Horan: ‘When you've so many games so close, sometimes management can get nervous'
This is the crunch period. For a host of contenders, the path to the All-Ireland semi-finals would involve three games in as many weeks.
This weekend's All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-finals is one week before the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals. Speaking on the Irish Examiner's Gaelic football podcast for subscribers, former Mayo manager James Horan said the eight managers involved will be at pains to make sure they manage this week correctly.
'When you have so many games so close, sometimes management can get nervous,' he said.
'They give too much information to players, nearly to make themselves feel good. That can be one of the worst things you can do. I'd say already, if I was involved, the information has gone out to the players.
'Straight after the draw, to try give that sense that you have got a head-start on the others. A lot of the analysts would have done the work on the potential teams you would be playing. That simplified, concise information is already gone out to the players 15 minutes after the draw. They have the whole week planned out, potential sessions and what you will cover.'
The draw sees Dublin take on Cork, Down versus Galway, Donegal face Louth and Kerry play Cavan.
'Ultimately, those games are on next Saturday and Sunday, you have very limited time. You pick one or two things you are going to improve on from your side. You look at how you can kill the opposition with one or two things.
'It is a classic coaching thing. Some coaches try to coach everything. They see a player drop a ball, they coach that. They see a player not moving enough, they shout at him about that. It's not real coaching. Messages everywhere and nothing sinks in. Targeted messaging that is very clear to the players.
'All the players need to know is when we are meeting, we are working on this in the session. That's all. The logistics and all can be finalised. A nice amount of information, we have something extra and away we go. The mental fatigue is worse than the physical fatigue.'
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Photograph: Ryan Byrne/inpho I don't necessarily think it's too early for them and they'll certainly not feel that themselves. Malachy O'Rourke has them motoring nicely. They were well superior to Cavan and as with their best performance, there was a nice spread of scorers, 11 and Darren McCurry in top form. They'll be quietly confident and happy with where they're at. I think being straight into the quarter-finals is a huge advantage over whoever the opposition will be. 5. Kerry Kerry's Gavin White. Photograph: Tom O'Hanlon/Inpho Losing to Meath isn't the end of the world for Kerry. It will sharpen their teeth and the extra game will do them no harm even though they'll be expected to beat Cavan at home (talk to Mayo about that!). They were missing six players, including heavyweights like Paudie Clifford, Seán O'Shea and Diarmuid O'Connor, which is no reflection on Meath but gives Jack O'Connor room to improve. He's led them the long way around to All-Irelands in the past but improvement is required. 6. Dublin Dublin's John Small. Photograph: Evan Logan Dublin's win in Newry was impressive because Derry are no bad team. There is a difference when they're at full strength and Dessie Farrell will need everyone on board if they make inroads. Con O'Callaghan looks irreplaceable for them but they look like they're getting close to their best team on the pitch now at this stage. Consistency has been an issue but they should still have the beating of Cork in Croke Park and after the group, Armagh can't play them in the quarters. 7. Monaghan Micheal Bannigan of Monaghan. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho It looks a bit unfair on Monaghan listing them at seven but while they would give any of the top six a game – and did against Donegal in Ulster – they haven't the same consistent experience as those counties. They won Division Two and topped their group here. 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