Jim Gavin - The Greatest Manager in GAA history

[Solo_run]

Think this deserves a thread on its own.

Five years without a championship loss is some record.

[Solo_run]

How does that compare to Jim GAVIN??

Blaming autocorrect for that

[under the bar]

Think this deserves a thread on its own.

Five years without a championship loss is some record.

It's a great record however I expect no-one here would disagree he could not have won 5 in row with any other county.  The question then becomes could he win even a single all-Ireland with Kildare, Mayo, Cork etc? Probably not, many will say but if JG wants the greatest manager ever title he needs to go and win Sam with at v least one other county. Doing that with Mayo would give him true cult status.

On that basis the thread may be better named "JG - 5IAR manager of Gaelic footballs first semi-professional team"

[didlyi]

So he won 5 in a row and thats a first for sure. Kilkenny won 1 then 2 in a row, 4 in a row then another 2 and another 2 and Cody is still there. If here is any argument to be won then Gavin would probably win it.

[under the bar]

So he won 5 in a row and thats a first for sure. Kilkenny won 1 then 2 in a row, 4 in a row then another 2 and another 2 and Cody is still there. If here is any argument to be won then Gavin would probably win it.

Cody could go to any of the one of the other top 5 hurling counties and likely win an AI in a few years. Same cannot be said of Gavin.

[armaghniac]

So he won 5 in a row and thats a first for sure. Kilkenny won 1 then 2 in a row, 4 in a row then another 2 and another 2 and Cody is still there. If here is any argument to be won then Gavin would probably win it.

Cody could go to any of the one of the other top 5 hurling counties and likely win an AI in a few years. Same cannot be said of Gavin.

Is that a criticism of Gavin or the unbalanced nature of football rather than hurling?

[thebuzz]

Gavin will be happy to be the greatest manager Dublin have ever had. I'd say that'll be enough for him. If he takes a drink he'll never get to buy another one in his life.

[under the bar]

So he won 5 in a row and thats a first for sure. Kilkenny won 1 then 2 in a row, 4 in a row then another 2 and another 2 and Cody is still there. If here is any argument to be won then Gavin would probably win it.

Cody could go to any of the one of the other top 5 hurling counties and likely win an AI in a few years. Same cannot be said of Gavin.

Is that a criticism of Gavin or the unbalanced nature of football rather than hurling?

It's not a criticism of Gavin, however privileged, contrived and grotesque financial imbalance in Dublin coupled with the insurmountable population imbalace means that a perfectionist like Gavin would be more likely to win an AI by managing Dublin hurlers than another footballing county.

[Wildweasel74]

Mick O, Dwyer seen All-Ireland final day 19 times, be a long team before I see any manager bring to the game what he has. Jim Gavin good but way behind the man above and Cody

[Silkyskillssunshinee]

Gavin is good alright no doubting that. However, you have to take into account the animal that is Dublin GAA and what he has at his disposal. It's a professional organisation against amateur ones.

I think the GAA is in a bad place for the next few years. Something needs to change and quick.

[armaghniac]

They should put Cody in charge of Dublin hurlers and Gavin in charge of Kilkenny footballers and see which one wins.

[BarryBreensBandage]

Yeah I think he is up there with the greats.

His job is like no other in gaelic management, past or present, if you take into account the money, players at his disposal, keeping near professional players happy, keeping the production line going (latest example, Murchan), and what is expected from the largest county population in the country.

Looking at the scenes after the match, there was a gra there between him and the players that would suggest great respect between the two.

For me, it is all about the manager in any team. A bit like an intellectual teacher with a class full of pupils, you could have the best manager in the country looking after a team of good players, but if the team don't get or buy in to what the manager and his team are trying to do, and both will gain nothing out of it.

I don't think anyone will ever hear the goings-on, fall-outs etc. that have happened in that Dublin team over the past few years, which were bound to have happened.
And by looking at the likes of Bernard Brogan celebrating as much as the next man tonight, it doesn't seem to affect the squad either - they have got their 5 in a row.

And that has to be down to Gavin and his management team.

I would be interested to hear the esteem that BrokenCrossbar and the Crossmaglen lads hold Joe Kernan in, because they were exactly the same in being serial winners.

[under the bar]

Yeah I think he is up there with the greats.

His job is like no other in gaelic management, past or present, if you take into account the money, players at his disposal, keeping near professional players happy, keeping the production line going (latest example, Murchan), and what is expected from the largest county population in the country.

Looking at the scenes after the match, there was a gra there between him and the players that would suggest great respect between the two.

For me, it is all about the manager in any team. A bit like an intellectual teacher with a class full of pupils, you could have the best manager in the country looking after a team of good players, but if the team don't get or buy in to what the manager and his team are trying to do, and both will gain nothing out of it.

I don't think anyone will ever hear the goings-on, fall-outs etc. that have happened in that Dublin team over the past few years, which were bound to have happened.
And by looking at the likes of Bernard Brogan celebrating as much as the next man tonight, it doesn't seem to affect the squad either - they have got their 5 in a row.

And that has to be down to Gavin and his management team.

I would be interested to hear the esteem that BrokenCrossbar and the Crossmaglen lads hold Joe Kernan in, because they were exactly the same in being serial winners.

Exactly the opposite more like. Cross won their AIs in the face of adversity. Gavin won his with the benefit of financial support most professional teams never see.

Gavin might be a good manager but there's little doubt Mickey Harte or Joe Kernan could easily have equalled or even bettered his record given the chance. Not sure Gavin would have won 3 X AIs with Tyrone tho!

[Gmac]

When Jim can go to Laois and Kildare and win a Leinster I will give him the nod.

[Hound]

I don't think it's a criticism of Gavin. His point just tells us that it's hard to know how good you are when you manage a team streets ahead of everyone.
I thought bringing Connolly back was poor. He wasn't near the level as far as I could see while other lads who have been there all year never got a sniff of action.
He can get away with these things where others wouldn't.

Having said that, while they keep winning, you can't fault him.

The reason Connolly was brought back was a lack of depth at half forward. We've loads of lads who can play in the FF line, but very little at half forward and midfield. Subs breakdown yesterday was 1 mid, 1 HF, 5 FF.