"There is no quick fix here so we must ensure that our intensity, our ruthlessness, our decision-making matches the likes of St Kieran's in Kilkenny, Coláiste Chríost Rí in Cork or Tulla in Clare," he said.
"We are not near those people yet and unless we get there we will continue to suffer at senior level."
Micheál Donoghue may have steered them closer to more favourable ground, but that point is moot now that he has returned to Galway.
The Clarinbridge man was confirmed as Tribes boss for the second time on Monday night, bringing back his 2017 All-Ireland winning selectors Francis Forde and Noel Larkin, and retaining ex Tipp boss Eamon O'Shea, who was brought in by Henry Shefflin last year and whose son Donal is a panellist.
"The appointment of Donoghue's successor is so crucial if the Dubs are to build on his work"
It should be noted that when he took charge of Dublin two years ago, they were a team in transition, with about 50% of the panel unavailable for a variety of reasons.
Donoghue quickly set to work and, out of the 36 players in the squad against Kilkenny in this year’s Leinster final, 16 were brought in by him after taking charge.
While stalwarts like Danny Sutcliffe, Dónal Burke, Sean Brennan, Eoghan O’Donnell, Paddy Smyth and Chris Crummey are as important as ever, the next generation are equally crucial to Dublin’s development.
Paddy Doyle is well established, Brian Hayes impresses every time he plays, Dara Purcell and Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing look extremely promising too.
Mark Grogan, Liam Murphy, Sean Currie, Conor Donohoe and Darragh Power have all broken through, and the panel has real depth.
That’s why the appointment of Donoghue’s successor is so crucial if the Dubs are to build on his work of leading them to successive All-Ireland quarter-finals and this year's Leinster decider.
Donoghue also refined the team’s style, fully embracing the modern game and working the ball through the lines with precise passing.
It may have come unstuck in the Leinster final defeat to Kilkenny, but it shows the faith he had in his players to deploy such intricate plays with so many inexperienced players on board.
Whoever comes in next will have a good panel who have had time to adjust to this brand. And the challenge is to try to drive on to the next level and then stay there.
Inevitably, a number of people will be linked to the position. Former U-20 manager Joe Fortune knows the Dublin scene inside out and is fresh from his spell as Westmeath senior manager.
Shane O'Brien also had time in charge of Westmeath, leading them to the Joe McDonagh Cup in 2021, and is developing players nicely for Dublin at U-20 level.
He linked up with Derek McGrath in 2023. And this year, O'Brien’s U-20 team only lost the Leinster final to the eventual All-Ireland champions Offaly.
Last year’s collaboration with McGrath is understood to have worked well. Due to his knowledge, and his development of his native Waterford - he led them to a Division 1 Allianz Hurling League title and the 2017 All-Ireland final - and holistic management of players, McGrath has frequently been linked with the Dublin hot seat and will be again this time around – also possibly as coach.
Football All-Ireland winning manager Pat Gilroy’s name is another that will be mentioned. He was in charge of the hurlers for the 2018 season before stepping away due to work commitments but remains fully in tune with the game and is currently at the helm of the St Vincent's hurlers.
Kilkenny great and former Laois manager Eddie Brennan is another who could come into contention.
Earlier this year, Dublin played the Cats in an U-19 development final. In their squad, 18 different clubs were represented, some traditional hurling havens and others not so much.
In that context, the game has spread within the county, the board is generous with its backing, reputable managers have been brought in, and while the dual player dilemma will always exist in Dublin, there is much to be positive about.
That’s what makes the next move so crucial.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
