The Greatest Gaelic Football Manager?

[magpie seanie]

I think Harte revolutionised the game and achieved his victories without the conveyor belt of talent that Micko and Jim Gavin had at their disposal. Micko and Gavin's genius was in keeping the huinger alive in their sides - achieved in different ways to reflect the different times they operated in. Micko winning Leinster's with Kildare and Laois was great too though could/should he have achieved more with those sides? Boylan, as mentioned, took Meath from being close to a laughing stock to the top of the tree. Any of those 4 could be regarded as the greatest I think, for different reasons.

[trailer]

The greatest manager ever was Dessie Ryan. He was the godfather to the Tyrone and Armagh teams. The intensity and tackling brought to the game was as a direct result of his coaching. Many of the players involved in those teams in the 00s won a Sigerson under him at Queen's.

[imtommygunn]

Very few of those Tyrone teams came through Queens. More J'town. McAnallen and Jordan from 03 but that was about it?

Armagh had a lot mind and he was a great coach.

[seafoid]

John "Tull" Dunne

2 All-Ireland's as a player and 4 as a manager. Some going in fairness.

FOR 40 years, he was a singular and unforgettable presence, the tall man in the hat who was to Galway football both its sovereign leader and its valet. John "Tull" Dunne's contribution to Gaelic games took the shape of an epic role at the sporting and organisational heart of the association that simply will not be repeated, writes KEITH DUGGAN

Tull (he never knew the origin of the nickname other than it had been passed through the family from his grandfather's time) did it all – he won two All-Irelands with Galway as a player in 1934 and (as captain) 1938; he was trainer – and more – to the championship- winning team of 1956 and to the deathless side that won All-Irelands in 1964, '65 and '66; he was still on the sideline when Galway lost three All-Irelands in succession in the 1970s; he was a referee (he whistled Jack Lynch's football All-Ireland in 1945); and he was an administrator with an impeccably conscientious and fussy streak, taking as much care about recording the minutes of obscure county meetings as he did with the famous pinstripe band on the socks the invincible mid-60s maroon team wore.

He did all this throughout those decades while maintaining a sense of reserve, a distance between himself and the many fabulous footballers who passed through his charge as Galway established a reputation for expressive and free-thinking football.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/one-man-s-decades-of-dedication-to-the-cause-1.702234

[blanketattack]

In the interests of balance, you should only count (meaningful) c'ship games that were played away from home or on neutral ground.
So it's between Dwyer or Boylan for me.

[IolarCoisCuain]

1. Eugene McGee
2. Seán Boylan
3. Micko

[thejuice]

I voted for Seán only because Banty wasn't on the list.

[TheGreatest]

I have see it on twitter but cant find it now.

Compared records of Gavin, Cody and O dywer over a 7 year period at the height of their dominance, Jim Gavin comes out on top.