Trevor Giles believes Meath's decline in recent years has more to do with a lack of quality than a lack of passion.

With the McEntee brothers, Andy and Gerry, now at the helm, supporters are expecting them to instill a new-found determination and passion in the Meath team, but Giles reckons those qualities will only bring a team so far.

"Lots of people have said that (the McEntees can make Meath a more passionate team), and I don't disagree with it...but, like, jaysus, Mick O'Dowd was a very passionate man," noted the Royal County legend, who was part of O'Dowd's management team.

"Micko managed Skryne to win a championship, he got fellas in Skryne to play with passion that they didn't play with before. The same in UCD when Micko was running the show there, we won a Sigerson with great passion. A lot of people have said that the new management will put passion into certain fellas or make them work harder, inject never-say-die spirit.

"But that's a very difficult thing to inject into a person if it's not there or if it's not very strongly there. But yeah, lots of people have said that."

The 1996 and '99 All-Ireland winner admits Meath haven't had the quality to challenge the big boys in recent times.

"I think you do need three or four really top, top players if you're thinking of getting into Division 1, or winning anything at provincial level or getting to the last eight," he continued.

"I would put Donal Keogan in that bracket. To me, Donal Keogan would have got on every single Meath All-Ireland winning team in defence. He absolutely would have. But you just need more than that.

"There's plenty of good lads in Meath that if you had those three or four lads, like Dublin have, they probably have seven, eight or nine, whatever they have, which is a bit exceptional, but if you had those top, top players then I think you have enough in the rest that would get you there."

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