Time to park current ‘narrative’ and judge Dubs on medals haul
DUBLIN manager Jim Gavin is still sticking to his guns, and insisting that his team are not top dogs when it comes to manhandling the rules of the game. This week, at the launch of the Leinster Championship in the Pearse Museum, he started up again about the ‘narrative’ doing the rounds that points a big finger at Dublin being a mean and cynical football team.
‘When you see that narrative going about us...,’ Gavin stated, ‘are referees being influenced by that narrative? I would hope not.’
Defending his team, as every boss does, is fine but the facts of the last few years deafen Gavin’s defence. Dublin are a tough team, and they know how to play it mean (on and off the ball) and the list of misdemeanours against his players – and that can be pasted up on the door of the Dublin dressing-room if necessary – should be more troubling for him.
By continuing to talk about what is being said about his team, Gavin stands indicted of continuing with a ‘dual narrative’.
Perhaps it is better to draw a line in the sand, and agree to judge Dublin on everything they do from this month forward in their historic quest to lift a three in-a-row of All-Ireland titles.
Let’s judge them day by day, match by match. A clean slate?
Dublin deserve that because, whatever we may think of their physicality, they are also one of the greatest football teams of all time, and certainly the most entertaining team in the game today.
Their manager is also a brilliant and inspirational figurehead – not just for his own team, but for everyone watching on and worrying about the future of a game in danger of being lost to defensive strangleholds.
Jim Gavin and Dublin are a breath of fresh air, in other words. That’s one ‘narrative’.
If another less attractive ‘narrative’ recommences about any future misdeeds then that will entirely be down to the Dublin football team.