GAA – ahead of the start of the National League, former player Alan Molloy explains why Down players should be confident of achieving promotion to Division two.
EXPECT heads-up football, a stronger squad and promotion to Division Two for Down, that’s the analysis of former Down player Alan Molloy ahead of this year’s National League.
The Mourne Observer asked the Loughinisland man, who played for his county for over a decade, if he thought Down could gain promotion this season.
He said, “Promotion is a definite goal for them and I think they will get it.
“Trying to get out of any league is difficult but I do think that they have the players there to do it.
“I would be very confident that they would get promotion, they are in a good place.
“The league doesn’t lie. We are where we are based on results. You just have to shake that. It is a reset.
“As a county we want to be back in the all-Ireland series.”
The reason for his confidence comes from a number of places. He says that the team is stronger from last year, and they have the right attitude.
The other reason is that they have the right manager.
“Conor Laverty is the right man for the job. He is fanatical. He is a good motivator and knows his football inside-out. He knows what is going on in every county, every club nearly.
“The county is in good hands. Bringing in Ciaran Meenagh is a good sign too. He knows how to surround himself with good people.
“He surrounds himself with people who have a passion for the game.”
Alan said that players seem to respond well to the manager.
“Anyone I have ever spoken to about him rate him so highly for his attention to detail and for his motivation.
“He has had success as a player and is going to translate that into management.”
He also pointed out that the squad is stronger than it has been in a number of years.
The introduction of the players from last season’s U-20 team which won the Ulster title will only help.
“I think they have got more players in there. An example from my own club is Oisin Savage who is coming through from the U-20s.
“From what I have seen he is a clinical finisher.
“I don’t know about this year. But he is a real prospect.”
But key to making sure that those younger players make their mark is the guidance from more senior players.
And Alan said that there are some great leaders on the Down team. One of those is Liam Kerr.
“Up front he is a real threat. I have seen him at club level. He is a handful.
“He is phenomenal and it will take the likes of him to bring the players through from a forwards point of view.”
In defence, Pearse Laverty is a player that Alan holds in high regard.
“He is a fantastic leader. He is one of the guys who is going to set the standard.
“I thought he was fantastic. He stands out as a leader, definitely.
“Defensively you need that rock, and he (Pearse Laverty) is becoming that man.
“Daniel Guinness as well is one of those leaders.
“And there are still plenty of good players around the club scene, the Guinness brothers for example. They are good leaders and are stepping up to the plate.”
The modern game of football has developed into a possession-focused game where winning kickouts and limiting turnovers, or forcing them, is important.
Yet Alan said he expects Conor Laverty to encourage an exciting brand of football.
“I think Conor is in there his initial year, new managers will be defensive at the start but then once they get around the squad and know what they have, then they transition from defensive play to forward play.
“They will become quicker and slicker, which is what you will see this year.
“There will be a lot of emphasis on heads up play and getting forward as quick as you can. He knows what he has now and has been working with the players.
“The key to it is once you turn over the ball how quick you can get it to the forwards.”
So if they have the right manager and the right players how can they approach the season in order to be successful?
Alan says it is a simple process of focusing on small victories.
“You don’t look too far ahead. You have to treat each game with the respect that it deserves. Each team is going to be difficult to beat. Especially those away journeys. You really have to knuckle down and aim for away points.
“Home games take on energy of their own.”
Perhaps the one reason why that will be hard to do is the pressure of needing to succeed.
Down are the fancied team to gain promotion out of Division Three, will that expectation prey upon the players’ minds? Not so says Alan.
“There are all good players there. And they are all well equipped to deal with the pressure with playing with their clubs, especially the senior players who have bene around for a while.
“Pressure is why you put the red and black jersey on. That comes with it, and what has happened in the past with Down and its history.
“That is a given and that is what you have to accept and deal with that pressure that is what the senior players are there for, to help the younger players deal with that pressure.”
