Johnny Greville excited about emerging Meath talent

By Cian O'Connell

For the past couple of decades, Johnny Greville has coached and managed teams in all Gaelic games codes at every level.

As a senior inter-county hurling manager, though, Greville continues to absorb new information. That is simply part of the deal.

On the eve of an intriguing last round of the Christy Ring Cup fixtures, challenges must be embraced. Meath boss Greville wouldn't have it any other way. "I've learned an awful lot," he reflects.

"Coming across the border into Meath as a Westmeath man, I was welcomed with open arms. The set-up we have with Barry Hennessy from Limerick as our head coach, is brilliant. Last year was a learning curve.

"You've to come into a county new, it was my first senior inter-county job. I'd to learn on the ground, to see it as it evolved and developed throughout the year - trying to change mindsets and cultures. Things you've to try to do over a six or six and a half month period, really."

Developing emerging talent is critical according to Greville. "You often hear about these terms, managers getting two or three years, but it really is only 18 months that you have with the players on the ground," he adds. "Then, they're back to their clubs. So, the time is very, very tight.

"You've to maximise that, and it's something I've probably learned from last year - to use the time a lot more efficiently. To try to connect and engage with the players, to try to find the best players within the county that want to put on that jersey, and want to put the shoulder to the wheel.

"We've a great connection and synergy with the U20 set-up with Seán Corrigan as a selector. That's something I learned myself when I was U20 manager with Westmeath and a selector with the seniors. There was a good connection. For overall development and a pathway for players to move through the ranks, that is really important.

"One of the things I like to do as a manager is to develop a group, to bring them forward. If a by product of that is winning, that's brilliant, but there's no better way to develop a team or a group than having a winning mentality."

Greville believes the link with the U20 set-up is vital. Young players will be afforded an opportunity to progress. "When Meath came looking to see would I be interested in the job, I sat down with them, and one of my key things and learnings, from the last 10 or 15 years at inter-county level is the boom-bust scenario," Greville responds.

"It's something that used to irk me an awful lot as a minor or U20 manager of my own county, and I eventually got involved at senior. To give players an opportunity, the way inter-county management is now, managers have to get results, to get wins and trophies.

"Sometimes, in my opinion, the sacrifice there can be the development of players. You probably see it in Galway this year, there is a huge injection of youth and energy, you probably saw it in Tipperary last year.

"They maybe had seven or eight lads from the U20 panel, I think that is key. If you can try to marry those two together, and still maintain your success levels, that is a key thing.

"So, when Johnny Greville moves on from Meath, I'm leaving a product behind me that can be moved forward again by the next management, and you've staples there that are non negotiables."

On Saturday, Meath are away to Donegal in Letterkenny, while Derry host Kerry, who've already secured a place in the Christy Ring Cup decider.

Earning a top two finish is Meath and Derry's ambition. Last weekend Meath and Derry drew. "We said to the lads after the game last weekend, nothing has changed," Greville remarks.

"Even if we had beaten Derry, we still had to go to Donegal to win. So, our circumstances haven't changed, we still have to go to Letterkenny, and we have to win. That's how you phrase it.

"In a competition like the Christy Ring where the top two teams go through to a final, there is very little margin for error. The goal and task we set ourselves was to get performances to the level required, and hopefully that will get us across the line on a day.

"Nothing has changed from that perspective. We still have to go to Donegal to win, we've to do our part. What happens on the other side is totally out of our control, and that's something we're drilling into the players this week.

"We can't control anything else, we can only control ourselves at the weekend and our performance. We'll be looking to get across the line in Letterkenny."

Since losing to Kerry in the opening round, Greville has been encouraged by Meath's displays. "Our first day against Kerry in Trim, we were disappointed in that performance as a group because we set ourselves standards as we moved forward from the league coming into the Christy Ring," Greville reflects.

"We knew what Kerry are all about, and they've been excellent. Really, they taught us a lesson that day, and we learned an awful lot from that game.

"The lads have moved through the gears accordingly since then. Against Roscommon the lads did really well and came out on top. Then, against Wicklow it was a great performance down in Aughrim.

"At the weekend against Derry, we probably had it in our own hands with 10 minutes to go. That lovely cliché managers come up, the learnings you get from these games. We tried to close it out, to get the win, but then had to show resilience and resolve to pull it out of the bag with the last puck of the game is a testament to the character of this group of players."

Assisting them on their sporting journeys matters to Greville, who relishes operating alongside Barry Hennessy, who brings ideas and innovation. "Barry is coming from a high performance environment, the school of Paul Kinnerk, for so many years there," Greville says.

"He has five All-Ireland medals. We get on very well. We've a huge connection as a management team, that is brilliant.

"When you've that connection off the field, the players see that, and they can connect on it. That's building, and we've those layers throughout.

"Inter-county management is full on, even this year it has been every more enjoyable again. When you can look at things, and go down this road, you've a County Board who're hugely supportive of hurling, and are really looking to develop and push it on.

"One of the key things I said to the lads when I came in first was that identity of this group of players. When they tog out in Trim on matchdays, that their family, friends, and club colleagues can look across the fence, and understand the representation of that jersey.

"What they do, what they give is always part of their identity. Whether it'll be good enough every day, we don't know, but there will never be a lack of effort or honesty when that player puts on the jersey, and when they walk off the field at full-time, they'll always have that sense of emptying the tank, and giving everything for that jersey."