WHEN CLARE WERE dethroned as All-Ireland champions by Wexford in 2014, Brendan Bugler watched the entire second period from the Banner’s bench.
Bugler had started the game but was sent-off shortly before the break after lashing out at Wexford forward Liam Og McGovern.
The Clare boss that afternoon was Davy Fitzgerald who, of course, is now entering his fourth campaign in charge of the Model County.
And this past off-season featured an interesting new addition to his backroom team – the recently retired Bugler as coach.
Naturally, Bugler was on the receiving end of some good-natured ribbing after his introduction to the Wexford squad over the winter.
“The first day he came in,” begins McDonald with a grin, “Liam Og McGovern was the fella he had the incident with and he hadn’t met him since then.
“So there was a bit of, ‘ohhh woooh’, you know, when he was coming in!
“It was short-lived. Bugler is a gentleman. He is adding to the set-up and we’re looking forward to what he brings throughout the year as well.
“He’s come in as a forwards coach and a general analyst. He’s come in to give us a different aspect on everything.”
Bugler has a busy weekend ahead of him. He is also in charge of St Flannans’ College, Ennis who face Our Ladys Secondary School Templemore in the Harty Cup semi-final at 1pm on Saturday afternoon.
Later that evening, Wexford travel to Portlaoise to take on Laois in their league opener.
McDonald has been extremely impressed with what Bugler has brought to the set-up so far as he balances his coaching duties.
“Probably because he’s not long out of the game, he understands the modern game an awful lot at pitch level and he sees things that other coaches might not see which is obviously brilliant.
“And he’s very hands-on as well. His drills are top-class, and he’s very game-oriented in the stuff that he does in training.
“He’s very level-headed and he’d throw the arm around the shoulder and tell you if you’re doing something right or wrong. I’m sure if he needed to get his point across someway he would as well.”
Fitzgerald has had a knack over the years of keeping his backroom teams fresh. Bugler replaces Stephen Molumphy in the set-up following the latter’s move to Waterford.
“It’s something you definitely wouldn’t question. Davy wouldn’t bring him in unless he had something to add. I wouldn’t say he just brings people in just to get freshness. He’s bringing him in to do a job.
“Lookit, we all know Davy at this stage. Even as players he expects to do their job and it’s no different with his backroom team. Like I said, he wouldn’t bring him in just to be sitting there or carrying water-bottles or whatever it may be.
“He’s bringing him in to do his job and it seems to be working out at the moment.”
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