CIAN O’SULLIVAN SAYS he has admiration for the decision of team-mate Rory O’Carroll for walking away from the Dublin set-up to spend the year working in New Zealand
Dublin manager Jim Gavin last month revealed he would be without the fullback for the entire 2016 season.
Although O’Sullivan, a close friend of O’Carroll, isn’t interested in moving abroad any time soon, he admits it was a commendable decision.
“Rory is very much his own man,” O’Sullivan said. “You’d have to admire someone who is able to make that decision and stand by it.
“For most people it’d be hard to walk away but its something he wants to do so I wish him the best and hopefully see him back in a Dublin jersey in a year or two’s time.”
O’Carroll previously missed a chunk of the 2011 campaign after spending the winter in France and O’Sullivan isn’t sure whether his intention is to stay in New Zealand for longer than a year.
“No but not because I don’t want to,” O’Sullivan said when asked had he spoken to his Kilmacud Crokes team-mate. “I honestly don’t know. He’s gone over to work so if all goes well on that front. We’ll have to see it’s up to him.
“I got a J1 back in 2007 or 2008 and I went on a few trips when I was in college and I’ve done some travelling in between so I’ve no major desire to go working in Australia or whatever.
“I don’t know what his intentions are but hopefully he’ll be back, he’s a great player but if he’s not that’s his decision.”
O’Sullivan himself missed Dublin’s Allianz League win over Mayo in Castlebar last weekend but will be back in contention for the home tie against Monaghan on 27 February.
Gavin’s side have registered two wins from their opening two outings but the 27-year-old insists the players aren’t looking too much into their fast start.
“It’s easy to get caught into that thinking,” he continued. “They’re a good two victories for us. But at the same time, we’re only into February now and teams are only back a few weeks now.
“You’d be foolish to get carried with yourself with two wins in a year. But at the same time, from our perspective, to have the points under the belt. I think it was two good performances that we had. So we’re very happy.
“It’s early days yet. I suppose we try not to put too much pressure on ourselves or to look at that [four league titles in a row].
“I suppose just to focus on the league at the moment and then when the summer comes around we’ll start to turn our eyes onto the All-Ireland.”
