Charlie Redmond
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N September 1, 2019 83 CHARLIE TALKS... On his first meeting On Brian Fenton I look him and I just Jim Gavin go ‘Wow’. First time I remember when he I saw him, I wasn’t THEHILL! first came on the squad. that impressed. But He was always a very Deego was involved in efficient player. He management team and was reasonably said this guy is really, issues. He has everything you want as quick, wasn’t really, really good. And a midfielder.” overly quick. then I saw it in him and Of his heirs to the Hill throne, Paul He was small, I thought ‘oh my god Mannion and Con O’Callaghan, Red- technically mond speaks with equally generous what have we got very good. here?’ eloquence. A quiet “Mannion is just beautiful to watch. Brian Mullins is the player, not best midfielder I’d Gets the ball underneath the Cusack the loudest Stand. He turns in on his left and ever seen. But Fenton splits the posts. He does it so often on the field, (inset) is better than you wonder why other teams don’t but never Mullins try to stop it. afraid to say and I never “Of course they are trying, he is just something if he thought so good that they can’t. His chasing felt it needed to be said. I’d ever back sets a new standard. He did it One thing you always got say that. again against Mayo, it reminded me from Jim (inset)... if he He’s the of that lung-busting chase back to was asked to do a job, he epitome of dispossess a Tyrone man in Omagh followed instructions to everything last year. a tee, he did that job. you’d ever “He has pace to burn. You some- Maybe that comes want to times wish he’d use that pace a little from his military/aviation see in a more and get in on goal. But he’s a joy background, where you footballer. to watch. A joy. had to do everything by And he’s modest, “Con reminded me an awful lot the book. He could play unassuming. He can of Jason in the way that he turned football. He had good catch the ball, play Keegan the last day. He’s a match vision, a lovely left foot. the ball, he can tackle. winner. He goes for the jugular But if you said to me that He doesn’t have any every time. the next two managers discipline issues. He has “If we get a chance and it is a drawn to win All-Irelands after everything you want as a “Telling her game with a minute to go, I’d want 1995 would be Pat Gilroy midfielder. him to go for the point, but I’d say and Jim, I would have put he’d nearly go for the goal. That’s you in a straitjacket. mother was the instinct in him. He’s just a born But what a job he match-winner. has done. What we are “Those two lads have the X factor, watching now, I don’t the hardest” they are box office. They have that think we’ll ever see again talent that you can’t buy, that you in our lifetime. can’t even develop. The talent those CHARLIE REDMOND two guys have is not something you On professionalism can teach.” BOX OFFICE: Con His assessment of Cluxton is de- in the GAA and Paul livered as unambiguously as any Su- I’d hate to see preme Court verdict: “The greatest. professionalism coming On Paul Mannion and MEMORIES: Just the greatest. A fantastic fella in to the GAA, but look Dublin legend and the lad who, through his skills, at the way it is going. Con O’Callaghan and All-Ireland changed the game forever. Legend.” You won’t be able to And the gavel falls. Those two lads have the winner Charlie have a job and play X factor, the box office. at inter-county level. Redmond Identity They have that talent Unfortunately, that’s the that you can’t buy, that If he suffered from anxiety as a way that it looks to me. I you can’t even teach. player, he’s a happy, shaky wreck as rue the day it happens. Mannion is beautiful a supporter. But we are on a ladder to watch, a joy. Con all-time greats. The colour of the day. The Hill in and we are not going to “They are doing things today that reminds me of Jayo. full flower. The sense of place and go back down the ladder. A born match-winner. we wouldn’t even dream of. Meeting identity. The wall of noise. The album We are going to keep the next day to go for baths, tone down Goes for the jugular of memories. Remembering when this going forward. We are every time. sessions. We went on the piss. We’d a was his playground. going to keep building up different cool-down session. It was “Ah, I get emotional. I do. All-Ire- the performance level. On his old Croker usually in Hanlon’s Corner on North land final day. The greatest Dublin Like you see the quality Circular Road.” team of all time. Special times. of the guys, the stature, Even if he loved the old ways – Mars pre-match routine “I get involved. I might throw a few the conditioning. It I used to always get sick Bars and sweets, the post Parnell Park Fs at the referee and opposition. But, wasn’t like that in our training meal – Charlie is no dinosaur in the dressing room. It generally, I think I’m a fair spectator. day. It is a different era, a just happened one day, I clinging to some golden Jurassic age. I applaud the opposition when they do different game. He has watched with awe and a deep got sick before the something good, give out when they match. I felt it cleared sense of pride as Gavin’s Rolls-Royce do something nasty.” On Stephen Cluxton team brilliantly imposes itself on one Whatever happens, he’ll be in the me out and I was ready When I played with John to play. I didn’t vomit a summer after another, setting new Palace Bar on Fleet Street at Monday O’Leary, I thought I’d standards of excellence, uniting the city. lunchtime. Sipping a pint with Keith huge volume, it was just never see a goalkeeper to clear myself out. I’d “I look at Brian Fenton and I just Barr and a few old comrades. Feeling remotely as good. go ‘Wow’. First time I saw him, I the narcotic of the old days coursing have a little sleep for wasn’t that impressed. But Deego was He was a great shot- 10/15 minutes as well. wanted to talk through his veins. stopper, to them about involved in Jim’s management team Understanding nothing is forever Then get and he said ‘this guy is really, really, accurate with changed, in to the something that makes it so much more precious. his kick-outs, happened the really good’. And then I saw it in him Losing Grainne, watching his kids toilet get sick and and I thought ‘oh my God, what have he was a leader. I’d be ready to go. night before.” head off to university, adjusting to Then this fella The current we got here’? “the new normal”, has infused him I’d only touch the team leaves “His ability to catch the ball. His comes along. ball twice before with a wisdom he wishes he’d found He has changed him breathless. technique with either foot is bril- when he was younger. the game. One Their skills, ath- liant. He knows where to run. His Gaelic football free, one kick over “Football is important, hugely im- in a way no leticism, selfless- movement is exceptional. Mullins is portant in our lives, but it is not the the bar. They were ness, modesty and the best midfielder I’d ever seen. But most important. It is not the ultimate. player has ever things I had to do brilliance. And he’s better than Mullins and I never “If Dublin don’t win on Sunday, changed it. to make myself the easy class with thought I’d ever say that. we will all be broken-hearted. But The greatest. comfortable, to which they carry “A bit like Cluxton and O’Leary. nobody died. Legend. feel right. themselves. Special Never thought I’d see a better mid- “There’s people going to go into hos- footballers, special fielder in a Dublin jersey than Mul- pital on Monday to be told they have men. lins, but I have seen it with this guy. terminal cancer. People are going to ‘SPECIAL FOOTBALLERS, PINNACLE: The competitor in “He’s the epitome of everything be made homeless on Monday. him would love to you’d ever want to see in a footballer. “Football is a huge part of our lives. Charlie Redmond And he’s modest, unassuming. He can lifting Sam in 1995 test himself against It gives us so much. But there are SPECIAL MEN’ CHARLIE REDMOND Gavin’s platoon of tackle. He doesn’t have any discipline bigger things. Trust me.” 82THESeptember 1, 2019 DARLINGN OF “WHATEVER happened? Where did it go? That mad blazing time when we swirled the stars in the sky.” – Joseph O’Connor, Shadowplay.