John Mullane retires.

Started by All of a Sludden, January 17, 2013, 08:31:24 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

All of a Sludden

Mullane has hung up the boots. One of the most committed hurlers I ever had the pleasure of watching and as hard as nails. Probably the greatest hurler of the modern era not to win an All Ireland. Enjoy the retirement John.
I'm gonna show you as gently as I can how much you don't know.

theticklemister

ah feck John!!! I was looking forward for ye to give it wan last lash this year.

What a hurler; without a doubt the best hurler not to win an all-ireland in the modern game.

There was a man who gave it all when he took to the field of play. He lived and breathed Waterford hurling; boys like that are hard to come by. The Summer will not be the same this year without seeing his red face, over-the-shoulder-points and his two fists pumping the Waterford supporters into a frenzy.

That is really sad news.

Feck I loved this man.

ApresMatch

One of my favourite players of all time. Have to say I preferred him without the helmet for some reason. The way he would shoot over his shoulder making it so difficult to get a block was something he was particularly good at. Cant imagine a Waterford team without Mullane!

theticklemister

Waterford star John Mullane has announced his retirement from inter-county hurling.

The De La Salle clubman burst on to the inter-county scene with the Déise in 2001 and became a permanent fixture on the team.

Mullane was a mainstay in Waterford teams that mopped up four Munster SHC titles (2002, 2004, 2007, 2010) and a National Hurling League title (2007). However, All-Ireland glory was to elude the fiery forward and a final appearance in 2008 resulted in a drubbing at the hands of a Kilkenny side operating at the peak its powers.

The 31-year-old's individual exploits resulted in him scooping a total of five All Stars, the first coming in 2003, with others earned in a four-year spell from 2009-2012.

    "The sense of genuine pride I got from wearing the Waterford jersey and representing the county I love will live with me forever" -      John Mullane

A statement released via the Gaelic Players Association read: "I wish to announce my retirement from inter-county hurling.

"After months of deliberation I feel the time is right to bring the curtain down on my inter-county career.

"The sense of genuine pride I got from wearing the Waterford jersey and representing the county I love will live with me forever.

"Throughout those 13 years I was fortunate enough to play with some great players. I would like to thank all the players sincerely for their support, and more importantly, their friendship.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to extend a big thank you to my coaches, managers, medical and backroom team and all of the friends I have made throughout my career on and off the field.

"Gerald McCarthy, Justin McCarthy, Davy Fitzgerald and Michael Ryan all contributed greatly to my career and I benefitted immensely from all of them.

"My relationship with the Waterford supporters has always been a very special one and I sincerely thank them for their support in both good and bad times.

"I would like to pay tribute to my club De La Salle for providing me with the necessary solid foundations and guidance to allow me to compete at the highest level and I look forward to the new challenges that lie ahead.

"In conclusion, I wish to thank my family and my wife Stephanie for their loyalty and support over the years.

"I look forward to supporting Waterford for the years ahead and would like to wish the current management and team the very best for the coming season."

seafoid

A great man to score a goal when it was needed. Lived and breathed Deise hurling.
Incredibly brave. An amazing pair of eyebrows as well.

Such a pity they came up against the cats when they did.

As the Follower said once "they will be remembered amongst their people" and by hurling fans everywhere.   
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

Two Hands FFS

That Waterford team of the early to mid noughties was one of the most entertaining & exciting teams ever in Hurling. Mullane was a huge part of that. The excitement that Paul Flynn, Ken McGrath, Dan the Man, Tony Browne & Mullane might never be replaced IMO as they were involved in some classic games. Mullane has been super for the best part of 10 years. He'll be a great loss to Hurling & to kids who loved him with whom he was instantly recognisable to.

Pity he never won an All Ireland but he doesn't need that medal to go down as a great.

orangeman

A real nightmare for a defender - he had speed, strength, skill and was never afraid to take you on.

Some of his morale lifting scores were legendary.

Outstanding player. Pity he never got the big one.

From the Bunker

Legend, proves you don't have to have an AI medal to be seen as a Top player in the game. Watching Waterford will never be the same again.

johnneycool

Quote from: orangeman on January 17, 2013, 10:50:35 PM
A real nightmare for a defender - he had speed, strength, skill and was never afraid to take you on.

Some of his morale lifting scores were legendary.

Outstanding player. Pity he never got the big one.

Didn't see this one coming, but I suppose he's been on the go 12 odd years and that'll take its toll even if he did look as fit as a flea last summer.

He'd that touch of Waterford madness about him alright where he'd do the unexpected and is another of the Waterford golden era to hang up their boots without a Celtic cross to show for it.

Along with Tony Brown, Ken McGrath, Fergal Heartly, Paul Flynn (honorary Down man this year) big Dan when he took the notion, they'd some team, but just fell short as their neighbours were too strong for most counties in Ireland in the same era.


Bord na Mona man

Sad to see him gone. One of the real characters.
You'd dismiss him as a bit looney at the start and then begin to warm to his real passion.

I think the stats are that Mullane was the highest scoring player from open play in recent times.
Lazy media analysis of scoring feats tend not to make the distinction.
The paper headlines might scream of an 'amazing' 12 point scoring feat by a Joe Canning or a Henry Shefflin, when 10 of them might have been from placed balls and only 2 of them from play. Obviously freetaking is a skill in its own right.

I wouldn't rule out a comeback from him though. Once the evenings stretch out a bit, he'll surely start to miss the buzz.

No Soloing

Over the last decade or so I have loved watching Waterford. And there was one reason for that - John Mullane. Legend of the modern game

muppet

Quote from: Bord na Mona man on January 18, 2013, 11:28:42 AM
Sad to see him gone. One of the real characters.
You'd dismiss him as a bit looney at the start and then begin to warm to his real passion.

I think the stats are that Mullane was the highest scoring player from open play in recent times.
Lazy media analysis of scoring feats tend not to make the distinction.
The paper headlines might scream of an 'amazing' 12 point scoring feat by a Joe Canning or a Henry Shefflin, when 10 of them might have been from placed balls and only 2 of them from play. Obviously freetaking is a skill in its own right.

I wouldn't rule out a comeback from him though. Once the evenings stretch out a bit, he'll surely start to miss the buzz.

He is only 31 ffs.

Great player to watch. Even though teams would have 48 fellas marking him he would still get his shot away.

Hopefully he will reconsider when the weather improves.
MWWSI 2017

All of a Sludden

John Mullane says he had effectively made his mind up to retire at the start of the 2013 season this time last year.
Mentally it's just after taking over. It's after breaking me. I just feel sapped from it.
John Mullane
The Waterford legend surprised many by announcing his retirement from inter-county hurling yesterday, and in an interview broadcast on Waterford radio station WLR FM this morning, Mullane revealed his thought process, stemming from a gruelling running session at the Waterford IT Sports Campus in Carriganore last year.
"I had my mind made up last year. I remember we were running up the hills around Carriganore. Myself and two of my buddies that I actually started out with, Eoin McGrath and Eoin Kelly and I think it was 'Banger' (Shane) Casey. The four of us, and I think we did about 10 or 12 of them, and I remember coming down the hills of Carriganore and physically was nearly just getting sick," he said.
"I just turned around to the lads. We kind of knew ourselves that this was going to be our last year. I knew then coming down them hills that that was it."
One of the reasons Mullane's retirement has surprised many is his relative youth, as at the age of 31, he could theoretically still play for Waterford for many years to come. However, while he accepted physically he could go on, he said the mental strain was too much.
"Physically I feel I could go for another year or two, but mentally it's just after taking over. It's after breaking me. I just feel sapped from it. And there's a certain element of pressure from it too. I remember talking to Stephanie at home and over the last couple of years, the amount of pressure that I have put on myself.
"I was only talking to her and I said, 'Jesus, the amount of pressure I'm after putting myself under the last five or six years to constantly go out and perform and to not leave anyone down.' I just wanted to leave that go.
"I suppose it's the level of commitment then, and there was family reasons too. It's a young man's game. The bar is being raised every year."

However, while he is obviously sad to go, Mullane has enjoyed one of the greatest careers of any Waterford hurler in history, winning four Munster senior medals, and five GAA All Stars.
"I got a moment to myself yesterday. I went up to my room and started bawling my eyes out. It's easy for people to say, give it another year or two, but when you're in there, it's tough out.
"I'm just glad to be a part of a golden era, to play on some great Waterford teams and to play with some great Waterford players over the years."
There have been some reports in some newspapers suggesting that Mullane's retirement had come about as a result of him having not been offered the captaincy by manager Michael Ryan, but he absolutely denied this, saying that he had in fact, turned down the captaincy.
"I met Michael there during the week. Michael had spoken to me during September and he offered me the captaincy then and I told Michael, 'the best thing you can do now Michael is give the captaincy to a 25/26 year-old going forward where it will stand to him.'
"I would have liked to have it when I was 26 but that wasn't to be. The captains that were in there did a fantastic job and I told Michael, 'I think the best thing to do is to give it to a 25/26 year old that is in his prime'.
"We were only speaking about it the other night and we came up with a name and the fella that we think will probably captain Waterford this year is a great choice, and would be my choice. But that never affected me."
Mullane said he will play on with his club De La Salle, with whom he has already enjoyed great success, for another few years at least, and that he will gradually begin the process now of moving into coaching and managerial roles.
"Anyone that does know me knows I'm very passionate about the game and as I said before, I think any dressing room I go into in the future, I'll bring that winning mentality into it. It's an area I would like to consider in the near future (management).
"I'll go off and get a bit of experience in my own ways and start helping out with the club too. In small ways, gradually build it up. I still have another three or four years left playing at a high standard with De La Salle.
"I'll slowly go off helping out here and there with teams, with De La Salle, and get a bit of experience. And when the time comes, please God in a couple of years time I'll be ready for it."
I'm gonna show you as gently as I can how much you don't know.

deiseach

I think it speaks volumes for his standing not just in Waterford or in hurling, but in the country, that when Dublin Airport put up a display called Faces of Ireland, there was never going to be any danger that a certain face wasn't going to be there to represent the national sport:



A picture speaks a thousand words. If you'd like a thousand or so words, you can click here.

the Deel Rover

Probably my favourite hurler over the past 10-12 years . Just loved the passion and skill that he brought to the game. Hopefully he will reconsider. Would have loved him to win an Ai either with his Club or County.   
Crossmolina Deel Rovers
All Ireland Club Champions 2001