“He’ll certainly continue to keep pushing us on and there’s no feeling that we need a fresh face or anything like that.” – Jack McCaffrey
Jack McCaffrey expects Jim Gavin to be at the helm next season and insists that the Dublin manager hasn’t indicated to the players that he won’t.
There has been speculation since the All Ireland Final replay over Kerry that Gavin might step down from his position as the Dublin manager a position he has held since late 2012.
After Dublin completed the historic five in a row Gavin walked around Croke Park after the trophy presentation waving to the fans, it was the first time in his reign that Jim had done that and some seen this as Gavin saying goodbye to the Dublin supporters.
Having managed his Dublin squad to a feat that had eluded every other county since the formation of the association no one would begrudge Jim if he decided he wanted to go out at the top.
Coach Declan Darcy was interviewed by GAA.ie three days after the Kerry win and was asked if Jim was ready to pull the plug and he replied;
“In fairness to Jim, he leads that work ethic, he’s phenomenal. He just works, works, works so hard and he’s very diligent. I think it has taken a lot out of him, so whether he has the energy to pursue it, I don’t know.”
Time will tell but Footballer of the Year nominee Jack McCaffrey insists Gavin is the only one he wants to see on the sideline next season and speaking to 2FM’s Game On this week said Jim hasn’t indicated to the players he is about to take off the Bainisteoir bib.
“It’s completely up to him obviously. If he wants to do it, it’s there for him. He’s given us no indication that he won’t. But, you know, we’ll have to see.
“He’ll certainly continue to keep pushing us on and there’s no feeling that we need a fresh face or anything like that. He just finds these little extra inches year on year, week on week.
“He’s just a hugely impressive man and obviously very important to my career as well. We definitely get a lot of it from Jim and from the whole management team as well and then we’re empowered to bring our own thing as well.
“Everyone brings a little bit of something different, but from him it’s always about Dublin GAA, remembering who you’re representing, where you’re from, your family. He sets that standard and it permeates down to the rest of us.”
Gavin’s contract was extended to 2021 in mid December of last year and Jim did comment in an interview after the game that he would be in charge next season, he was hardly going to say anything different at that time.
But that could change when he sits down to reflect not only on the season and it’s historic nature but also the demands of the role and if he has the time and energy to go at it for an eight year.
As the old saying goes ‘watch this space’
