Football

Tyrone need to start 'managing the media message' says Kevin McStay

Kevin McStay says Tyrone need to reconsider how they conduct their media relations in a bid to win the hearts and minds of fans
Kevin McStay says Tyrone need to reconsider how they conduct their media relations in a bid to win the hearts and minds of fans Kevin McStay says Tyrone need to reconsider how they conduct their media relations in a bid to win the hearts and minds of fans

KEVIN McStay believes Tyrone need to start making their presence felt in the south’s media circles in a bid to “manage the message” better than they have done in the past.

The former Roscommon manager and GAA pundit feels the Red Hands are at a disadvantage when it comes to how Mickey Harte’s team are perceived in the south.

McStay did not specifically mention Tyrone’s ongoing RTE ban that will enter its eight season in 2019 but insisted they needed to start contesting the media ground.

Speaking exclusively to The Irish News, the mayo man said: “There is a media game and it’s very important you get your message out. I have good experience of the media.

“I would have a good idea how a story is going to spin out. So it’s really important that you get your message out.

“I actually listed the Kerry presence on the media and then Tyrone’s presence – Peter Canavan, Sean Cavanagh and Philip Jordan and that’s kind of it, with Mickey tipping in and out.

“And a lot of that voice can be northern orientated, so we don’t get to hear it at all. We don’t hear their perspective, the other side.

“I’ve seen how this operates: you go hard on some aspect of Dublin or Kerry [on The Sunday Game] and you better be ready because the cavalry come out Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and that’s the way it is.”

For the last number of years the Red Hands have been deemed something of a Pantomime villian with some high-profile pundits hammering their on-field indiscretions.

McStay added: “I think in the absence of the other voice you just carry on. If you’re not countering it there’s almost an acceptance of: ‘Well, there must be something in it.’

“It’s like having a one-sided argument in radio studio; there is no contrarian view… One of the things you must do is – if you want to win the hearts and minds – you must manage the message and when you want to influence the environment, you must dominate the message. In things like a sending-off, on a Sunday night, shall we call it ‘trial by television’, it’s really important on Monday, if he’s your man and you want him for the following Sunday, you have to get out batting pretty quickly.”

In a wide-ranging interview that will appear in tomorrow’s Irish News, McStay feels Tyrone and Kerry will catch Dublin over the next couple of seasons and never bought into the idea that this year’s All-Ireland final was unwinnable from a Tyrone perspective.

“In that 17th, 18th, 19th minute of the final there was just a cumulative number of incidents that when you put them all together, it was a catastrophe for Tyrone and ending with the penalty.

“It was a little bit shock and awe; you’re jolted, you lose your bearings for a second… But it was certainly winnable. I think it will sustain them over the winter.

“If I was to pick a team who was going to be there next year and the years beyond, with their age profile and their conditioning, it would be Tyrone. And Dublin’s age profile is certainly not as healthy especially in defence.

“They may be bringing in young fellas but is Eoin Murchan any better than [Ronan] McNamee? Is he any better than [Michael] McKernan or [Padraig] Hampsey? It’s the case because he’s won an All-Ireland in his first year but it’s like the Galway team of ’98: once they won the All-Ireland they looked like incredible players.”

McStay outlines his reasons for stepping down as Roscommon manager and admitted he isn’t a fan of the style with which a lot of teams play in the modern game.

“My generation and fellas older than me – 55 to 65 – guys who have followed the game or played the game are finding it increasingly hard to go and watch the game.

“I’m contracted to go and watch it for TV and newspapers; of course, I go and watch it, but I often wondered: ‘Would I go to watch it if I wasn’t working?’”