Geezer can edge of wills with

IT’S RARE that there’s such a big build-up to a League game a Division Two one at that.

But I’ve read and heard plenty about Armagh v Donegal all week.

Here’s the thing, it isn’t anywhere near as important as many are making it out to be.

Yes, it will be the first real barometer of how far Donegal have progressed since Jim Mcguinness came back.

Yes, it could help propel Armagh back to Division One —

where they really want to be.

But it’s not going to make or break either team’s League campaign, let alone their season.

One of the most interesting aspects to the game is the sideline clash between Mcguinness and Kieran Mcgeeney.

To me, they’re two of the most fascinating men in Gaelic football. Not afraid to speak their minds, intense in the way they carry themselves, and pivotal in the capture of both counties’ last All-ireland.

They are different personalities, though, don’t get me wrong.

Obviously, I know Jim well and my personal interactions with Mcgeeney amount to staring contests, verbals, and one of those wrestling matches you wish you didn’t get involved in.

Strong

Bar a charity boxing fight with Kevin Cassidy, I’ve never come across anyone as strong as Mcgeeney.

There is a cult of the manager in the GAA but, more often than not, the team with the best players wins out.

Donegal from 2011 inwards would have been seen as totally transformed under Jim, but he didn’t inherit a crowd of duds either.

Management and coaching clearly was a huge interest of both men, giving how quick they went into it after playing.

Jim would have been Donegal manager at an even younger age but he was turned down the first time he went for it.

Mcgeeney took over in Kildare shortly after he finished up with Armagh.

Jim has the track record in terms of silverware that Mcgeeney doesn’t have but he hasn’t had the best of luck either.

In 2011 against us, Kildare had a goal wrongly disallowed for us in the All-ireland quarter-finals.

A year later, in the semifinals, Benny Coulter was given a goal for Down that shouldn’t have stood.

If he’d got the breaks, Mcgeeney could have had Kildare in an All-ireland final.

Breaks

He’s hardly had the breaks with Armagh, either.

Three penalty shoot-out defeats in big games — an Ulster final and two Allireland quarter-finals — in the past two seasons must be hard to take.

Mcguinness and Mcgeeney have been able to make the jump from playing to managing fairly smoothly but that isn’t the case with so many others.

Just look at Kildare. Their management team is made up of some of their most respected players of the past 60 years.

Yet they are struggling big time. I saw it in my time with Donegal. Players who were regarded as legends just not being able to get things working in management.

I now realise the vast gulf between playing and management that is hard to breach.

As a player, you essentially rock up and do as you’re told.

But managers have so much on their plates — dealing with everything from bus drivers to sponsors to County Board to the media. It’s a long, long list.

Also, I find that top players often struggle to explain what they want done.

Maybe it’s because they were so good — they can’t understand how others aren’t able to do or see the same things.