Sunday.
Grimley was angered by some comments that were made about a few of the Cavan players during RTE's live transmission that, he claimed, were "bordering on personalised attacks".
The Pearse Og clubman argued that some pundits were trying to be controversial and funny instead of offering viewers mature analysis.
"I think some pundits' views are bordering on personalised attacks," blasted Grimley. "These smart-ass remarks are being made on national television and they are mocking amateur players.
"There are figures out there who are trying to emulate other pundits of the past where they think they need to be controversial and funny."
Grimley declined to mention the Cavan players whom, he claimed, were on the receiving end of the "sarcastic" punditry.
"There is no regard shown whatsoever for these players who have to go to work in the morning and face potential ridicule after something was said on television about them. Most people have no problem with criticism and players and managers will often get criticised, it's part of the job, but it has to make sense, it has to be constructive and it needs a context. Some pundits need to seriously look at themselves," Grimley added.
"They are all intelligent people and they must realise that their words carry great responsibility. They need to cut out the sarcasm and the jokes and give mature analysis to people watching their programmes. It's okay if a guest speaker at a dinner makes a few jokes because there is only a couple of hundred people there, but this is national TV."
Grimley believed that some GAA personalities were trying to copy soccer's controversial analyst Eamon Dunphy, but added: "The difference with Dunphy is that he's talking about professionals. In saying that, you wouldn't hear soccer's Alan Hansen or Alan Shearer belittling their fellow professionals."
Grimley, of course, has been in the unenviable position before of having to deal with disparaging comments that were made by Pat Spillane about the Armagh footballers.
Asked how Armagh dealt with Spillane's antagonistic comments five years ago, Grimley revealed:
"The Armagh players found Spillane's criticisms very hard at the start and it was the topic of
conversation on a number of occasions. I suppose the way the Armagh players dealt with it was to win an All-Ireland. But you have to address it with players. You have to deal with each situation in a sensitive way."
Grimley maintained that the sharp criticism would only strengthen the Cavan players' resolve when they meet Down in Newry next Sunday.
"The commitment the Cavan players have shown over the last six months has been unbelievable," he said. "Sunday's match was a little bit strange for me because in my days with Armagh we never had home advantage as such. And that brings an added pressure of its own, which I think Down may feel at the weekend."
