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Irish Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Clifford and O'Callaghan two modern legends.. The tale of the tape
It was Coretta Clay, an aunt to Cassius, who first labelled the prize fighting supernova who, as Muhammad Ali, would go on to shake the world, 'the Alpha and the Omega.' The beginning and the end. Those whose knees have trembled before stepping onto a rectangle of grass to spar with David Clifford or Con O'Callaghan would hardly protest the laying of Coretta's sweeping claim onto the shoulders of Kerry and Dublin's respective polestars. For both teams, the sense this weekend is of their world starting and finishing with the fitness and form of their leading men, a photo-finish required to determine which of the pair is, at this moment in time, more critical to their side's fortunes. Charlie Redmond, the former Dublin forward who is one of the game's shrewder observers, offers an interesting take as Tyrone and Armagh loom into focus for football's Old Firm. 'Right now, I would say Con is more important to Dublin than Clifford is to Kerry. Because, with Paul Geaney, Seanie O'Shea and Paudie Clifford, I think Kerry have better supporting forwards. 'Look at Dublin's two-pointer total. It's terrible and that's down to a lack of confidence in their forwards. Without Con, the attack can lose all cohesion.' With Clifford, the Fossa master who seems to deliver a Mona Lisa almost every time he steps behind the easel, the Alpha and Omega argument is not one that can easily be trampled underfoot. He glided into our world as a wunderkind, a teenage divinity, scorer of 4-4 in an All-Ireland minor final, his reputation dwarfing even Carrauntoohil. Somehow, even the ear-splitting drumroll that accompanied the Chosen One onto the stage, understated his ability to cause our eyeballs, as one observer of Roger Federer famously commented, to protrude like novelty-shop eyeballs. The sense of irresistible menace that accompanied his latest eruption – a 3-7 avalanche that swiftly interred Cavan even as he squandered three further goal chances - offered just the latest illustration of how the Kingdom's fortunes remain so inextricably wedded to their generational supe talent, an avatar of the impossible-made-flesh. Many are the days he walks in a special light, unmarkable, unstoppable, a force of nature, a trick of the light, a killing machine. On the days he falls a little short of his impossibly high standards (2024) or when injury diminishes him (extra time v Tyrone in 2021, after an otherworldly 70 minutes) Kerry tend to crash and burn, Many have to come to regard Clifford and Kerry as one and the same, his supporting cast, to borrow Hugh McIlvanney's memorable depiction of Ali's heavyweight predecessors, no more than 'blurred figures dancing behind frosted glass.' If that does an enormous injustice to the profound influence asserted by his exceptional playmaking sibling, Paudie, to Seanie O'Shea's ball striking or the growing authority of Joe O'Connor, still one truth remains cast in bronze. It is the one that says it is impossible to imagine Kerry winning an All-Ireland without their pilot light fully aflame. You might as well ask a 747 to soar across the Atlantic's mighty expanse having just clipped away the mighty beast's wings. As a point of reference, perhaps Diego Maradona carrying a moderate Argentine team to the World Cup through the sheer breadth of his genius (and the bypassing the game's handball laws) might come closest to explaining Clifford's task. Joe Brolly, never a man to run from an inflammatory soundbite, is unequivocal as Kieran McGeeney's All-Ireland kingpins ready themselves for battle: '[Kerry's] problem is that they only have one forward. If you could call David Clifford a problem.' Tomorrow, as Kerry's summer arrives at a point of no return and they seek to unseat Armagh's increasingly impressive champions, their superstar, as he does each time he dons that storied uniform, will shoulder the burden of an entire tribe's hopes. Imagine the psychological weight he carries on his back, immense even for a player apart, one who long ago (his first 20 championship outings yielded 5-58 from play) made the suspension of disbelief among his audience a defining calling card. O'Callaghan has had to learn to bench press similarly substantial dumbbells of expectation. In Dublin's post-Fenton, post-McCarthy time of need, the old sheen of invincibility a distant memory, facing Tyrone without Con would represent the pulping of confidence. If, as many have feared all week, O'Callaghan's ongoing hamstring issues – he sat out last week's workman like victory over Cork - sideline or restrict him tonight, many of Sky Blue disposition would be inclined to saddle up the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and have them gallop across Hill 16 just ahead of throw-in. It is that stark. Even while clearly hobbled, Con contributed five invaluable points, a game-altering spearhead as Dessie Farrell's side kept their season alive in a tense taking down of Derry a fortnight ago. James McCarthy, for the first time in 15 summers of absurdly high achievement looking on from outside the white lines, spoke for a county under siege from its misgivings: 'Every Dublin fan is praying Con is going to be fit.' Aaron Kernan, the Armagh player turned pundit went further, believing the result hinges on whether O'Callaghan can handle 70 minutes against opponents who number Donegal among their summer of 2025 victims. 'He makes that big of a difference to Dublin. Not just his skillset. It's his presence, calmness, the composure and then the ability to put scores on the board whenever he's under pressure.' Among the little known facts about Dublin's paramount power is that he is a serious student of the game of cricket. Con, then, would appreciate the American writer Wright Thompson's evocative portrayal of the celebrated Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar towards the end of his innings as a titan of the game. 'His artistry he now holds as a part of himself, like a chamber of his heart.' In truth, it is Clifford, as balletic and elegant and beautifully balanced as he is cold-eyed and predatory, who is immediately summoned to mind as the Tendulkar of an Irish summer. O'Callaghan is more about explosive power (though Clifford, too, is a physical beast comfortable seeking his own ball), razor-edged conviction and carnivorous intent, qualities which elevate the three-time All-Star to the highest rank of forwards to have played the game. One verbal-portrait tracing Erling Haaland's assault on the Premier League single season scoring record fits O'Callaghan as snugly as Dublin's Sky Blue number 14 shirt. 'A footballer who expresses power, edge and certainty more clearly than any at being lethal.' Scarcely out of his teens in 2017 yet already equipped with the precise GPS coordinates of Tyrone and Mayo's jugular vein, he devoured both those opponents, his early goals the launchpad from which Dublin and his own career blasted into orbit. There was the two-goal 2019 afternoon when he did everything bar place a crown of thorns on Mayo's tormented leader, Lee Keegan; later, the conjuring from nowhere of a devastating 2020 All-Ireland final goal. Lethal at being lethal. The heavyweight ordnance of King Con's artillery fire can be weighed by the statistic which announces him as the only player in 130 years of competition to have scored a hat-trick of goals against Kerry. That 3-4 in a 2024 league game an illustration of why he has become so vital to the big city psyche. Remembering his freshman years of unforgettable alchemy, it is sobering to think that if Dublin lose tonight, Con - to many still a youthful figure, a boy prince of Croke Park – will not play another championship match before celebrating his 30th birthday. O'Callaghan (29) and Clifford (26) are often compared and contrasted. Much as Messi and Ronaldo, like Federer and Nadal, pushed each other to even wilder feats of jaw-dropping achievement, so these GAA bluebloods have, perhaps, propelled each other to high-water marks of invention and flair and murderous intent. Because Dublin under Jim Gavin and in Farrell's early years enjoyed perhaps the greatest accumulation of talent the game has known, their reliance on the Cuala forward was not as acute as Kerry's dependency on Clifford. How could it be when they had gamechangers and generals in such glorious abundance? Fenton, McCarthy, Mannion, Connolly, Brogan, Rock, Macauley, Flynn, McCaffrey, McManamon, McMahon and his own indestructible clubmate (and Clifford's 2023 All-Ireland final nemesis), Mick Fitzsimons, amounted to virtually a dressing-room packed with alpha males. From the cast of towering attacking talents from those days of plenty, only the inestimable Ciaran Kilkenny, who turns 32 in nine days time but who gave one of the performances of the summer in Galway, remains alongside Con. O'Callaghan's presence has become as soothing and settling and vital for Dublin as Clifford's has long been for Kerry. His absence – as in the five point group stage loss to Armagh, when the Sky Blues fired 18 wides – sets off a shrill chorus of alarm bells. This weekend – assuming O'Callaghan plays, perhaps even more so if he doesn't – might illustrate which of the two is the weapon that brings summer sovereignty more sharply into focus. Who is the more expert at turning a key in the lock of hope? Who, in the high summer of 2025, is football's Alpha and Omega.
The Herald Scotland
20 hours ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Celtic should fear Hearts more than Rangers with Tony Bloom on board
A few years later, Stuart Wallace, the then chairman of the Foundation of Hearts fan ownership group, echoed her sentiments. 'We split the Old Firm in 1998 and that's the next step,' he said. 'Can we split them again? There is a next level and the job of the foundation is to help us find it.' Alas, since Wallace's bold pronouncement the Gorgie outfit have finished fifth, sixth, sixth, twelfth, third, fourth, third and seventh in the top flight. Several semi-finals and finals have been reached, but no major silverware has been lifted. Realising their vast potential, never mind punching above their weight, has often proved problematic for a variety of reasons. Read more: Poor recruitment, bad managerial appointments, the Covid-19 pandemic and draining European campaigns have all impacted on their domestic efforts. An extraordinarily hard-to-please fanbase has not exactly been slow to voice its displeasure when standards on the park have fallen short of what has been expected either. So it was maybe no great surprise when seasoned observers of the game in this country were unperturbed when Tony Bloom pledged to try and 'disrupt the pattern of domination of Scottish football which has been in place for far too long' when his £9.86m investment in Hearts was completed earlier this week. They have heard it all before and such fighting talk has never amounted to very much. But there are reasons why things may be different this time around with Bloom, the professional gambler, poker player and entrepreneur who has received a 29 per cent stake in non-voting shares in the Tynecastle club in return for his welcome cash injection, involved. He has, to borrow a phrase made infamous by former manager Craig Levein following an Edinburgh derby win over Hibernian at Tynecastle in 2018, upset the 'natural order' before elsewhere on more than one occasion. It is 65 years now since Hearts lifted the Scottish title for the fourth time in their history. It is four decades since a club other than Celtic or Rangers were crowned champions. But back in May the Royal Union Saint-Gilloise side which the Englishman had revitalised after becoming their majority shareholder in 2018 won the Pro League in Belgium for the first time in no fewer than 90 years. (Image: Steven Paston) RUSG, as they are known for short, have a smaller transfer budget, player wage bill and average home attendance than those of Anderlecht, Club Brugge and Standard Liege, or The Big Three. Genk, Gent and Royal Antwerp should also by rights be finishing above them given their economic advantages. But the data-led approach to player recruitment that Bloom instigated when he first got involved has transformed the unfashionable Brussels club into the dominant force in their homeland as well as formidable rivals in European competition. The London-based betting consultancy Starlizard has provided the gen which has underpinned their success. An army of analysts, statisticians and researchers supply information on every facet of the game in an attempt to gain a competitive edge. The decibel levels of the crowd when a particular player is on the ball is even considered when a potential transfer is being weighed up. Bloom reduced his stake when both they and Brighton, where he is majority shareholder and chairman, both qualified for the Europa League two years ago in order to avoid breaching strict UEFA multi-club ownership rules. He has, however, very much been involved in their inexplicable and unexpected rise. The billionaire has, too, worked wonders at his home town team by investing heavily in their infrastructure, fostering a positive environment for staff to work in and prioritising the development of young players. Kieran Maguire, host of the Price of Football podcast and a Seagulls season ticket holder, this week described him as the smartest man he has ever met. Read more: Jamestown Analytics, a company that is closely linked to Starlizard, have been working with Hearts for some time now and it has by no means revived their ailing fortunes. Quite the opposite, in fact, has been the case. They were instrumental in the ill-advised appointment of Neil Critchley as manager. However, it took three years for RUSG to win promotion back to the top flight on his watch, four years to qualify for Europe and seven years to win the title. Progress is never made overnight, a long-term strategic approach which will yield results in due course is always taken. Strong foundations are laid, quick fixes are avoided. Scepticism has been expressed about how Critchley's replacement Derek McInnes will cope with Bloom's way of working since the former St Johnstone, Aberdeen and Kilmarnock man was brought in back in May. Such cynicism does one of the sharpest, most progressive and experienced coaches in the Scottish game a gross disservice. Can Hearts challenge defending champions Celtic and Rangers for the Premiership in the 2025/26 campaign? Probably not. Can they do so in the future? It would be a major surprise if they were able to end the Old Firm duopoly. But the Ibrox and Parkhead hierarchies should look out for The Lizard, as he is known on the professional poker circuit. Only a fool would bet against him achieving his ambitious objective.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Have Hearts got hardest start to SWPL season?
Hearts, who finished fifth last term, will face the four teams who filled the spots above them within their first six SWPL games next Olid's side face both sides of the Old Firm in the opening two weeks, kicking off their campaign at home to Celtic before a trip to take on Jambos did beat Elena Sadiku's side in both home league games last season, including a statement 3-1 win in the first post-split game, while they dealt a decisive blow to Rangers' title charge on the final day of the pre-split campaign at Broadwood, by holding Jo Potter's side to a 2-2 the pair at the start of the season, when neither have the distraction of European football, is very different, other two, who finished first and second last season - Hibernian and Glasgow City, of course - will have that one eye on the continent, the time reigning champions Hibs make the short trip across the city, they will have already faced Fortuna Hjorring and one of Apollon/Young Boys in their second round of Women's Champions League qualifying. It's worth noting Hearts had a strong record against the eventual title-winners last season - two wins and two losses in the SWPL, plus a win in the Scottish Cup. But they were defeated in both league games at Oriam, where the first meeting next season will take same rule can be applied for meetings with City. Hearts didn't pick up a positive result at Petershill Park last term but held Leanne Ross' side to a couple of stalemates in Edinburgh.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
'No club has tried to challenge Old Firm in this way'
We asked for your views after Tony Bloom completed his £10m investment in Hearts and vowed to "disrupt the pattern of domination" in Scottish what some of you said:Norrie: This man is a greatly serious investor who will push us to achieve great things over the coming seasons. I can't wait for the season to get going and finally see Hearts become glorious once I'm sure there is lots to look forward to, from not only his investment, but the positivity, enthusiasm and ambition he brings with it. It might not happen overnight, but the journey has at least Absolutely massive for Hearts. This will only be the start, Bloom is a serious football investor and someone who will really take the club forward. All the blocks are now in place to maximise the club's potential. Football minds on the board, proper manager in place, finance to bring in better quality players. Great news for Could this work? Let's see. No other club in Scotland has attempted to challenge the Old Firm's dominance in this way before. While I don't like the thought of becoming Brighton's 'wee team', we could benefit from some young Premier League talent. This guy seems to know what he's doing, the Foundation of Hearts is still in charge. What's to lose? Let's enjoy the ride. At least it'll be I voted against his investment, but now he's here we need to use all his expertise and resources. I am keen it's Derek McInnes and not Bloom or Andrew McKinlay that has the last word on transfer The money itself isn't a game-changer, as that would take higher sums fed in consistently. What we can gain will depend on what doors Bloom will open for us and what resources he will be minded to send our way. If he puts little energy into it we'll just keep doing what we've been doing and keep getting what we've been getting. If he's driven to improve our thinking and actions as a club then it's really him who could say what that direction is. But change involves letting some things go too, we might have to be prepared for Potentially a game-changer for us and Scottish football. I'm excited but will temper my expectations over a five-year period before we are realistically and consistently disrupting the Old Firm.
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Transfer trash talk between Celtic and Rangers fanatics erupts on the Hotline as Igamane and Kuhn spark debate
Scott McDermott manned the phone as the transfer trash talk ramps right up As if Old Firm fans didn't have enough to argue about over the years - they're now squabbling over transfer fees. Is Hamza Igamane really worth £25million? Could Nicolas Kuhn fetch in the region of £15million. It's all just numbers but when it comes to trading insults, the words were flying on the Hotline. Caller Gordon Ashley from Ayr was adamant that Rangers' mercurial Moroccan striker isn't worth the money after Igamane was linked with a big-bucks move to French side Lille. And that prompted a reaction amongst the Old Firm hordes. Scott Gowers, Edinburgh, said: 'Can I remind Mr Ashley that a player is only worth what others are willing to pay. There are several clubs interested in Igamane even with such a lofty valuation. Kuhn has fewer clubs vying for his signature at a valuation much less.' George Wilson, West Sussex, said: 'The Rangers-obsessed statistician and financial advisor Ashley is doing what he does best - talk about Rangers. 'There are no games going on but he's only talking about Rangers and how he's having a go at Igamane. After his brilliant last minute winner against Celtic you'd have thought he'd want to forget him. 'And after his forecast of Celtic winning at Treble I'm surprised he's not in hiding. It's comical for someone like him to use the word delusional!' Gary Stevenson, Newtonhill, said: 'The Ayr accountant Ashley seems to have gone rogue with his comparisons on the value of Rangers players again. Why not use the £25m Celtic got for Matt O'Riley as an example? And incidentally, what happened to him?' Chris Lowe, Yoker, said: 'Ashley says he's not buying the valuation for Igamane. But remember, Kuhn has gone from £30 million to a laughable £15 million in a matter of months. 'Luis Palma was rated at £20m by the usual suspects, as was Kyogo, Reo Hatate, Alistair Johnston and the injury-prone Cameron Carter-Vickers. 'The failed O'Riley transfer has put paid to Celtic getting big money for players as no-one is falling for it any more. And if you want to talk about goals, I'll see your Kuhn and raise you a Cyriel Dessers.' Although not all Gers fans are satisfied with business at Ibrox. Robert Livingston, Palm Beach, said: 'You have to wonder what's happening with Cyriel Dessers all but signed at AEK Athens and now Igamane agreeing terms with Lille. Fans must be fed up with it. 'All they want is a number nine they can rely on like Lawrence Shankland. With European football three weeks away, it's not good.' It wasn't just transfer fees that were up for debate, it was also the veracity of a genuine title challenge from Ibrox. Liam Birney, Paisley, said: 'So caller Willie Mercer thinks the financial stability of his club and a few better signings will see them overtake Celtic and close the gap on the pitch. 'Rangers should get in touch with Willie as his blueprint for success has obviously never been tried during Celtic's dominance! If only it was that simple, Willie.' Scott McAdam, Glasgow, said: 'Once again the delusional Rangers fans on here are getting excited and think they're going to win the title. 'As soon as Healthcare Harry (Andrew Cavenagh) opened his mouth, that was it. "The gullible mob were taken in once again. I'm sure we've seen this movie a few times. Title 56 is on the way to Celtic Park.' As a retort, Alec from Musselburgh said: 'If Celtic fans read more about their own team they'd realise that one of their main targets is Evan Ferguson on LOAN. Loans seem to be welcome at Parkhead but ridiculed at Ibrox. Get a grip.' Who's to say the league flag will be staying in Glasgow, anyway? With new investment from Tony Bloom at Hearts and Hibs making serious moves in the transfer market themselves, could there be a capital challenge? Neil Renton, Leith, certainly thinks so: 'If proof was needed that Hibs are going to be challenging for the title, it's coming in the form of Josh Mulligan joining the Easter Road side. The fact we've got players coming to us instead of Rangers speaks volumes for the Hibees.' If that wasn't funny enough, a bit of humour to finish. William Hutchison, Aberdeen, said: 'Caller Stephen Johnstone said the Rangers board are throwing Nico Raskin to the Wolves - but it's actually Aston Villa who want him.'
