You played a great Hand Mickey, but you gotta know when to fold ‘ em
THE great debate rages on this week over Mickey Harte - should he stay or should he go?
A growing amount of fans seem to feel they have the right to be judge and jury on Mickey Harte’s Tyrone tenure. Indeed, it’s been a hot topic for each of the last four to five years when their All- Ireland quest ends.
Very few of the great managers get out on time or leave on their own terms. Jim Gavin is a absolute freak of nature in this regard.
You just look back at some of the godfathers of Gaelic football; Sean Boylan, Mick O’dwyer Pete Mcgrath and now Harte. Rightfully so, they had control over everything to do with the game in their counties - that’s the players, supporters and the county board.
This job was their life, and t h e a mazing j oy t h e y d e l i v e r e d a f f o r d e d them this luxury.
These men just c ouldn’t l et go.
They became so e m o t i o n a l l y a t t a c h e d a n d e n t r e n c h e d i n everything to do with the team.
I t c o mpl e t e l y c onsum e d t h e i r lives.
Throw i n t h e i r strong g single- g mindedness and you can see why these men don’t go easily.
From their point of view, the great s u c c e s s they brought maybe gave them a sense of invincibility.
Jim Gavin ( inset) knew the time was right to go. His decision was brave and self less.
He saw another li fe outside of the Dublin t eam and graceful l y handed the torch to Dessie Farrell.
A f t e r o v e r a decade i n a j ob, there is no other l i f e o ut s i d e o f f ootball . You’re ingrained in it so long you become institutionalised to the cause and this has become the case with Mickey Harte.
I ’ve always said his 2003, 2005 and 2008 AllI r e l a n d w i n s w e r e o n e o f t h e greatest achievements ever in Gaelic football.
But there’s nothing more sad to see than a great manager or player who w won’t let go when t they believe they a are bigger than the t eam i tself. I It’s then they are in trouble.
It ’s 12 years since Harte won an All- Irel and. He s houl d b e breaking bread with t h e n e w management with a bi g smile on his face of pride and satisfaction.
With the utmost respect, now is the time for Mickey Harte to be totally honest and do what’s best for the players and the county.
This isn’t about Harte any more, it’s about the right decision for the greater good of the county. He has to give a new, energetic management team his blessing.
The people closest to Harte, his family and friends, now have a duty of care to protect him from himself.
In my neutral but very honest opinion, now is the time for Harte to walk away with dignity as one of the greatest managers of all time.
Gavin handed the torch on gracefully to Dessie Farrell