Sporting possibilities always exist for Davy Burke

By Cian O'Connell

Davy Burke and football. That is just the way it is.

There is always a match or a challenge to embrace. Burke wouldn't have it any other way. The possibilities and potential. The Roscommon manager is simply aware that things can happen quickly.

An Allianz Football League Division Two Final loss to Monaghan has to be quickly parked. A Connacht SFC opener at Ruislip against London is on the agenda. "We need to find a level of consistency now," Burke says.

"Obviously, we were in Division Two, it gave us an opportunity. As a management our goal was to get promotion, expose as many players as possible to national football, and not have anyone flogged, for want of a better word.

"Not have anyone who had to go to the well every Sunday, and we got 33, 34 players game time, nobody, maybe with the exception of two guys, played 70 minutes every week, we rotated guys at least three, four, five changes every single weekend, so we're happy with that.

"Now we've mission accomplished, we've got promoted, and nobody has went to the well, because you only see the effects of that, in my opinion, down the line in a month or two’s time.

"That was what we were trying to avoid; getting 10, 12 points on the board early doors. Look, it's brilliant, but is there a kickback in June when you really want this to be right, they have to be right. We tried, it might have got hairy, but we tried, and ultimately we got through it."

Has Burke improved at dealing with the chaotic nature of management after a match, the fact that every problem will arrive at his door? "No, it will consume you till you get your review done, usually," Burke replies.

"I find meeting the backroom, obviously, and then meeting the lads, the players themselves, even a few phone calls to see their perspective, because what you see on the line, on the sideline, what you guys see in the press box, it mightn't be what they see out there, and I've got better at that.

"Certainly understanding that, okay, this was my understanding, this is what I was trying to do there, this was the picture I saw, whereas I can't see what he can see, you know, that kind of way.

"So, I've definitely got better at reviewing and getting the players' take on what happened there, and that helps me a lot, because, oh, he was right, you know, or whatever, I can see what they were trying.

"I think every year you should get better at anything, you know, if you're doing something long enough, then every day you should get better at it."

In recent campaigns, Roscommon have been missing players due to travelling or work commitments. This year, though, the vast majority of players available are in the panel together. "No, I doubt it's a coincidence," Burke reflects.

"I'd say from a distance they've probably seen a development in the squad, they've probably seen progress being made, and I think as a group of lads, the players have really went after, whereas in years gone by, they might have kind of allowed lads to slip out through the net, maybe.

"Whereas I think they got together this year and said, can we really go after everybody? And in fairness, they got about eight out of 10 anyway, definitely got about eight out of 10 back, so that was player-driven, in fairness, player-driven, with very little help from us really.

"We just spoke to them initially and then they took it on. You know yourself, your peer pressure is a lot more than a manager ringing you. If your mates are ringing you going, come on now, she'll be there in six months’ time, or Australia isn't going anywhere, you know that kind of way, whereas our clocks are ticking or whatever. So, that's a credit to the players, in fairness, they identified that.

"If you want to be consistent, if you want to be in the top tier of football, for a county like Roscommon, or for everyone, we have to have our players. I'd like to think we've got the majority of them together now."

Roscommon's Connacht SFC bid commences in west London on Saturday.