Sport

Paddy Heaney: The time is right for Mickey Harte to cash in his chips and walk away

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte (red cap) and his team before taking on Donegal at Ballybofey on Sunday October 18 2020. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin.
Tyrone manager Mickey Harte (red cap) and his team before taking on Donegal at Ballybofey on Sunday October 18 2020. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin. Tyrone manager Mickey Harte (red cap) and his team before taking on Donegal at Ballybofey on Sunday October 18 2020. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin.

I can remember the press briefing when Mickey Harte was unveiled as the new Tyrone manager like it was yesterday.

The Tyrone county board organised an afternoon event in Quinn’s Corner. This was unheard of at the time because county boards didn’t hold press briefings for anything.

Yet, there we were in Quinn’s Corner absolutely delighted to be out of the office, and thrilled to be back in an establishment which served the best chicken goujons in the world (the highlight of every Ulster GAA Writers’ Meeting).

The table where Mickey was seated was bookended with those glossy pull down posters. A Club Tyrone touch. Again, this investment in marketing was all very new and very un-GAA.

It was done because the Tyrone county board was keen to paint a new picture. Let’s remember that Mickey Harte replaced Art McRory and Eugene McKenna. It wasn’t a clean break. It rarely is. Due to health reasons, Art couldn’t guarantee his commitment to the role. Because Art and Eugene McKenna were appointed as joint managers, the county board took the view that McKenna couldn’t automatically assume the reins. There was a lot of discord and disharmony over how this situation was handled.

But the county board still pushed ahead with a new appointment process and Mickey got the nod ahead of Eugene McKenna, Brian McIver and Peter Doherty.

When he was presented to the media that day in Quinn’s Corner, there was a palpable sense that the county board was desperate to draw a line under the past and start afresh with their new man.

In Mickey Harte, they had the dream candidate. Mickey was like the Barack Obama of Gaelic Football.

Not only was he intelligent, engaging and open, he was all those things to the media. On top of that, he also encouraged his players to be themselves and not be afraid of journalists.

Undaunted and unafraid of all-comers, Harte was entering an Ulster Championship in which Armagh were the All-Ireland champions. And to make things even better for us sports journalists, Joe Kernan was just as media friendly and charismatic as Harte.

It was truly the Golden Age of GAA Journalism! I have great memories from those times. Our southern based colleagues were openly envious of our working conditions. As they were dealing with the Yerra-Yerra Brigade, we in the north could lift the phone to the two best managers in the country.

Harte’s role in his county’s All-Ireland victories can never be over-stated.

Yes, Tyrone had great forwards. But so too did Armagh. Oisin McConville, John McEntee, Diarmuid Marsden, Ronan Clarke and Steven McDonnell. Enough said.

Kerry were no slouches up front either. The Kerry forward line in 2003 featured Dara O Cinneide, Mike Frank Russell, Declan O’Sullivan and Colm Cooper.

While Tyrone had great players, so too did Kerry and Armagh.

It was Harte’s psychology, coaching and tactical nous which gave Tyrone those vital inches – and they needed every one of them.

With a hugely talented bunch of players coupled with Harte’s top notch tactics and coaching, Tyrone won three All-Ireland titles.

But today those conditions no longer exist. It could be argued that Kerry, Dublin, Mayo and Donegal have stronger panels than Tyrone. Moreover, Mickey Harte has lost his competitive advantage on the sideline.

It’s not that Mickey has got worse. It’s simply a case that the other counties have caught up. In the case of Jim Gavin and Jim McGuinness, both surpassed him.

All this leads to the question of what is Mickey Harte’s best option now that his three year term has come to an end.

It is 12 years since the Sam Maguire Cup entered the Red Hand County at Aughnacloy.

If a referendum was held in Tyrone this week, how many would vote in favour of Harte retaining the job?

Yes, it’s a moot point. Sixty three million Americans voted for that clampit Donald Trump so democracy clearly doesn’t always identify the best man, however it is a great gauge of popularity.

And that’s the real concern for Mickey Harte. His legacy in the annals of Tyrone football is guaranteed as is his standing as one of greatest managers of all time.

However, for the last number of years Mickey has been trying to win a high stakes game of poker, but he no longer has the best cards, and he’s no longer the best player at the table. The odds are stacked against him. With each game he loses, his bundle of chips gets smaller and smaller. No-one wants to see that.

Harte’s obvious successor is Feargal Logan. Like Harte, he has guided his county to an All-Ireland U21 title. Logan’s management team included Peter Canavan.

The Glencull connection means it’s highly unlikely Peter Canavan will join the Logan ticket if Mickey Harte doesn’t step aside, and that’s where thing could get complicated, possibly messy.

As stated previously, history tells us there is rarely a clean break with these things. But it would be great if there was.

It would be a relief to see Mickey Harte pick up his chips and step away from the table. He owes that to himself.

As for the Tyrone supporters who are craving to see a new man at the helm, they also need a reality check.

There will be no repeat of Quinn’s Corner, Tuesday 19th November, 2002. The man we met that day was a one off.

Whoever is in charge next year, whether it’s Mickey Harte or his successor, Tyrone will not be landing the big prize any time soon.