A week is a long time in politics, but in Mayo football, time transcends all known rules. 

Last week, in what felt like seconds after this column identified the need for “decisive action” around the management decision as one of five talking points related Mayo football, we had a managerial vacancy. 

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Sidenote: I feel the need at this point to emphasise the fact that I do not write the headlines for these columns, and while the piece was presented as ‘Five Actions to Sort Mayo Football’, I would never have such notions of myself, nor the qualifications to claim to have all the answers.

But we live in an online world now where headlines and big ‘reveals’ matter. Words matter. (More on that later.)

Too much has already been said and written about the manner in which the vacancy was announced, and Mayo supporters have been eating themselves alive to argue about it online.

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But the fact of the matter is: several things can be true at once. It is possible to believe that the Mayo GAA Executive acted commendably swiftly and decisively around making this decision, while simultaneously agreeing that their turn of phrase when announcing said decision left a lot to be desired. 

It is possible to hold our now former management team in high regard, and to feel for them on a personal level, while also believing that a change is needed.

Despite what social media would have us believe, it is possible to think outside the dichotomy of black and white, and it is possible to combine the qualities of decisiveness and decorum quite effectively. We can, indeed, have one with the other. 

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WORDS HAVE POWER

THAT the statement “Mayo Senior Football Management are Relieved from their Roles” found itself making headlines in every national media outlet on Thursday morning speaks, however to two truths.

One: this was entirely avoidable. Words hold immense power. PR 101: No matter how urgent the need to get a statement out, take the time to ask yourself how your choice of words will land with the people who like you, the people who hate you and most importantly, with the people you are talking about, and craft them accordingly.

This will save you a hell of a lot of hassle in the long run and will avoid unnecessarily hurting people. Two: the correct phrase is “relieved of”, not “relieved from.”

Like I said, words are important, and when used incorrectly, they make me itch. That’s on me.

But I suspect it has been a hard week for the Mayo GAA Executive, who nevertheless must take collective responsibility for this latest debacle; this is not one to pin on any individual.  

RESPECT AND GOODWILL

LET this column put on the record that despite many frustrations expressed throughout the year, there is huge disappointment in Mayo circles that the outcome for Kevin McStay was not a better one, because no-one wanted him to fail.

There is still huge respect for him and for Stephen Rochford – who brought us so close in the past – and plenty of goodwill, along with a certain amount of sadness at how it has all ended.

We will hear from them both at some point, undoubtedly but it would behove us to wish them the very best. 

WHERE TO FROM HERE

THE weekend will have brought with it some food for thought. Our neighbours, the great (maroon and) white hopes of Championship 2025, dumped out at quarter final stage by giant-killing Meath.

It’s possible – but unlikely - they too will be seeking a new manager. This column hopes not; of all the things Padraic Joyce is or is not, he is never unadventurous, he is never boring, he is rarely afraid to take a risk, and he wears his heart on a sleeve in a way that both endears and entertains. 

There will be huge disappointment across the border, and possibly the departure of some stalwarts.

When Galway won their two All-Irelands in 1998 and 2001 they derived no small amount of pleasure from showing Mayo how it was done.

That would be understandable and even commendable, had that contemptuous attitude not persisted into the modern day.

If Sunday’s result has achieved one thing, it will have finally put paid to the idea that Galway supporters have any reason for which to look down their noses at us anymore.

Like ourselves, they have now lost several big season-ending games in HQ, coughed up too many opportunities. Winning All-Irelands, especially in the modern era, is just a not an easy thing to do. 

Dublin, meanwhile, marked the end of an era with their departure at quarter-final stage and Dessie Farrell’s immediate stage-left exit.

No-one can question his contribution to Dublin football, and in stepping into the shoes of Jim Gavin, he took on an unenviable role and still managed to deliver two All-Irelands.

They, too, will be in the hunt for a solid candidate to rebuild. One of the most fascinating aspects of this championship off the field will be the post-season managerial merry-go-round.

Now that Mayo have gotten off the mark quickly, let’s hope we can capitalise on our time advantage. 
For now, we get to enjoy the final stages of this year’s ground-breaking championship from the comfort of our armchairs.

We’d rather be in the hard seats of the Cusack Stand, but at least from here, we can preserve a few precious years of our own lifetimes by not having to contend with the several small coronaries that such days usually bring for us.

Will Jimmy win more matches? Will the Royals rule the roost? Will Sam return to the Kingdom, after their annihilation of the All-Ireland champions, who would bet against them? Or will dark horses Tyrone sneak in for another unlikely title? 

We can peruse the possibilities at our leisure and thank the FRC for at least making it entertaining.

Let’s hope that this time next year, we’ll be doing so from a different vantage point, and making headlines for the right reasons. 

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