JACK O’CONNOR IS gearing up for his seventh All-Ireland final as Kerry senior football manager.
Ahead of Sunday’s showdown against Donegal, his record is four wins (2004, 2006, 2009 and 2022) and three defeats (2005, 2011, 2023) across three terms.
The highs and lows have been plentiful, many lessons learned and insights gained along the way.
“You pick up a couple of things mainly in terms of what you need to avoid and being economical with your energy,” says O’Connor.
“There is no point in being all wired to the moon and having all your energy spent by the weekend of the game. That goes for the backroom team as much as the players because All-Ireland final weekend can be draining enough with all the nervous tension that can be involved in it. You have to enjoy it as well because it is not all about stress when you can feel a buzz around the county and you feed a lot off that.
“I remind the players they are doing something that is giving a lot of enjoyment to people and that’s something very worthy to be involved in.”
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O’Connor recalls bits and pieces. He doesn’t keep a diary of past finals, instead going off memory and instinct.
It’s a very different world to his first decider against Mayo 21 years ago, with much more to contend with in the build-up.
“Being involved in it so long now I go off my instinct to know what is appropriate and what isn’t. Particularly nowadays with social media, you can spend a whole day looking at it if you want and I think it’s very important for players when they get away from training that they get a bit of a break mentally from it.
“You can’t be tuned in for every waking hour of the day because of what I said about energy so it’s very important to switch off when you are not training or having tactical meetings with the players.”
O'Connor after his first All-Ireland win in 2004. INPHO
INPHO
Asked if he is more relaxed now with extensive finals experience, the Dromid Pearses man says:
“I think you have to enjoy the season as a whole otherwise it becomes a chore. I think the players would agree there were years that they clenched their first, gritted their teeth and wished their lives away almost and you couldn’t bring that to a match then.
“I’ve made plenty of mistakes myself, I remember one of my early years, I reckon I had the match played in my head a thousand times beforehand but when you come to the day itself you’re spent.
“One of the most important things on All-Ireland final day is the ability to be able to think on your feet and that’s important for the coaching staff as well as the players. You give them a couple of nuggets throughout the season but outside of a casual chat over a cup of coffee, switch off and live your life. At the end of the day we are amateurs not professionals and we need a bit of space to get that energy back.”
He gives one example when speaking about the mental and physical demands of the game, particularly with the condensed nature of the split season. The player is the name on everyone’s lips.
“David (Clifford) is well able to get away from the pressure and we develop mechanisms at times to keep the heat off him especially in his private life.”
While there have been huge changes for players through the two decades or so O’Connor’s interest has spanned, what of that for managers?
“It was a bit simpler when I got involved first I was doing nearly all the coaching myself which some bits and pieces of input from the selectors. I was stuck inside in the middle of the training games and coaching the drills. In some ways that was more enjoyable.
“Nowadays I am managing a backroom team who manage the players. I’m not saying I don’t have input here and there but I’m not as hands on as I used to be. It’s maybe better because with backroom teams the size they are, you have to change because you can’t do it the same way you did it the first time. You have to adapt and change as the circumstances change.”
O'Connor with David Clifford after the 2023 decider defeat to Dublin. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
One evolving dynamic O’Connor and the Kerry players have regularly spoken about of late is the Kerry support base.
Paul Geaney and Clifford are among those who have issued rallying calls to fans through the summer, and O’Connor won’t shy away from the impact they have on his team.
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“It’s formidable, there is no doubt about that, because players get energy from it. The players have to play their part and give the supporters something to shout about but it can be a powerful combination if you have those two things going hand in hand. I felt it was a factor for us last year in losing to Armagh (in the All-Ireland semi-final), now I know I got a bit of criticism for it after but I don’t think anyone could dispute it was a factor in the game.
“Thankfully we have had great support this year and I think overall Gaelic football is a better product this year. We had a game against Derry last year (All-Ireland quarter-final) that was not an enjoyable spectacle to put it diplomatically and I think that is what caused our supporters not to show up to the semi-final. It’s a better spectacle this year and I think they are seeing a better version of the game in how players are expressing themselves. It’s more enjoyable to watch, play, manage and coach.”
To finish, a word for his opposite number on Sunday. Jim McGuinness is out to avenge for the 2014 final defeat — Éamonn Fitzmaurice held the keys to the Kingdom on that occasion — and O’Connor is relishing a blockbuster sideline battle as he targets a fifth Celtic Cross.
“Obviously he is having as big an effect on them this time like he did the first time. He’s a revered figure in the county who is able to unify them and there has been no such thing as players opting out like in previous years.
“He’s a formidable coach and has improved Donegal no end.”
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'One of my early years, I had the match played in my head a thousand times beforehand'
JACK O’CONNOR IS gearing up for his seventh All-Ireland final as Kerry senior football manager.
Ahead of Sunday’s showdown against Donegal, his record is four wins (2004, 2006, 2009 and 2022) and three defeats (2005, 2011, 2023) across three terms.
The highs and lows have been plentiful, many lessons learned and insights gained along the way.
“You pick up a couple of things mainly in terms of what you need to avoid and being economical with your energy,” says O’Connor.
“There is no point in being all wired to the moon and having all your energy spent by the weekend of the game. That goes for the backroom team as much as the players because All-Ireland final weekend can be draining enough with all the nervous tension that can be involved in it. You have to enjoy it as well because it is not all about stress when you can feel a buzz around the county and you feed a lot off that.
“I remind the players they are doing something that is giving a lot of enjoyment to people and that’s something very worthy to be involved in.”
O’Connor recalls bits and pieces. He doesn’t keep a diary of past finals, instead going off memory and instinct.
It’s a very different world to his first decider against Mayo 21 years ago, with much more to contend with in the build-up.
“Being involved in it so long now I go off my instinct to know what is appropriate and what isn’t. Particularly nowadays with social media, you can spend a whole day looking at it if you want and I think it’s very important for players when they get away from training that they get a bit of a break mentally from it.
“You can’t be tuned in for every waking hour of the day because of what I said about energy so it’s very important to switch off when you are not training or having tactical meetings with the players.”
Asked if he is more relaxed now with extensive finals experience, the Dromid Pearses man says:
“I think you have to enjoy the season as a whole otherwise it becomes a chore. I think the players would agree there were years that they clenched their first, gritted their teeth and wished their lives away almost and you couldn’t bring that to a match then.
“I’ve made plenty of mistakes myself, I remember one of my early years, I reckon I had the match played in my head a thousand times beforehand but when you come to the day itself you’re spent.
“One of the most important things on All-Ireland final day is the ability to be able to think on your feet and that’s important for the coaching staff as well as the players. You give them a couple of nuggets throughout the season but outside of a casual chat over a cup of coffee, switch off and live your life. At the end of the day we are amateurs not professionals and we need a bit of space to get that energy back.”
He gives one example when speaking about the mental and physical demands of the game, particularly with the condensed nature of the split season. The player is the name on everyone’s lips.
While there have been huge changes for players through the two decades or so O’Connor’s interest has spanned, what of that for managers?
“It was a bit simpler when I got involved first I was doing nearly all the coaching myself which some bits and pieces of input from the selectors. I was stuck inside in the middle of the training games and coaching the drills. In some ways that was more enjoyable.
“Nowadays I am managing a backroom team who manage the players. I’m not saying I don’t have input here and there but I’m not as hands on as I used to be. It’s maybe better because with backroom teams the size they are, you have to change because you can’t do it the same way you did it the first time. You have to adapt and change as the circumstances change.”
One evolving dynamic O’Connor and the Kerry players have regularly spoken about of late is the Kerry support base.
Paul Geaney and Clifford are among those who have issued rallying calls to fans through the summer, and O’Connor won’t shy away from the impact they have on his team.
“It’s formidable, there is no doubt about that, because players get energy from it. The players have to play their part and give the supporters something to shout about but it can be a powerful combination if you have those two things going hand in hand. I felt it was a factor for us last year in losing to Armagh (in the All-Ireland semi-final), now I know I got a bit of criticism for it after but I don’t think anyone could dispute it was a factor in the game.
“Thankfully we have had great support this year and I think overall Gaelic football is a better product this year. We had a game against Derry last year (All-Ireland quarter-final) that was not an enjoyable spectacle to put it diplomatically and I think that is what caused our supporters not to show up to the semi-final. It’s a better spectacle this year and I think they are seeing a better version of the game in how players are expressing themselves. It’s more enjoyable to watch, play, manage and coach.”
To finish, a word for his opposite number on Sunday. Jim McGuinness is out to avenge for the 2014 final defeat — Éamonn Fitzmaurice held the keys to the Kingdom on that occasion — and O’Connor is relishing a blockbuster sideline battle as he targets a fifth Celtic Cross.
“Obviously he is having as big an effect on them this time like he did the first time. He’s a revered figure in the county who is able to unify them and there has been no such thing as players opting out like in previous years.
“He’s a formidable coach and has improved Donegal no end.”
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