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'It got so analytical towards the end' | Paddy Andrews on Dublin training

Legendary Dublin footballer Paddy Andrews revealed some of the trade secrets of Jim Gavin's famous Dubs side, while golfing with Nathan Murphy.



Football

'It got so analytical towards the end' | Paddy Andrews on Dublin training

Legendary Dublin footballer Paddy Andrews revealed some of the trade secrets of Jim Gavin's famous Dubs side, while golfing with Nathan Murphy.

The Dublin footballers went on an as-yet unmatched run of six in a row All-Ireland Championships. Andrews was involved in that record-setting Dublin side, having secured seven Sam Maguires himself.

In a special event, in association with MINI, Andrews joined OTB Sports' Nathan Murphy, first at his old GAA club ground St Brigid's, and then on the golf course to discuss his illustrious career, and what made the Dubs so special.

Speaking to Murphy on the golf course as part of the MINI event, Andrews broke down just how technical Dublin got towards the end of his playing days.

"It got so analytical towards the end," Andrews said. "It was driven by the coaches, they kind of demanded that, but also be the players as well.

"If you are not playing, again, towards the end I was dropped after the Leinster final, then you are thinking: 'What am I doing?'

"Even training sessions, you are looking back. "We used to video tape training sessions! That is the level it got to. Reviewing drills in training; what did I do wrong there, what did I do right?

"It can get on top of you as well."

While he did feel that there were times that the Dubs could get over-analytical, Andrews knew that there were major benefits to how his side were training.

"It was a massive strength for us, because we were so prepared for games, and our opponents," Andrews said. "We knew our own game so well.

"No matter what happened, let's say we are not playing well against Mayo, there was no panic."

'No one was indispensable'

For most of the panel, working in the way that the Dublin management wanted them to was unnatural. They were all stars in their club teams, but had to work as a small member of a wider team at inter-county level.

"[It was] totally, for a lot of guys, unnatural," Andrews said. "If you watch guys playing with their clubs, in the club championship, it is such a different environment there.

"They are kind of the main players, and guys are shooting from everywhere. But with Dublin, it was so clear that this is what was expected, this is what we are trying to do, so there was no ambiguity there.

"There was no, 'I'll take three or four shots, and then in the review the following evening, I didn't know'. It is so clear that you weren't meant to do that.

"But, if you did, you just wouldn't play."

For Andrews, the competition for places and the battle between teammates was the biggest benefit for the Dubs.

"The big, massive benefit for us throughout that whole period was the depth of players we had," Andrews said. "If you didn't do it, no one was indispensable.

"Whether it was Berno [Bernard Brogan] at his peak, or Con [O'Callaghan] now, or Paul Manion had seasons where they were the number one guys, it didn't matter.

"If you did that, questions were being asked by everyone. By the players, we would challenge each other, by the coaches, definitely, by everyone.

"Ultimately, if you don't do it, you are not going to play. There are seven guys on the bench there that are every bit as good."

In association with the all-electric MINI - charged with passion. Mini is big on sustainability and protecting the planet, big on innovation across the range, and big on individuality! For more information, visit https://www.mini.ie/en_IE/home/range/electric.html


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Andy Moran Con O'callaghan David Clifford Donegal GAA Dublin Dublin GAA Eamon Fitzmaurice Football GAA GAA Podcast GAA Retirement GAA Rumours GAA Stories Gaa News Gaelic Football Galway GAA Jack O'Connor Jim Gavin Jim McGuinness Kerry GAA Kevin O'Brien Kieran Donaghy Killarney Legion Mayo GAA Mini Nathan Murphy Off The Ball Otb Otb Sports Otbam Paddy Andrews Pat Gilroy Paul Galvin Peter Keane TFP Tommy Rooney Tyrone GAA WelcomeJames