After the dust settled on Armagh’s second All-Ireland win, I thought to myself; that’s a great example.
Here’s my thinking: Most teams in Gaelic football have quality players, they have good management teams, plenty of backroom staff, plenty of technology, sport science etc.
Look at the meetings between the top teams. One semi-final went to extra time, the other was settled by a single point.
The final itself had the minimum between the teams. A single kick of the ball could have changed the result in each of those games.
There was no great tactical innovation in Armagh’s game this year.
Geezer hadn’t written the follow up to Eamon O’Sullivan’s ‘The Art and Science of Gaelic Football’.
He hadn’t introduced the hard pressing, tough hitting, spirit breaking ‘puke football’ that Mickey Harte did in 2003, nor the intricate blanket defence Jim McGuinness introduced (inflicted?) on us in 2011.
For me, what seemed to set Armagh apart was the culture in the camp.
I think the best definition of culture is ‘how we do things round here’. It’s driven from the top down and it’s non-negotiable.
Culture defines the attitude of the group; it sets the tone. It’s the framework for how the intangibles fit together. Everything you do in the group should directly feed and sustain the culture required.
Armagh had wilderness years, but they had a constant: McGeeney. The team was made in his image. Everything was done the right way.
Commitment was key, focus non-negotiable, the group was everything. You were either on the inside or the outside.
That culture said you keep going. And through the barren years the players did just that. They believed.
Geezer made them all feel like they making a contribution. The great Tyrone teams of the noughties famously didn’t play challenge games.
They felt the in-house A v B games were more competitive. Geezer made the Armagh players feel the same; that they were as good as anyone and marking ‘Turbo’ in training or having Aaron McKay stick like glue to you sharpened your own steel.
A footballing legend once commented that these days there seemed to be too many fellas on county squads that were content to sit on the bench, happy just to be an intercounty player and wear the training gear.
Contrast that with Shane McPartlan, who was asked about not playing in the final and said “If I’m there pushing the boys who are starting… that’s all I can do and that’s what it’s all about – it’s about the team… It’s all about Armagh winning”.
That’s the difference between a culture of team first versus a culture of just happy to be there.
Management kept their part of the bargain. They stuck to their beliefs. They did what they said they would. They kept playing their way.
The noise outside was ignored. The plan remained the same. They adjusted and evolved as they, not pundits or fans, saw fit.
Management was ruthless in obedience to the culture. They had to be; they were the tone setters. Play well and keep your place. Don’t play well; get taken off. It’s a team game, but result focused.
Players were given defined roles. Aidan Forker and Tiernan Kelly, more used to playing in the forwards with Maghery and Clann Eireann, both ended up as backs for their county.
Team above individual. Play where we need you, not where you prefer. Culture.
You weren’t forgotten about either. Barry McCambridge didn’t play a minute of the Ulster Final, now he’s being talked about in terms of player of the year.
Did he huff earlier in the year when he wasn’t playing? Did he complain to the media? No.
The culture was also one of omerta. What goes on in the camp stays in the camp. He let his football speak for him.
Ultimately, when you have several teams that are all cable of beating one another, it’s the small things that matter. The intangibles. This is very much were culture eats strategy for breakfast.
When match ups, conditioning, tactics and all the rest cancel each other out and players need to dig deep, they rely on the culture that’s been built up, the culture they are an intrinsic part of. The culture which repeatedly tells them they can win it all.
Armagh had the ingredients; they had the belief. Team culture gave them that. It brought Sam back for a second stay.
Barry Shannon is a specialist in HR matters
