Jimmy's throwing hacks out!

[sheamy]

It was the fact that Siobhan Brady bent over which is disappointing. McGuinness made her evict Bogue. Brady should've stood up for the journalists and not the manager. She has now made this a press conference called by the manager.

An absolute disgrace. Siobhan Brady should be sacked on the spot.

I'm also really disappointed that any colleagues didn't walk out in protest - whatever about failed entities on here, professional journalists should show a bit more backbone.

What would you suggest she do? Stand firm and have no press conference? She's in a no-win situation. If Jimmy says he's walking then he's walking and I doubt if any amount of 'free press' speeches would have had any effect. She did the only thing she could have so ease up a little there.

Anyway, it could have been forced to a head by the brotherhood walking out. Strange that didn't happen  Nah, they choose to let the comrade die on his own sword and then fill the papers with it the next morning. Oh, the outrage. I think McGuinness calls this 'putting jam on both sides'.

Amateur players and amateur managements combined with professional hacks. That's the source of a lot of these issues. Mind you, Alex Ferguson banned journalists from his press conferences before as well.

Hard to beat an auld 'freedom of speech' issue on a Monday morning. I very much doubt anyone in Donegal gives a shit though and they didn't paint murals of McGuinness as a communist guerrilla leader for the craic you know 

[FermGael]

Was this the first post match press conference of the year for Donegal?
Surely he was "banned" by the Donegal management before this.

The journalist involved knew what would happen. 
He was looking for a reaction and got it.

[bridgegael]

Adrenalin was pumping, im sure in the cold light of day jimmy may regret it and just ignored db.  Last thing on his mind today though!!

[tyroneman]

Was this the first post match press conference of the year for Donegal?
Surely he was "banned" by the Donegal management before this.

The journalist involved knew what would happen.
He was looking for a reaction and got it.

Well if you read the Indo article on this.........

Bogue had been to all of Donegal's post-match press conferences this summer without any disapproval from McGuinness and had even been to the Donegal media night in advance of the final three weeks earlier.

It would seem this is the first time JMcG has seen fit to take offence in public at the journo.

To be honest, having read the book, McGuinness comes out of it ok. A driven mamger, sure, but there is nothing that I recall that would warrant that level of reaction.

Leaves an unpleasant taste after such a great year for DnG. Will McGuinness now vet everyone who attends press conferences? Where will the line be drawn? Ban anyone who gave him a a poor review from his sig days? Lock the doors to any journo who questions his choice of tactics?

[FermGael]

Was this the first post match press conference of the year for Donegal?
Surely he was "banned" by the Donegal management before this.

The journalist involved knew what would happen.
He was looking for a reaction and got it.

Well if you read the Indo article on this.........

Bogue had been to all of Donegal's post-match press conferences this summer without any disapproval from McGuinness and had even been to the Donegal media night in advance of the final three weeks earlier

It would seem this is the first time JMcG has seen fit to take offence in public at the journo.

To be honest, having read the book, McGuinness comes out of it ok. A driven mamger, sure, but there is nothing that I recall that would warrant that level of reaction.

Leaves an unpleasant taste after such a great year for DnG. Will McGuinness now vet everyone who attends press conferences? Where will the line be drawn? Ban anyone who gave him a a poor review from his sig days? Lock the doors to any journo who questions his choice of tactics?

Well if that's the case, I take it back.

[J OGorman]

there's rarely a good word said about any journalists on this site. Now one gets asked to leave a press conference and everyone is getting their nags in a twist

[Hardy]

... which illustrates the fair-minded nature of the contributors on this topic, I'd suggest.

[omagh_gael]

The full indo article (apologies for lack of paragraphs, cutting and pasting from my phone.) Jim's language is extremely emotive. Having not read DB's book you would assume he wrote something very close to the bone in relation to JMcG, which doesn't add up to what those who have read it report. Strange.


Jim McGuinness had just completed perhaps the great coaching journey of the modern era in Gaelic football an hour earlier, but when he walked into the post-match press conference it quickly became obvious that he had something on his mind.The positivity that had radiated from him all season was absent as he fixed his stare on a stopwatch strapped to his arm, clearly gathering his thoughts. He rose from his chair and returned briefly to the ante room that links the TV interview area and the dressing-room corridor.A representative from the Croke Park press office then re-entered to deliver a request from McGuinness to Declan Bogue, the Ulster-based journalist who had collaborated with Kevin Cassidy for the controversial book 'This Is Our Year' that led to Cassidy's removal from the squad last November, to leave the room. Only if his request was acceded to, it emerged, would he return to conduct any print media interviews.When McGuinness re-entered the auditorium he gave the background to the request and why, after 10 months, he was now addressing the vexed issue of Cassidy's contribution and seeking the author's removal. Bogue had been to all of Donegal's post-match press conferences this summer without any disapproval from McGuinness and had even been to the Donegal media night in advance of the final three weeks earlier.But now McGuinness, with the journey complete, was delivering what he felt was the necessary riposte in their time of glory."There were a lot of untruths in the book. There was a lot of things said about me. I've never broken court on it since the whole thing happened. I've held my dignity. I've let myself be castigated. And I did that because I gave somebody an agreement that I wouldn't break my court on it.Incorrect"There were a lot of things said in the book that were incorrect and untrue, some of it about me personally and about some of my players. The person who wrote that book had no researcher on the book to qualify what was said. The other people in the media that wrote fairly vile articles had no researcher to qualify the comments. It was an all-out attack for a couple of months on my character. I know what I've done, I know what I've coached, I know what I am as a person."So I'm not going to let somebody sit in a room and fill their pages tomorrow on the back of what we've done today when they in their wisdom degraded me as a person and some of my players," said McGuinness. "I'm not a two-faced person, I'm not going to be two-faced here and let somebody have their jam on both sides. It was a very hard period in my life, for my family and everybody else and I still held my dignity."Pressed as to why he hadn't responded at the time of the book's launch, McGuinness said there was little comeback for him. "If I challenged it at the time, it makes the story bigger and the people who've read it in the first place have made up their minds about it anyway. So why would I go over old ground, creating a bigger story, making it bigger and bigger and bigger and the people who have read it in the first place will have their own view? I'm not going to answer any more about it."And there's another person who if he was here would be out of the room as well. It was absolutely vile what he wrote, all on falsehoods. Absolutely vile that you could get away with that and degrade somebody to that level and feel then that you can write another article to rectify the wrong."It's wrong that people should act in haste and repent at leisure. It's not hard to get a researcher on a book. That's the end of it. I'm leaving if there's another question."

[sheamy]

The full indo article (apologies for lack of paragraphs, cutting and pasting from my phone.) Jim's language is extremely emotive. Having not read DB's book you would assume he wrote something very close to the bone in relation to JMcG, which doesn't add up to what those who have read it report. Strange.

Yeah, it does seem strange I agree. What can happen in alot of these things is that because Jim is so involved in something which he eats, sleeps and breathes, every little thing is magnified 1000% for him. Most of the time the rest of us as casual observer won't get what the issue is. I didn't see anything offensive whatsoever in the book. There have been way more offensive things published in papers and books than anything in DB's book. It's just the bubble mentality of someone ultra sensitive having put his whole life into it. Understandable I think.

[thewobbler]

I'm not sure what McGuinness was at. Like or loathe the media, they are an utterly invaluable part of the GAA world.

Darren Clarke's approach was much better - plus he said it with a smile on his face.

"Hang on I'm trying to recollect your little line. 'He's in his inexorable slide toward irrelevance.' Is that what you said? I've got the paper at home. I can show it to you if you don't believe me." – Darren Clarke to Lawrence Donegan after his Open Championship win.

[behind the wire]

Has anyone any idea which aspect of the book offended him?

I have read it and didn't see anything which would portray Jim McGuiness in a negative light. Alternative in his approach yes but I felt it only improved the impression that he had taken GAA management to a new level.

[yellowcard]

The full indo article (apologies for lack of paragraphs, cutting and pasting from my phone.) Jim's language is extremely emotive. Having not read DB's book you would assume he wrote something very close to the bone in relation to JMcG, which doesn't add up to what those who have read it report. Strange.


Jim McGuinness had just completed perhaps the great coaching journey of the modern era in Gaelic football an hour earlier, but when he walked into the post-match press conference it quickly became obvious that he had something on his mind.The positivity that had radiated from him all season was absent as he fixed his stare on a stopwatch strapped to his arm, clearly gathering his thoughts. He rose from his chair and returned briefly to the ante room that links the TV interview area and the dressing-room corridor.A representative from the Croke Park press office then re-entered to deliver a request from McGuinness to Declan Bogue, the Ulster-based journalist who had collaborated with Kevin Cassidy for the controversial book 'This Is Our Year' that led to Cassidy's removal from the squad last November, to leave the room. Only if his request was acceded to, it emerged, would he return to conduct any print media interviews.When McGuinness re-entered the auditorium he gave the background to the request and why, after 10 months, he was now addressing the vexed issue of Cassidy's contribution and seeking the author's removal. Bogue had been to all of Donegal's post-match press conferences this summer without any disapproval from McGuinness and had even been to the Donegal media night in advance of the final three weeks earlier.But now McGuinness, with the journey complete, was delivering what he felt was the necessary riposte in their time of glory."There were a lot of untruths in the book. There was a lot of things said about me. I've never broken court on it since the whole thing happened. I've held my dignity. I've let myself be castigated. And I did that because I gave somebody an agreement that I wouldn't break my court on it.Incorrect"There were a lot of things said in the book that were incorrect and untrue, some of it about me personally and about some of my players. The person who wrote that book had no researcher on the book to qualify what was said. The other people in the media that wrote fairly vile articles had no researcher to qualify the comments. It was an all-out attack for a couple of months on my character. I know what I've done, I know what I've coached, I know what I am as a person."So I'm not going to let somebody sit in a room and fill their pages tomorrow on the back of what we've done today when they in their wisdom degraded me as a person and some of my players," said McGuinness. "I'm not a two-faced person, I'm not going to be two-faced here and let somebody have their jam on both sides. It was a very hard period in my life, for my family and everybody else and I still held my dignity."Pressed as to why he hadn't responded at the time of the book's launch, McGuinness said there was little comeback for him. "If I challenged it at the time, it makes the story bigger and the people who've read it in the first place have made up their minds about it anyway. So why would I go over old ground, creating a bigger story, making it bigger and bigger and bigger and the people who have read it in the first place will have their own view? I'm not going to answer any more about it."And there's another person who if he was here would be out of the room as well. It was absolutely vile what he wrote, all on falsehoods. Absolutely vile that you could get away with that and degrade somebody to that level and feel then that you can write another article to rectify the wrong."It's wrong that people should act in haste and repent at leisure. It's not hard to get a researcher on a book. That's the end of it. I'm leaving if there's another question."

Who is Jimmy referring to here?

[LeoMc]

I'm not sure what McGuinness was at. Like or loathe the media, they are an utterly invaluable part of the GAA world.

Darren Clarke's approach was much better - plus he said it with a smile on his face.

"Hang on I'm trying to recollect your little line. 'He's in his inexorable slide toward irrelevance.' Is that what you said? I've got the paper at home. I can show it to you if you don't believe me." – Darren Clarke to Lawrence Donegan after his Open Championship win.

Is that the same Lawrence Donegan of Creeshlough Reserves / Lloyd Cole fame?

[yellowcard]

Way OTT from Jimmy McGuinness if you ask me. He wouldn't be one to hold a grudge , would he!? I read the book and can't remember anything derogatory said about Jimmy, he makes it sound like he was accused of first degree murder!! Couldn't imagine Mickey Harte or Mick O'Dwyer acting like this, its just a bullying tactic now that he is in an elevated position of power. A lack of class at a time when the over-riding emotion should have been one of joy. Shades of Alex Ferguson.

[Absent]

I wish we had a Jim McGuinness in Limerick to lead our hurlers to the promised land with his single minded determination and belief in his system.
The media is an industry that feeds on the ups and downs of whats happening and can portray you in whatever manner it likes,I don't know what was said about McGuinness but it seems to have bolstered his siege mentality and driven him on even more resulting in the glory of yesterday.Kevin Cassidy might have an AI medal this morning if he bought in 100% to Jims philosophy of us against the world and absolutely everything remaining within the camp.
He could have gone along with the whole media thing but it appears that is not the man,thats a part of him that makes him stand out,makes him a winner.Without him Donegal would not have their second AI and that is the only thing that matters in Donegal today.We cannot be selective in the parts of him we accept,its the whole package or nothing and thats what he offers his players and the people of Donegal.
If he chose to do what he did during the press conference he was right because that is the man,some will be upset but if you want to attain the holy grail of AI success you are not going to be dominated by thoughts of who you should please along the way.