40 CALDWELL HAILS McHALE IMPACT ON COUNTY SIDE
MAYO ladies footballer Danielle Caldwell says working under former county star Liam McHale has been amazing.
All-Ireland finalist McHale, part of the Mayo men’s set-up last year under Kevin McStay, took over from Michael Moyles this year.
Caldwell has found McHale’s attacking approach a breath of fresh air.
All Star Caldwell said: “It’s been amazing. “Obviously, we had Michael for the last three years and he did amazing work with us so we have a really good foundation, a good base.
“Liam has brought in his team and it’s obviously a new perspective on football, a new gameplan.
“It’s very exciting.
We’re getting on great with him and we’re delighted with how smoothly everything has been going so far.”. Caldwell continued: “I suppose his main thing is that we express ourselves and enjoy our football, which I think is coming through on the pitch.
“Then obviously, he’s very attacking minded so he wants us to just play what’s in front of us and attack.
“I don’t think he loves the defending that you see in the men’s game.
“So we’re trying to become an attacking team and it’s been enjoyable.
“One hundred per cent, training is tough. Training is always going to be tough when you’re performing at a top level.
“He’s pushing us hard and he’s definitely asking us tough questions.
“With that, that’s making us better footballers.
“Training is good. It’s challenging and he’s just trying to get the best out of us as footballers.”
Caldwell says a more defensive style of play has crept into ladies football, “but definitely not as much as the men’s.”
She said: “In Ladies football we’re still putting up high scores on the board whereas in the men’s it could be five or six point games at the end.”
Caldwell’s Mayo have been hit harder than most by the exodus to Women’s AFL.
“I think we have six or seven out in the AFL,” she said.
“And none of them are coming back to play with us this year.
“They would have been the foundation of our team for years and now not to have that foundation where we’re depending on other people to quickly fall into their roles.
“To be honest, they haven’t been with us for years so we’re just focusing on ourselves. But it is a huge loss.
Worry
“Rachel (Kearns) was with us last year and she’s not coming back now this year.
“Obviously, it is a big worry for the ladies game, the amount of players going out.
“And the standard (of them) because all these players going out are probably the standard bearers of the game.
“They’re the elite of the elite. So, to be losing them is tough and the game is probably going to suffer for it a little bit.
“It’s unfortunate the girls aren’t able to play with us but it is what it is.”
Caldwell describes it as “an amazing opportunity”.
“I wouldn’t begrudge them,” she says.
“They’re our friends at the end of the day.
“As people, we want them to succeed and to do whatever is best for them.
“But as a county we’ve been hit massively compared to the rest.”
Physio Caldwell says she’s currently focused on her job: “
“It’s (WAFL) not something that has come on my radar too much.
“You don’t know where you’re going to be in a year’s time so we’ll see what the future holds.”