WHILE JIM MCGUINNESS was considering his future as Donegal manager in the wake of last month’s All-Ireland final, Odhran MacNiallais says some of the players had a “funny feeling he might go another year.”
In the end, McGuinness chose to step down after four years where he completely transformed the face of Donegal football. Before he took over they were Ulster’s soft touch, but he left them as a steely bunch of winners who understood exactly how far hard work and sacrifice could get you.
It wasn’t easy for them to watch him go.
“It really hit you hard, especially after the All-Ireland,” he says. “It hadn’t really sunk in at that stage either, then when you got the text it all just hit you there and then so it was a tough one to take.
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“It’ll be a tough one not having him there, training and all. It’ll be so different but there’s nothing we can do about that.
“I’ve only been there two years, but the rest of the boys have been there four or five years. To have played and trained under a man like that, the joy and success he’s brought to Donegal, for him to leave – Eamon McGee described it as like the woman walking out on you.”
MacNiallais was a relative newcomer to the Donegal camp this year, having spent last season, his first in the senior set-up, watching from the bench where he “wasn’t really part of it.” 12 months later he was nominated for an Allstar at midfield, signalling how far he’s come in such a short space of time.
Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
He made his debut in the Dr McKenna Cup in January, and went on to play a part in every Donegal game this year. McGuinness filled him with self-belief and improved his work-rate, to such an extent that MacNiallais credits his former manager with turning him into an inter-county player.
“What he’s done for me personally is massive. Two or three years ago I was playing under-21 for the county but I don’t think I would have had it to go and play senior only for him.
“He kind of pushed me on to become a senior footballer and I can’t thank him enough for that. It was massive for me. It’ll be weird now not having him there but we’ll just have to get on with it. Hopefully he’ll be back.
“Work rate was never one of my biggest attributes. I was never fit or worked hard. I suppose he more or less told me I wouldn’t make it unless I got that into my game.”
Such is the belief Donegal have in their messiah, that MacNiallais has no doubt the Glenties native could go on to manage Glasgow Celtic in the future.
“Definitely – I don’t see what not. What he’s done to this Donegal team. When you look back to 2010 the state, the position this Donegal team were in, they were down and out and he turned that around completely. I don’t see why he couldn’t manage Celtic.”
Eamon McGee says Jim McGuinness's Donegal departure was 'like your woman walking out on you'
WHILE JIM MCGUINNESS was considering his future as Donegal manager in the wake of last month’s All-Ireland final, Odhran MacNiallais says some of the players had a “funny feeling he might go another year.”
In the end, McGuinness chose to step down after four years where he completely transformed the face of Donegal football. Before he took over they were Ulster’s soft touch, but he left them as a steely bunch of winners who understood exactly how far hard work and sacrifice could get you.
It wasn’t easy for them to watch him go.
“It’ll be a tough one not having him there, training and all. It’ll be so different but there’s nothing we can do about that.
MacNiallais was a relative newcomer to the Donegal camp this year, having spent last season, his first in the senior set-up, watching from the bench where he “wasn’t really part of it.” 12 months later he was nominated for an Allstar at midfield, signalling how far he’s come in such a short space of time.
He made his debut in the Dr McKenna Cup in January, and went on to play a part in every Donegal game this year. McGuinness filled him with self-belief and improved his work-rate, to such an extent that MacNiallais credits his former manager with turning him into an inter-county player.
“What he’s done for me personally is massive. Two or three years ago I was playing under-21 for the county but I don’t think I would have had it to go and play senior only for him.
“He kind of pushed me on to become a senior footballer and I can’t thank him enough for that. It was massive for me. It’ll be weird now not having him there but we’ll just have to get on with it. Hopefully he’ll be back.
Such is the belief Donegal have in their messiah, that MacNiallais has no doubt the Glenties native could go on to manage Glasgow Celtic in the future.
“Definitely – I don’t see what not. What he’s done to this Donegal team. When you look back to 2010 the state, the position this Donegal team were in, they were down and out and he turned that around completely. I don’t see why he couldn’t manage Celtic.”
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GAA Jim McGuinness messiah odhran mac niallais