ANTRIM footballer Kevin Small has backed new boss Andy McEntee for demanding the Saffrons be more physically imposing than they have been in the past.
The former Meath manager watched his new team lose both Dr McKenna Cup matches to Armagh and Cavan – but he will have learned quite a bit about the resources available to him ahead of their Allianz NFL Division Three opener with Offaly on Sunday January 29.
So far, Small likes what he sees.
“I wouldn’t say the new manager just likes big men but he wants us to be far more physical, a strong team that physically imposes ourselves,” said the Creggan man, now in his third year with the Antrim seniors.
“It’s probably something we struggled with last year in terms of the Ulster Championship against Cavan; it was obvious that physically we weren’t up to it and weren’t dominant enough. So we want to physically impose ourselves more.”
After a bright start to last season’s Division Three, Antrim faltered against Louth and Westmeath towards the end of the campaign, and their chances of back-to-back promotions were gone.
Former world boxing champion and gym owner Brian Magee has hooked up with the Antrim squad again after first being recruited by former managers Frank Fitzsimons and Gearoid Adams.
Backroom team member John McCloskey, who trained the Armagh footballers to an All-Ireland title in 2002, comes in with good pedigree while resident strength and conditioning coach Brendan Murphy is working closely with both the footballers and hurlers.
Small, who was drafted into the Antrim panel in Enda McGinley’s first year in charge (2020), feels good foundations have been dug during pre-season training so that they don’t fade away in the latter stages of the League.
“I think the work we’ve put in with our fitness, we’re planning to not fade away towards the end of the League, but Division Three is going to be a serious battle,” said the 24-year-old Creggan Kickham’s midfielder.
“You don’t look at any game and think it’s easy, we’re under no illusions but we’ve put a lot work in – good quality work - because you need to last in these games and you need boys coming off the bench and making an impact. We want to get physically better and physically stronger.
“I think we’ve gone to the next level in terms of preparing ourselves, and we know it’ll stand to us towards the end of the League. We’re ready to compete.”
Small’s early impressions of McEntee are extremely positive and is a big fan of his no-nonsense approach.
“I like how he tells you how it is,” smiled Small, who has just returned from injury and played 61 minutes against Cavan on Sunday.
“There is no nonsense. If Andy has something to say to you, he’ll say it to you. That’s the way it should be. I like the fact that there is nothing set, you don’t exactly know who’s going to be playing every game.
“Everybody has to prove themselves again which I think is healthy. He’s not going to know Antrim football straight away and these games are to show what you can do. It’s a county set-up; we’ve got everything we’ve asked for, so we’ve no complaints.
“I know the two results in the McKenna Cup haven’t been great but the team is focused on trying to carry out what the manager wants.
“It’s a process. We have three weeks until our first League game, we have a new manager and we understand what he wants from us in terms of game-plan but it’s not going to happen straight away for us.”
Small has shown irresistible form for his club over the past number of seasons and was one of Creggan's driving forces to landing an Antrim championship in 2021.
It was no surprise he made the step up to county level.
“I’m not satisfied with what I’ve done,” he said.
“I’m no longer one of the young boys. I obviously want to contribute and do as much as I can for Antrim and to help the team. I enjoy playing for the county and I enjoy representing Antrim. I just want to be the best that I can be for Antrim. I’m looking forward to the year with a new manager in and plenty of new faces, so it’s an opportunity for a lot of boys.”
