GERARD O’KANE: The Oakleafers have got it right

I HAVE been asked numerous times over the last few weeks about my thoughts on the new Derry management team headed by Paddy Tally.

I’ll lay my cards on the table. From the apparent position where Derry were when they seemed to be struggling to fill the post, and with talk in national media of motions to the executive being pulled at the last minute, I can genuinely say I am fairly content as to where Derry have landed.

Whether it’s by accident or design, they have appointed one of the most experienced managers around. They’ve got someone who has coached two teams to All-Ireland titles 20 seasons apart, who coached a third team (Down) to a final in the middle of all of this and who has spent a few seasons in various other coaching and managerial roles.

Having worked with Paddy during his time coaching Derry, I’m well aware of his attention to detail, meticulous nature and his desire to get the small edges all the time. Derry have someone who is always thinking about the game.

He was in Kerry for three years where they won one final, lost one by a point and were beaten in a semi-final.

Jack O’Connor felt the need to maybe change up his backroom team and this is perfectly normal – after three years if a county manager stays on they usually have a change of coaches to freshen things up.

In all the chopping and changing in Kerry, Paddy was the one constant who was staying albeit in a different role. The fact that they wanted to keep him is testament to the value he brings to a set up.

Add in that he is bringing in Paul McIver, who has coached at county level in a number of set-ups before and coached some of the top clubs in Down and Tyrone, and there is a good sounding board with a good level of experience to work with the hands-on coaching.

The backroom team is further boosted by Paul McFlynn who will bring some continuity from last year and Kevin McGuckin who was also one of Derry’s best players over the last 20 years and will bring a wealth of playing experience into a coaching role.

Then last week it was reported about the new S&C coach, Cairbre Ó Cairealláin, who has worked in a few All-Ireland winning set-ups including the Limerick hurlers. It seems as though Derry are striving to get the best possible people involved to give the players the best possible opportunity to kick on.

Now I am very aware all of the above does not matter if the players are not available and we have seen the recent retirements in Dublin of two of their stalwarts in James McCarthy and Brian Fenton.

In Derry we have also lost what we can only describe as a generational player in Chrissy McKaigue.

With a 16-season career only interrupted by a stint in Aussie Rules, Chrissy has been an ever present for Derry and I think the records showed that he is the only player to have won all four divisions in league football, showing the ups and downs he has had with Derry football.

In terms of leadership, he has been leading the way for over a decade now. Even as a young rookie, Chrissy was always very forthright in his thoughts of how the game should be played and how to take a set-up forward.

It’s no coincidence that his club’s upturn in fortunes coincided with his return home from Australia. He helped push Sleacht Néill into being one of the leading clubs, if not the leading club, in Ireland for a four- or five-year period.

While they have not reached those heights in the last few years, the club scene in Derry is as competitive as ever and Chrissy is keeping Sleacht Néill to the forefront of this.

I would imagine Chrissy will not be away from the county scene for too long as his services will be in high demand given his experience in all aspects of the game in terms of playing, preparation and performance.

At the same time, I’m sure Sleacht Néill will benefit from him being around a bit more and that might be ominous for the other top clubs in Derry.