Former All-Star scathing of Kildare
It is all down to midnset inists the former star
Former All-star, Martin Lynch, questioned Kildare players mindset at a meeting of Kildare co. Board at Manguard Park, Hawkfield, last night.
The meeting which ratified manager Brian Flanagan’s continued role for 2027, along with Davy Burke and Damian Hendy, heard a lot of criticism from the floor but it was Martin Lynch’s contribution that caught the attention.
The Clane man, who played in the 1998 All-Irealnd final against Galway said he felt what is wrong is the ‘mindset’ not just of the players but with everyone involved in Kildare, everyone.
The school master asked a few pertinent questions in his contribution, asking: “is true the day before the Kildare senior team played Kerry the manager and a number of players spent the day at a wedding?
“Is it true a number of players booked holidays to the US before that Kerry game because if that is true, I would say the mindset in Kildare is very disappointing, it champions mediocrity if that kind of stuff was allowed to happen, the mindset in Kildare needs to change.”
Lynch insisted over and over again the mindset must change emphasising that there are three stages to success: Hoping, Believing and Knowing.
“The boys are stuck in hope” said Martin, adding "I would meet lads now and again and ask them how will you get on this year? “I hope we will do well.” Not good enough, he enthused. “You have to move on to the mindset of believing and knowing they are going to do it.”
Recalling his own playing days in the Micko era he said “back when we were playing in Spring ‘97, we got scutchings from the Dubs a few times in a row, we made a decision to change the mindset and for the next half a dozen years we were as good as any other team in the country; we need to stop the negativity; if it is Brian (Flanagan) that is there this year we need to start creating a mindset in Kildare, big time.”
The talented midfielder said that the general consensus, outside of Kildare, is a joke and it is soft.
"I go down to Kerry a bit; the Kerry boys can name off the top footballers in Kildare and they are saying to me if those boys were in Kerry they would be super stars, why are they not winning”?
When the chairman was asked what is Brian Flanagan’s goals for 2027 he replied “promotion and getting to a Leinster final.”
Not good enough insisted Martin Lynch, “we should be aiming for Division 1 football and not just getting to a Leinster final but winning it.”