O’Sullivan: calm Gavin a ‘positive’ on sideline

CIAN O’SULLIVAN insists Jim Gavin’s calm demeanour on the sideline is a positive for Dublin.

Gavin has come in for criticism from some corners after he displayed little emotion in the wake of Dublin completing their three-ina-row. And while O’Sullivan (above) admits that it “fascinates” people, he maintains that that is just his way.

“He’s a really calm and collected guy,” O’Sullivan said. “I don’t know whether that’s from the army training or pilot training – whether you’re taught that if something is going wrong with the aircraft and you’re at the helm, you need to be calm and you need to be able to make key decisions in intense moments – maybe there’s something in that.”

The Kilmacud man insists knowing Gavin will remain calm on the sideline is a boost.

COMFORT

“For us, it’s obviously a massive source of comfort to know that there is a guy like that steering the ship. It does fascinate people but that’s what Jim is like.

“He’s been like that since I’ve known him, since I played U-21s. There’s a photo I love from after the 2015 All-Ireland final and Mick Deegan is jumping up behind him, cheering, with the biggest smile and his face… and Jim is just walking out, stone cold onto the pitch to congratulate the players. That’s just his demeanour. And it’s a positive from a player’s perspective. Definitely.”

And after Pat Gilroy was linked with the role as the county’s next hurling manager, O’Sullivan believes his former manager would be a huge success.

“He’s been incredibly successful in all fields of management, whether that’s in the businesses that he’s been involved in or the teams he’s been involved in; Vincent’s and the Dublin team in 2009, ’10, ’11 and ’12. So he has all those qualities that it takes to be a fantastic manager.”