‘JACK BACK WILL STOP THE DUBS’
SEAMUS Mcenaney has tipped Kerry to knock all-conquering Dublin “off their perch” in 2020 if Jack O’connor returns as boss.
Former Monaghan, Meath and Wexford boss “Banty” reckons the Dubs will beat Tyrone on Sunday week and ultimately secure the fivein-a-row in 2019.
But he predicts it’ll all end there for Jim Gavin’s crew and they’ll be overhauled by an ambitious young Kerry team – especially if guru O’connor returns.
He is favourite to succeed Eamonn Fitzmaurice and to manage the Kingdom for a third spell following All-ireland wins in 2004, 2006 and 2009. Mcenaney (above) said in an interview with LMFM’S Late Lunch programme that Dublin are “out there on their own at the minute” but this will change.
He added: “They will win five-in-a-row, I think this Dublin team will win five-in-a-row.
“The one thing I will say is that they’re not as good as they were. Dublin is not as good as they were last year, they’re not as good as they were two years ago.
“And I think five-in-a-row will be won and it’s going to end there, if they get it. Kerry is coming with serious talent.”
O’connor knows many of Kerry’s current rising stars well having managed the county to All-ireland minor wins in 2014 and 2015.
Mcenaney said: “Kerry have won four All-ireland minor titles in a row, they’re going to win the fifth one I believe. That will be five minor titles in a row.
“The oldest of those players is 23 next year. Jack O’connor managed them for two years. Will Jack O’connor manage them again?
“I think he’d be a very safe pair of hands for Kerry because he knows those players, he’s been there, he’s won All-irelands on two shifts already. If Jack O’connor comes back in I think he will take Dublin off their perch.”
Mcenaney paid O’connor the ultimate tribute by arguing he managed one of the greatest teams ever, even better than the current Dublin side.
Asked if the Kerry and Tyrone teams that carved up eight All-irelands between them in the 2000s are better than the current Dublin team, Mcenaney said: “Yes, yes is the answer to that question. My belief is that the Tyrone team of the noughties and the Kerry team of the noughties – it’s very hard to pick which team was the best team of that decade, they were that good – I believe those two teams were the best two teams of all time.”