Parkinson Calls Micko a Bluffer

[bingobus]

http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=129051

Micko "a bluffer", claims Parkinson

Wicklow manager Mick O'Dwyer
19 May 2010


Colm Parkinson has described his former Laois manager Mick O'Dwyer as "a bluffer".

The Portlaoise native, who is now playing his club football in Dublin with Parnells, also claimed O'Dwyer is "an awful man manager", despite him being widely recognised as the most successful manager in the GAA and having guided Laois to their first Leinster title in 57 years in 2003 when Parkinson was a key figure.

Speaking in a radio interview before the Waterville maestro steered Wicklow to victory over Carlow in last Sunday's Leinster SFC opener, Parkinson said: "Everyone will think Micko will have a trick up a sleeve, but I can tell you now that Micko will have nothing up his sleeve. He's an absolute bluffer.

"He's an awful man manager. He has favourites. He could pass by subs and not even know them. He'd have three or four favourites and that's it."

Parkinson did acknowledge, however, that O'Dwyer ensured all the best players were playing with the county. "Even in Laois now you could pick 15 players who are as good if not better than the Laois players playing in the championship, who aren't playing. If Micko was over Laois, everyone would be playing."

But Parkinson went on to say that while O'Dwyer instils his team with confidence, there isn't anything more involved. "The teams you're playing know you've Micko as your manager and think that he's going to have something special. But he doesn't give you anything. He's a bluffer, I'm telling you now."

 

If only our Gov could bluff like Micko, we'd be living like the arabs now 

[magpie seanie]

They are bluffing. Didn't you hear - Ireland have dealt with the problem and are going to be ok!

[bingobus]

They are bluffing. Didn't you hear - Ireland have dealt with the problem and are going to be ok!

I know they are bluffing but if Parkinson is right about Micko, they're only mickey mouse in comparison.

[BallyhaiseMan]

Forgetting about what he achieved with the Kingdom for a second,
He Improved Kildare-winning a leinster title
He Improved Laois-winning a Leinster title
He Improved Wicklow from Division 4 also rans into a team which have beaten Kildare,Down,Cavan and Fermanagh in championship football,All 4 teams would have slaughtered Wicklow 5 years previously.
What exactly is he bluffing about?

[imtommygunn]

I can't help but feel there is something in what Parkinson says...

[magpie seanie]

They are bluffing. Didn't you hear - Ireland have dealt with the problem and are going to be ok!

I know they are bluffing but if Parkinson is right about Micko, they're only mickey mouse in comparison.

True.

[longrunsthefox]

We're all bluffers... 

[haranguerer]

I can't help but feel there is something in what Parkinson says...

Have long thought this. A lot of football comes down to confidence though, and micko is able to instil that just by his presence, so hes worthwhile just for that alone. From what I can see most managers best years are their first ones; if it was down to systems being implemented etc that wouldnt be the case - a lot of it is the initial enthusiasm and confidence that comes with a new management team. Micko picked his teams well too.

[Ulick]

Tell us something we didn't know Colm.

[put-it-up]

Micko is as old-fashioned as it can be when it comes to football. For the first few months of trainin he just makes his teams run laps and then they just play training games.

Someone like Parkinson wouldn't take to that style and I know plenty of lads from Wicklow that don't like it either. God I would hate it myself. I think what it does do though is weed out the lads that are not desperate to pull on the jersey. I mean you would be mad to run laps of a field for three months without seeing a football.

Fact is, it's a results industry and Micko delivers,

[Donnellys Hollow]

Forgetting about what he achieved with the Kingdom for a second,
He Improved Kildare-winning a leinster title
He Improved Laois-winning a Leinster title
He Improved Wicklow from Division 4 also rans into a team which have beaten Kildare,Down,Cavan and Fermanagh in championship football,All 4 teams would have slaughtered Wicklow 5 years previously.
What exactly is he bluffing about?

2 Leinster titles.

Parkinson is a clown. One of those lads that wouldn't burst their gut for Micko so were deemed surplus to requirements.

[rosnarun]

Forgetting about what he achieved with the Kingdom for a second,
He Improved Kildare-winning a leinster title
He Improved Laois-winning a Leinster title
He Improved Wicklow from Division 4 also rans into a team which have beaten Kildare,Down,Cavan and Fermanagh in championship football,All 4 teams would have slaughtered Wicklow 5 years previously.
What exactly is he bluffing about?

2 Leinster titles.

Parkinson is a clown. One of those lads that wouldn't burst their gut for Micko so were deemed surplus to requirements.

so why has mickos career being one long downward spiral?. hes was alway putting it out he'd like to manage a mayo or dublin and take them that final step but in stead hes mow competing with perennial failures tommy carr and luke dempsey for jobs 

[Zulu]

I'd say Colm is bang on the money. The main thing that Micko brings to a team is he gets the enthusiasm up in the county. In Wicklow for example they were struggling to get players out, Micko comes along and they have 100+ at the first trial game. He improves counties by simply getting the best players out but he doesn't physically prepare them properly and he adds nothing in terms of tactical nous or footballing intelligence.

He is a good match for middle of the road teams as he might help them to silverware but he has no role with a top team.

[On the 14]

Forgetting about what he achieved with the Kingdom for a second,
He Improved Kildare-winning a leinster title
He Improved Laois-winning a Leinster title
He Improved Wicklow from Division 4 also rans into a team which have beaten Kildare,Down,Cavan and Fermanagh in championship football,All 4 teams would have slaughtered Wicklow 5 years previously.
What exactly is he bluffing about?

2 Leinster titles.

Parkinson is a clown. One of those lads that wouldn't burst their gut for Micko so were deemed surplus to requirements.

so why has mickos career being one long downward spiral?. hes was alway putting it out he'd like to manage a mayo or dublin and take them that final step but in stead hes mow competing with perennial failures tommy carr and luke dempsey for jobs

Decent point but I'd say it's because he follows the dollars. No coincidence that Sean Mulryan was a big backer of Wicklow with his sons on underage teams.

Have to say I heard Parkinson on Newstalk and he came across very well as a lad who doesn't take himself too seriously and is refreshingly laid back and honest. Something that's all too rare these days, or any days, in GAA players.

Can't see how anyone would have much argument with what he said about Micko. He acknowledged that he provides a boost to a county and will get all the best players so its hardly as if he completely slated him. He was just arguing against this shite, put forward by Ger Gilroy, that Micko has some great tricks up his sleeve or anything. The 'bluff' he was calling on Micko is the fact that he doesn't have any magic formula, just a legendary name. I'd say his training methods etc wouldn't be the greatest and I can well believe how he wouldn't have great knowledge of his panel. I doubt he's a regular attender at Wicklow club league games.

His protege Paidi is the from the exact same school of management if you're to believe any of the Westmeath players I've talked to.

That's not to completely run them down either, far from it, they are what they are and it seems to work, for a while anyway.

[Main Street]

Sacrilege !