Fitness of Tyrone more proof of game’s evolution

Something must be stirring in Tyrone football when Brian McGuigan admits he would struggle to find a place on the current team. Not because of his football skills, naturally. Simply because of the evolution of the game – on and off the field.

Sunday’s Ulster football semi-final against Cavan will present further evidence of this: McGuigan feels his traditional role as a centre forward – he won three All-Irelands with Tyrone – has been largely eliminated by modern tactics, including in Tyrone, while the fast counter-attacking game of today might not suit his style.

Off the field he also sees the current Tyrone players watching what they eat and drink. McGuigan usually ordered a takeaway the evening before a championship match, regularly enjoyed a few pints after the game, and realises that wouldn’t go down well these days.

“ You need to be full of running and fitness. Look at Dublin and Donegal, it’s about moving the ball from defence into the attack, and the big change in Tyrone this year is Colm Cavanagh. Last year he’d have been the sweeper, around the D-area, and would have stayed in that area, or walked out of it. Now if the ball breaks he’s charging out of that area, getting on the end of some moves. Mattie Donnelly is the same, and that requires a massive amount of fitness.

“I was on the sideline, against Derry, and looking at the players I couldn’t believe myself the way they’ve physically improved. Peter Donnelly [their fitness coach] has done a massive amount of work there. Don’t get me wrong, you still need the football ability to make that next step but, physically wise, Tyrone are up there with the best.”

For McGuigan, speaking in Croke Park at the launch of the Bord Gáis Energy Legends Tour Series, those tactics have almost made extinct the creative centre forward position he once ruled.

“I always say the main aim of teams now is to cover the position that I used to play. I would have always tried to find pockets of space out on the wing and at the top of the D, but there is just no room to manoeuvre anymore.

“You saw Donegal last Sunday, Michael Murphy had to come out the field, because he just doesn’t get the space that he would inside, and that is just the way the game has gone, the way teams set themselves up.”

In order to reach that level of fitness, he suggests, players are making ever increasing sacrifices off the field.

Prepared food

“I was at an event last Saturday night, five or six of the Tyrone lads were at it, and even what they’re eating and drinking at these events is different. It’s as if football is everything. They were just sipping away at the water, maybe had their own water bottles with them. And whenever the food was set out on the table they weren’t eating it. They must have had their prepared food with them, or already in them.”

McGuigan certainly expects Tyrone to have enough to beat Cavan on Sunday, and go on to win Ulster. Cavan have not beaten Tyrone in Ulster since 1983. “If you’re talking about hunger then Tyrone’s hunger should outweigh anything that Donegal and Monaghan are going to give in Ulster.”