Former Tyrone footballer Kevin Hughes attends the launch of TG4's award-winning Laochra Gael series at the Light House Cinema in Dublin as the Gaelic sport biography series returns for another season. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
By John Harrington
Two-time All-Ireland winning Tyrone midfielder, Kevin Hughes, believes the Red Hand County can challenge for silverware if they make “a couple of tweaks” tactically.
Top of his wish list is that they play a more direct brand of football that gets the ball quickly into the hands of quality finishers like Darragh Canavan, Darren McCurry, Mattie Donnelly and Ruairi Canavan.
“I suppose like everybody else, I’d like to see more direct and attacking football but I think everybody else is crying out for that and it's not just in Tyrone, it’s across the board,” says Hughes, who will feature in the new season of TG4's Laochra Gael.
“Teams are being a lot more cautious, there’s not so much playing off the cuff and unless you have David Clifford or a Shane Walsh in your team who can turn a game with that bit of skill and power and athleticism, but not every team has that.
“I just feel I would like to see a more direct style of open and attacking football.
“I think they have the players there to do that, definitely. I don’t know if it’s a national thing where all teams are slipping into this style of play and being cautious.
“I suppose I think there’s an element of fear there and all the stats around the game on your performance that if you are afraid to make that pass…like we used to say a 60/40 ball was a good ball, 60 to the forward and 40 to the defender.
“Now players want to make the 90/10 pass, and to do that is fair enough but there’s no risk, there’s no excitement and no penetrating kick-passes or actually going for it. I think that’s what’s missing and I’d love to see it changing.”
A three-time All-Ireland winner with Tyrone, Mickey Harte will manage Derry against his native county for the first time this Sunday.
Tyrone got their Allianz League campaign off to an impressive start last weekend when a team featuring six League debutants defeated Roscommon by 0-17 to 1-11.
It’ll be interesting to see how those new faces go on Sunday when they face a very strong and settled Derry team.
The match tops this weekend’s bill because it Mickey Harte will face his native county for the first time as Derry manager.
And while Hughes never imagined the day his former mentor would manage one of Tyrone’s biggest rivals, he understands why Harte took the leap.
“I’m no different to anybody else, it was a big shock,” says Hughes.
“I suppose it’s only because from playing under Mickey for so long, he’s a Tyrone man first and foremost and always will be.
“But then the flipside of that is knowing Mickey for so long, it’s not a surprise either because he’s a competitive man, he’s a serial winner and I heard him say as long as he’s able to offer something he still has the hunger for it, and fair play to him.
“It’s Derry’s gain probably, I hope he doesn’t have the success with them that they are obviously hoping they will! But if he does, kudos - you can’t take it away from them and they are not far away.”
