Kilclief manager Aidan Burns says that adopting a common-sense approach to coaching has yielded great results this season.
Kilclief play Ardglass on Friday (Páirc Esler, 7.30pm) in the Junior Football Championship final.
Burns, who is from Castlewellan and is in his first year in charge of the footballers, explained that rather than play a style of football that he thought would be successful, he instead played to Kilclief’s strengths.
“There was no massive shift when I came in, in terms of me telling them what they were going to do, or the way they were going to play. It took me a few weeks to figure out what their strengths were. I was clear and honest with the boys. I said that I would improve them, but in terms of what they want to do and how they play—rather than me playing a style that they are not suited to.”
Aidan said that one of the team’s strengths is making good decisions in-game.
“We have talked about creating overloads, the two-on-one or the two-on-three situations. And we have worked on getting the right person taking a shot. If there is a six out of ten shooter in a shooting position, they give it to the eight out of ten shooter. The lads have come on leaps and bounds this year.”
Aidan, who coaches the team along with Conor Sloan, Neil Curran, Jarlath Magee and Greg Holland, said that he has been most impressed with how the team have responded to their coaching.
“I went in not knowing what was there in terms of the players and the talent. At the start of the year the goal was to push into the top six and try and get a run in the championship—a win or two. Since I have come in I couldn’t have asked for a better group. The attitude, the honesty and commitment have all been first class. They have responded brilliantly to everything that I have asked. They are quite a together squad. That stood out to me. They seem to be friendly.”
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