PG the PT – Play for longer

Ryan McCluskey has ended his county career after 19 years

In the week that Ryan McCluskey decided to end his county career, Pauric Grimes looks at the challenges facing older players.

“As a coach the most important thing we can do for our players is to ensure that they are fit for selection when the ball is thrown in.

“So with that in mind it is imperative that we find the balance between work load and recovery for our older player.

“Asking a 30-year-old with a young family, a full time job, and a hamstring injury from last year that hasn’t cleared up is a different proposition.

“We aren’t giving the more experienced players a free pass. They still need to put the work in to be match fit but it becomes a case of quantity over quality with them.”

Read the specific advice that Pauric has for older players in the current issue of Gaelic Life.