Nallen backs Keane in new Mayo role

COACHING ROLE Joe Keane

Ger Flanagan

FORMER Mayo defender James Nallen has backed his old club-mate Joe Keane to deliver in his new coaching role with the Mayo senior footballers, saying he was always ‘one of those that really challenged other players within the group’.
Keane – who was added to the back-room team of the Mayo senior set-up recently by another one of his former Crossmolina team-mates, Stephen Rochford – had been coaching the Mayo under-21s for the past two seasons, and Nallen feels this experience will stand to all parties.
“He [Keane] would have a good rapport with the young guys that are in the squad at the moment from the under-21 success and he has a big interest in training and body conditioning,” he told The Mayo News.
“If you just look at the man himself, he has lived that lifestyle through his club success through the years, so it’s a good appointment.”
Having played alongside Keane in that famous Crossmolina team of 2001 that won the All-Ireland senior club championship, Nallen revealed that the garda is meticulous in his planning and a natural born leader.
“He would have been one of the players in the group that made sure there were right structures in place and the right people in charge, to get the best out of us,” he said.
“He was one of the guys in training pushing hard, leading the charge and one of the players that really challenged other players.”
And as for his presence in and around the dressing room? He had a no-nonsense approach, but possessed a constant desire to improve others.
“He was a straight shooter,” Nallen said. “It won’t be soft talk but at the same time it will be giving you the hard stuff with an arm around the shoulder.
“He will be giving you solutions and then, it will be up to you to work hard and work on what you need in order to become a better player.”