Micko Points to the Greats

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Micko Points to the Greats

Monday, May 21 2007

Wicklow boss Mick O'Dwyer has revealed that he has told his Garden County players to follow the example of some of the greats he has coached.

The Garden County face Louth in the Leinster SFC first round at Croke Park on Sunday and the former Kerry, Kildare and Laois boss, a legend as both a footballer and manager, has highlighted the efforts and contributions of some of the stars of the past as he looks for his side to make a mark in Leinster, a feat that they would not exactly be renowned for.

"The great players are the ones that had it all - the commitment and the will to succeed," the Kerryman told The Irish Examiner.

"The former ingredients I couldn't even separate in terms of importance. Even the most willing player has to have the basic ability to fetch and kick.

"I think of Spillane, yeah I'd still mention him a lot; Maurice Fitzgerald too, Bomber, Mikey and Egan - and in terms of unequivocal commitment, Paudi O'Se is the best example I can give to young players.

"Se would train three times a day. He was totally driven. Where else would you get it?"

O'Dwyer surprised many with his decision to take the Wicklow helm late last year and he says that despite relegation to Division 4 in the league, the side are well-placed to make a battle of the Leinster campaign and is happy with the progress that has been made.

"We're reasonably settled," he added. "It's taken us a long time to weed out a settled squad from the 121 players we brought in for trial. There were several fellas I earmarked early on as certainties and not one of them made the final cut. So where am I going?

"I'll be here next season as well - it will probably take that long to get us where we should be. It's only in the last two weeks that we've got a real sense of what our strongest 15 or 20 players are.

"Thomas Walsh (recently transferred in from Carlow) will start tomorrow (Sunday) but he's missed out on a pile of football that would have been beneficial to him. He has potential though, real potential."

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