Football

Times have changed but Mickey Harte's passion for Tyrone remains the same

Mickey Harte says he never takes the privilege of managing Tyrone for granted
Mickey Harte says he never takes the privilege of managing Tyrone for granted Mickey Harte says he never takes the privilege of managing Tyrone for granted

THE world is virtually unrecognisable to the one that Mickey Harte inhabited more than a quarter of a century ago.

It was around 1991 the Errigal Ciaran man became involved with managing Tyrone’s county teams.

He remembers the early days with fondness.

In some respects technological advances has made his job easier.

For instance, he no longer has to patch together match analysis on VHS video tapes.

And yet, with all the mod cons, the hours of study are longer than ever.

“It takes more time because there is more forensic examination of your own play and the opposition’s play,” Harte says.

“Of course, we have better equipment to do that now. I used to do it on old VHS videos and you were stopping and starting it – that was maybe back in the days with the minors.

“But it’s now computer and we’re very lucky to have someone like Eamonn McGirr [video analyst] who has everything on computer for us nearly before we get home from the match.

“He does a lot of collating of aspects of play that we want and he’d have them with us and with the players within 24 hours.”

Video analysis, Harte says, is one of the most enjoyable aspects of management.

“I probably enjoy it most of all – to be able to spot things and see trends and to point out to our players the things that we’re trying to do on the training field that work for them…

“It’s always great when you can endorse what you’re trying to do on the training field – that this is why we do this.”

Harte also notes the cultural changes in players during his 15 years at the senior helm.

Gone are the days, he says, when he would have to keep a keen eye on some players and their occasionally errant lifestyles.

“Everything is different, everything changes. It’s a different world in 2017 to what it was in 2005. The young men that we have now maybe have a different take on life than the men we had back then.

“Every era has its challenges and its gifts, if you like.

“I’m not saying it’s not without challenge, of course it is, but maybe the challenges are different to 10 or 12 years ago. We have to move with the times.

“These boys are committed five days a week to their preparation, to be as good as they can be, so I think that’s admirable in all of them compared to ’03 or ’05 where you might have to be talking to boys about their lifestyle and not going on the town after a win or whatever.

“That’s not necessary with these boys. It’s maybe a question of don’t be doing anything the night you’re not supposed to be doing it.

“You nearly have to hold them back. That’s the kind of commitment they give and that’s why people should respect very much what every player gives at that level.”

Despite the headphone-wearing modern-day Gaelic footballer, some things never change in dressing-rooms.

“The players still enjoy a bit of humour,” says Harte, “they still enjoy the craic and just because it’s the done thing to wear earphones, that’s fine.

“They would listen to a different music than I would listen to... I just take that as where they’re at and it serves them well.

“It’s different but at the same time the basics are still the same – that sense of commitment, that sense of dedication, that sense of self-improvement and that sense that there’s always a better place to go to if you really have that white-hot desire to get there and I think a lot of our players, virtually all of them, have that.”

Harte may have been picking teams for over 25 years but he never gets used to cutting players from his match-day panels.

“Cutting the squad to 26, I feel, is the most difficult challenge I have as a manager because I know how sound these men are that aren’t making the 26.

“I know the effort they’re putting in too – it’s no different to the first 15 or the 26. They’re prepared to do that; they’re prepared to do that week in week out. Ok, they’ll be disappointed but they’re never negative. And that’s what you need in a group.”

Harte has won three All-Irelands and six Ulster titles during his senior reign in Tyrone and is preparing for his seventh All-Ireland semi-final appearance against Dublin in 10 days’ time.

Despite the success and the various team rebuilds, Harte’s passion for the job remains as fresh as the day he was unveiled as manager at the tail end of 2002.

“We’re all a working progress,” he says. “I just love the fact I’m getting the opportunity to work with the best players in Tyrone at senior level and in an era when they are among the best in the country – and I’m including the last eight or nine years.

“They mightn’t have the Sam Maguires to validate that in everybody’s mind, but I know I’m working with people who are amongst the best in the country.

“And when you get the opportunity to do that I just think there is no better thrill – working with people like that and a sport that I’ve lived my whole life with. Why would you not enjoy that?

“I love the challenge of it, I love getting to know different players and to be able to work with them and help them to get better.

“If we can do that with individuals and bring that together collectively then I think we’re in a very privileged place and I see it as that.

“It’s a privilege and I enjoy that privilege and I do my best to honour that privilege.”