Brian Barry
GAA Editor @BrianGBarry
Brian Fenton explains how Dublin manager Dessie Farrell went 'above and beyond' his role for star midfielder
Dublin star and 2020 Footballer of the Year Brian Fenton discusses his relationship with manager Dessie Farrell, and how the Dubs manager went 'above and beyond' his remit to comfort him following the passing of his mother.
Last Updated: 22/02/21 1:10pm
Taking over a winning team was always going to be a mammoth task for Dessie Farrell.
Jim Gavin left big boots to fill, exiting his role as Dublin manager after achieving the unprecedented five-in-a-row. The ultimate 'mic-drop' moment.
Farrell's achievement of not only sustaining the on-field success, but also winning over the dressing room right from the off has been notable.
The last time a Dublin manager bowed out at the top when Pat O'Neill departed after 1995, it took the Sky Blues over a decade to return to the top.
But Farrell had a pre-established rapport with much of the current squad before he took the reins, having served as manager of Dublin underage teams down through the years.
The Na Fianna man's impact off the field is clear, and recently-crowned PwC Footballer of the Year Brian Fenton was gushing in his praise of the Dubs manager, when asked about his biggest influences.
"Dessie, I've said this loads of times, is a special human being," said Fenton. "He would have been the U21 manager when I was first called onto the team.
"Around the time I was on the U21 panel, sadly my mother passed away. Just how Dessie was with me around that time went above and beyond GAA managers and GAA coaches. Of course, he was the manager of the U21s, and he wanted the best for the team when were preparing for the Championship.
"For him, in those moments and those days and weeks to be so human and so approachable, to be there for you and ringing you... You look back, and be like, 'that was so important' because here I am, new in the team, and you're trying to make an impression but you're trying to deal with all this personal stuff. For him to bridge that gap, and make it so easy for me.
"Shane Carthy recently spoke about Dessie and how he almost saved his life.
"This is the intervention that Dessie Farrell, and underage managers and people you are coached by in your life. That's the effect that they have on you, that second father figure - only father figure potentially in some cases."
Sadly my mother passed away. Just how Dessie was with me around that time went above and beyond GAA managers.
Fenton feels indebted to Farrell
Return to play
After being named as the country's standout player for the second time in three years, Fenton is now looking ahead to the 2021 season.
But right now, uncertainty reigns about a restart date.
"Last year we were classified as elite, this year we're not. That was probably the confusing thing from a players' perspective," Fenton noted.
"I can fully see where the GAA are coming from, and the government are coming from.
"If you were to classify the GAA as elite - Paul Flynn said it - that would be the movement of 5,000 people around the country. It's not just the men's football or hurling competition. It's obviously the ladies competition. It's the camogie competition. Probably underage as well. So I can see where they're coming from.
"We're trying our best to limit this whole thing, and try and get zero covid and all that good stuff. So it's disappointing obviously, just the comparison from last year to this year, but at the same time, you're hardly going to start giving out.
"It was great to have it last year, but that movement you'd assume is only going to lead to cases. If we can limit that from a GAA perspective and run it off properly and appropriately when the time comes, I can't be giving out."
And the Raheny man - who opened the discussion on Sunday morning's Zoom call with the media by laughing that his McDonald's takeaway had just arrived - says he and his fellow teammates will be ready for action whenever they get the call.
"We'll be ready to go whenever the green light comes, we'll be ready to go," he said.
"It's second nature for us. I've said this before but none of us would ever just take a period off and do absolutely nothing. We all keep going, keep in touch, we might get out on a run, we might send a lad a time and compare it. So yeah, absolutely I'd be ready to go when the time comes but for now I'm just still enjoying the break."
