Shane Stapleton and Michael Verney talks about who is the best midfielder in Gaelic football.
It’s taken as a given that Brian Fenton is the number one midfielder in the game just now.
That’s a viewpoint that stands to reason given the All Stars, the Footballer of the Year award, and his winning record in the blue jersey of Dublin.
Rewind a few years and Fenton’s gilded future was anything but certain. Dessie Farrell had dropped him at minor level, but he kept pushing with Raheny and UCD.
A recall came from the Na Fianna man midway through the 2014 All-Ireland Under-21 run, and Fenton finished the year by starting at midfield in their final victory over Roscommon.
“I’ve never spoken to him about it, I won’t be now for the next few years either,” Fenton told OurGame.ie in February 2020.
“But yeah, he cut me at minor and brought me back in in the next few years then for the Under-21s so I’ve a lot to be thankful to him for.
“He’s just an absolutely incredible man in terms of footballing knowledge and how he drives players to be their best.
“He’s just a great person and a wizard at his craft as well that he’ll dedicate almost too much time to it.
“We’ve a great relationship. He’s cut from the same cloth as Jim (Gavin), and we’re very lucky to have had Jim and now Dessie.”
Shane Stapleton and Michael Verney talk about the Raheny man;s standing in the game, but also ask who else is in the conversation for the best in this position.
Aidan O’Shea — who has won All Stars on three lines of the field — is on the agenda, as are Niall Kearns and Darren Hughes of Monaghan, David Moran of Kerry, Kildare’s Kevin Feely, Gary Brennan of Clare, and Jarlath Og Burns of Armagh — among others.
Click play on the video at the top of the page to see the debate.
