Glennon calls for patience
April 30, 2011The words 'time' and 'patience' regularly crop up when Denis Glennon offers his views on the current state of Westmeath football.
The new Lake County captain acknowledges that the team is going through a transitional phase and that it would be unrealistic for fans to expect a return to the glory days in the short term at least.
"Pat Flanagan is rebuilding the team at the moment," the Tyrellspass clubman points out.
"These things take time and it's not going to happen overnight. When Pat was appointed Tyrrellspass manager in 2005, he didn't win championships straight away. We're in transition and people have to be patient."
Glennon believes the new manager's task is made all the more daunting by the fact that the team has endured two disastrous years, which have left confidence levels very low.
"When you go two years without winning a National League game and are relegated from Division 1 to Division 3, your confidence is bound to be affected," he explains.
"As well as rebuilding the team, Pat is trying to rebuild our confidence. The only positive thing I can say about playing in Division 3 is that it's a good place to rebuild and regroup. It's a better environment for blooding players than in Division 1 where the standard is so high. The performances are just as important as the results right now."
At this stage, the Tullamore-based garda is one of only a handful of survivors from the Westmeath team that won the Leinster championship in 2004. Among those to bow out since the end of last year's championship are Martin Flanagan, John Keane, Damien Healy and Derek Heavin, leaving the likes of Dessie Dolan, Fergal Wilson, Gary Connaughton, Michael Ennis and Glennon himself to provide experience and help nurture the next generation of Lake County footballers along.
"I'm into my eighth season with the Westmeath seniors and I've never seen anything like the changes that have happened over the past year or so. I don't thing the changes have been a bad thing, however. The game's got a lot faster, even since 2004, and it's become a young man's game now.
"Fortunately, we had a very good under 21 team last year and a number of those lads are now on the senior panel. The likes of Ger Egan has been a huge addition to the senior team because, apart from being a good footballer, he is a phenomenal athlete and those are the attributes that are needed in the modern game. And what can you say about John Heslin? He's the best under 21 midfielder in the country in my opinion.
"There is an onus on the senior players in the squad to help the younger lads to find their feet and give them all the encouragement they need," he adds.
Glennon has expressed satisfaction with the draw his team has been handed for this year's Leinster championship. With big guns Dublin, Meath and Kildare on the other side of the draw, the Lake County have been presented with a glorious opportunity to reach their first final since 2004, which was the Tyrrellspass attacker's debut season.
But he warned: "It's a favourable draw alright, but people in Louth, Offaly and Wexford will see it the very same way. They will be thinking the same as ourselves - that they will never get a better chance to reach the Leinster final. We will be working hard on getting belief back into the team before the start of the championship.
"We still have the few lads from 2004 who have the experience of winning a Leinster title and that's something the other teams in our side of the draw can't say. There's a lot of football to be played between now and then, and we aren't thinking that far ahead just yet."
Glennon is full of praise for Pat Flanagan, who he played under at club level for four years. During his time in charge of Tyrrellspass, the Clara native delivered back-to-back senior championships in 2006 and '07, and also led the 'Tidy Town' to a Leinster club final appearance in the latter year.
"Pat is like a second father to me," the 2004 All-Star nominee says.
"I've known him going back to 2005 when he first came to Tyrrellspass and I've always been impressed by his approach to management. He's a real player's man - players appreciate that and respond by putting in the effort and making the sacrifices. He has a fantastic record at club level, having won senior championships in Westmeath with Tyrrellspass and in Offaly with Clara, and hopefully he can now bring the same success to the Westmeath county side. I can't speak highly enough of him."
Denis has also been impressed by the input of Flanagan's new selectors, Larry Giles and Tom Darcy, who gave tremendous service to Westmeath during their playing days. Coralstown/Kinnegad clubman Giles, who memorably scored 2-2 in Westmeath's sensational 1994 NFL quarter-final victory over the then reigning All-Ireland champions Derry, has managed clubs in both Westmeath and Meath, while Rosemount stalwart Darcy recently managed Ballymore and is a former county junior boss.
"Larry and Tom have a wealth of experience and certainly have a lot to offer. They soldiered together for a long time, but didn't get the rewards they deserved. Hopefully, they will be able to put that right as selectors."
Glennon admits it's a tremendous honour to captain his county, having succeeded Michael Ennis in the role at the start of the year.
"It's something I always wanted to do. It's probably the biggest honour I've received since Paidi O Se handed me my debut in 2004. As I've already said, this is my eighth year on the panel and I would be considered one of the senior players at this stage. I'm looking forward to the added responsibility of being captain," he concludes. Tweet
