Mick O'Dwyer was voted the greatest football manager of the last century. He was also one of Kerry's greatest players, winning every honour possible. As Kerry manager, he guided his sides to a record eight Senior All-Ireland titles. He first wore the Kerry jersey in 1956 and now, nearly 50 years later, he is still actively involved in training county sides.

Many great men have graced Gaelic games, yet few, if any at all have surpassed the achievements of Mick O' Dwyer. He was of course the inspirational force behind the great Kerry team of the mid-seventies and many say that it was O'Dwyer's influence which guided that gifted group of young men to such glorious heights.

Owen McCrohan has written two superb biographies of Mick O' Dwyer's career and both make fascinating reading. A great family man, Mick is married to Mary Carmel and they have three sons, Karl, John, and Robbie. Says Weeshie, "Mick is, and I say this with utter conviction, one of the greatest of all G.A.A men." He has given over 50 years of his life to the association and now, following his years training Kildare, he has taken over the manager's job in this year's 2002 Laois team.

A man of fierce tenacity and graciousness, nobody wants to win more than Mick - yet nobody accepts defeat with so much dignity. In the Summer of 2003 I spoke to Mick on Terrace Talk and in this captivating interview, he recapped his unparalleled career and the organisation of the GAA today.

Topics discussed in this interview
How the media should be handled by the successful counties, and why he is always available to the press. Why he went to Laois and the man who brought him to that County. Can they win an All-Ireland? The difference between Kildare, Kerry and Laois. Winning the Leinster Final and the loss to Armagh and why he is disappointed in Joe Kearnan as he kept his team in the dressing rooms longer at half-time, and Mick now blames himself for sending his side out too soon as Kerry did in the final last year. His forthright views on drink and the youth. Maurice Fitzgerald should have been started by Kerry, and not brought on as a sub.

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