Former All-Ireland winner Eamon McGee believes Mayo boss Kevin McStay needs time to re-wire his side’s DNA if they wish to become true All-Ireland contenders.
Following the Connacht’s side defeat to Cork on Sunday at the Gaelic Grounds, McGee says these results have been a common thread in the county for a number of years.
He feels it’s vital that McStay and the management team are given time to fix that mentality.
“That’s just Mayo. They had a brilliant league and a great performance against Kerry,” said McGee.
“I thought they would brush the Roscommon game off and then go on and dominate but then they struggled with Louth and lose to Cork.
“That just sums Mayo up. They can go from the brilliant to the mundane in the space of a few weeks.
“Kevin McStay has to rewire Mayo’s DNA. They have an All-Ireland in them, but the manager won’t be able to work that over one season.
“It’s going to take time like two or three years.”
The former Tír Conaill star has also praised Donegal’s resurgence by coming off a horrendous league campaign and early elimination from the Ulster championship to overcome Monaghan to make the last 12 of the competition.
“I thought we wouldn’t have had enough to take Monaghan on. I think we’ll always produce players but if we get the right structures in place and the correct conveyor belt, it won’t be once every 20 years we’re winning an All-Ireland,” said McGee.
“Fair play to the team and credit must go towards Aidan O’Rourke and the players because they really turned it around.
“They got an awful tanking after getting rid of Paddy Carr and they also lost to a not-so-good Down team.
“There is still a small bit of work to do but for the minute it’s great to see the likes of Daire O Baoill and Oisín Gallen taking their chances.”
The Gweedore half-back believes Donegal have a great chance to make the quarter-finals by rising to the occasion against a frustratingly inconsistent Tyrone side.
“Playing Tyrone now will allow the Donegal players to rise up to the occasion,” he said on OTB.
“It’s knockout football and we hope to see a response and that’s what I think we’ll get from the Donegal lads.
“There are sports psychologists out there who couldn’t even answer what’s wrong with Tyrone at the minute.
“They are second to Armagh in terms of frustration because Tyrone are so inconsistent and I don’t know why.
“My ambition this week is to play up Tyrone and say they’ll win the All-Ireland,” McGee jokes.
“My only worry is that we’ve seen it before where Tyrone are so inconsistent and we’ve written them off and then they’ll produce a big performance.
“I just hope they don’t do that this week.”
📮 Sign up to the OurGame newsletter — a daily email reminder of our latest videos, articles, quizzes and more.
