David Brady has announced his retirement a few times over the past few years and, in the wake of Ballina's Connacht club title success on Sunday, he's sort of done it again by intimating that the victory was all the sweeter as "it's probably my last one".That still leaves plenty of room for confusion as to when exactly he plans to pull on his cardie and slippers. Is this year (i.e. 2007) his last? Or will he call it a day once Ballina's club campaign is over (i.e. 17th March 2008 at the latest?) Or is he still going to make himself available for the county next year? Probably, I'd say. DB isn't a first fifteen man anymore but he's still someone that would be good to have in the squad and who could still have a part to play over the course of 2008, preferably not just to come on when we're two or three goals down either.
Incidentally, there's been quite a funny bout of handbags at dawn on the Mayofans.com message board over Brady's performance for Ballina on Sunday, where it has been alleged that he was a "disgrace" with all his "divin and pretendin to be injured". Quite right - we're the nice guys of Gaelic football aren't we? Pure as the driven snow, always playing the game as it should be played and bugger the consequences. Jesus wept: what would the reaction be if a team from Mayo actually engaged in a bit of rough stuff itself?
2 comments:
Broken Link ("bout of handbags at dawn") for the MayoFans message board...
I dont think JOM will bother with Brady this year. When it counted against Derry and Galway last year he didnt have anything to offer. A year on and I dont think he has even less. He was great servant for Mayo all the same, and its a shame he didnt get a fair chance in our big days in Croke Park.
He is hilarious though with some of the stuff he comes out with to the media. From talking to Keith Duggan about about the '06 AIF against and being "sent in to look for survivors" (priceless), to when he (every year) says he wont be back for Mayo and the remarks about "playing through the pain barrier". I often laugh out loud and look forward to what he can up with next. Some people find it offensive but ya have to take what he says with a pinch of salt!
Did you read that extract of Keith Duggans new book? Or did ya go out and buy a copy? Ill have it as a stocking filler for the Christmas hopefully.
Hi Ruaidhri, DB is a character, alright, and even though his best days are well behind him, it would still be good to have him around, even if only in the backroom. Do you remember the way he was the one doing the revving up when the team was in a huddle prior to the Dublin game last year? And the way, later on that afternoon, when he landed Whelan on his arse and then stood over him growling into his face? His forceful personality is an asset and (although it didn't admittedly happen in Salthill last year) when he's there, we don't get pushed around as much.
I've read Keith Duggan's book and really enjoyed it - see my post of 12th November where I reviewed it. If you don't get to read it before Christmas, it would definitely make a great stocking filler.
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