93% of current inter-county managers have played at senior county level.

Only 7% haven’t.

Not exactly shocking - but the number still jumps off the page when you see it written down. 

It shows how hard it is to get a county job without having worn the jersey yourself.

But the 7% figure is stark and shows how difficult it is to get the top job in a county unless you've played there.

Roscommon’s Mark Dowd is the latest to join that small 7%.

He never played senior for Roscommon - but has plenty of experience of coaching at county level.

He coached Roscommon minors to an All-Ireland in 2006, led the U21s to a Connacht title in 2015, and was part of  the management ticket for the senior Connacht wins in 2010 and 2019.

And maybe the most successful ‘outsider’ of all is Jack O’Connor, manager of the current All-Ireland champions.

The Dromid footballer never played senior for Kerry but instead made his name as a manager on the club scene.

He has often said he felt like an outsider within the Kerry setup because of it.

Experience as a county player still gives weight to a manager’s appointment.

But Dowd and O’Connor are proof it’s not the only way in.

Do we rate playing history too highly when it comes to the top coaching jobs?

(7% figure via the Irish Examiner)

Quote To Think About

"You don't have to be good at everything...power and speed, I put a lot more time into them."

—Patrick Horgan

What I'm Reading

Kieran Shannon explores the GAA timeline of Jim Gavin's issues with his tenant in Smithfield and reflects on his failed presidential bid in the Irish Examiner.

What I'm Listening To

Daniel Lambert on the Indo Sport podcast with Joe Molloy.

Lambert’s a fascinating character - touching on:

• The rise of Bohemians’ commercial revenue

• How the Oasis jersey came about

• Managing Kneecap

• And building a proper identity around a fan-owned football club