Jim Gavin: “The Currency We Deal In Is Performance"
Some men revel in records; Jim Gavin is not one of them.
In the wake of Dublin’s demolition of Roscommon the manager failed to feign even the slightest interest in presiding over the longest unbeaten streak in Gaelic Football.
The Dubs emerged 2-29 to 0-14 winners against the Rossies on Saturday night to cement their spot at the top of the division one table in the Allianz League.
The victory was routine and the performance not particularly noteworthy for those of us who’ve witnessed Dublin comfortably tear strips from inferior opposition over the last number of years.
This Dublin team will ultimately go down as one of the best ever when it is all said and done, they smashed an 85 year old record emphatically as they stretched their unbeaten streak in League and Championship to 35 games.
Kerry avoided defeat for 34 between 1929-32, the Dubs matched that last week with a draw against their biggest rivals.
The record was a talking topic when Gavin faced the media in the wake of the comfortable victory.
He took time to think of an appropriate response to questions surrounding the landmark, but stopped just short of shrugging his shoulders and saying ‘meh’.
After a short pause he searched for the words to best describe the feat, he settled on those that rang most true to him. That he wasn’t particularly fussed either way.
He did admit the players could find happiness or pride in the achievement, someday, maybe:
“Maybe when the players finish their careers they’ll look back and might take something from it.
“Games that they perform in, they’re now in the past and we need to regroup again and focus on the game ahead and that’s always been our philosophy and it ain’t gonna change now.
“The currency we deal in is performance and that’s what we try to strive for everyday, we got a good performance today, we didn’t get a complete one and that’s what we’re always striving towards.
“That’s what we’re going after next week against Monaghan which will be a completely different tactical game but one we’ll enjoy, we enjoy those challenges."
The Dublin manager didn't hide the fact that he is not particularly interested or moved by guiding his team to that record, perhaps that gives a more illuminating insight into one of the most successful managers in the game.
Records and trophies may be some measure of success to fans, pundits and players. Gavin though is more interested in the journey than the destination.
Striving toward the perfect performance and hoping to bring the best out of individuals who when combined make up one of the most talented group of footballers ever to emerge from the capital.
If that perfect performance comes, maybe then Jim Gavin will soak in the adulation. For now the record, as impressive as it is to those outside the Dublin bubble, is not what he's interested in.
That is why that unbeaten streak is 35 games long, that is why Dublin have won the Allianz League for the past four years, that is why they’re going for a third All Ireland title on the trot.
Pausing in the pursuit of greatness much like celebrating the breaking of an 85 year record is not something Jim Gavin is interested in.