Pressure on bosses is greater than ever

FOR anyone to try to comprehend the pressure on some inter-county managers, just watch them in the hot-seats on TV and listen to their words on radio. And some still say that the League doesn’t matter. Look at the astonishment written all over their faces when best laid plans go awry. We’ve five rounds into the League and some of those managers look and sound affected by it all. It’s clear how serious they take their job – and it’s obvious that, when things go wrong, the negative effect it can have on them. In one aspect it’s fascinating, but I’d actually worry about some of them given the stresses, strain and pressure they find themselves under. Just look at Eamon Burns and what he went through in Down, it was written all over his face. Watching Peadar Healy in Cork last Sunday night, it was a similar story. He’s under serious pressure. Peter Creedon (inset) came from a nice position in Tipperary to Laois, who are at the foot of the table. It’s a huge difference to what he knew before and it’s taking it’s toll. Offaly’s Pat Flanagan came out this week and said he didn’t sleep three or four nights after the hiding Armagh gave his side, and to see what they’re saying about him in county board meetings, it’s surely tough for him. All these men take it so personally and now we’re in week six it’s last-chance saloon for many of them. I’ll be commentating on the Kerry v Cavan game this week but also closely watching how the other games are going – relegation could mean the end of the line for quite a few managers. The pressure is startling. It’s no wonder so many look like ghosts when the final whistle blows and their sides have lost.