Cooney’s Westmeath passion to continue in his new role
Gerry Buckley reports
There was widespread shock, not just in his native Westmeath but throughout the country, last Saturday afternoon when Tailteann Cup-winning manager Jack Cooney announced that he was stepping down as the Lake County senior football manager after four years in charge.
This year's Tailteann Cup win means that Cooney’s time in charge has to be viewed as a success, despite Westmeath being still stuck in Division 3 of the Allianz Football League in 2023 after an inconsistent campaign last spring.
Dublin’s dominance in Leinster has not remotely diminished during Cooney's reign, albeit a very preventable loss to Kildare in the 2021 Delaney Cup semi-final may well have deprived his charges of a realistic chance of having a real cut at the Metropolitans in what was a rare faltering year for them.
On Saturday, it was revealed that the Coralstown/Kinnegad clubman is to take up a full-time role in Croke Park as a National Player Development Lead.
He spoke to the assembled media in TEG Cusack Park last Sunday afternoon, after watching his son Brían and his Coralstown/Kinnegad colleagues lose to Flanagan Cup holders St Loman’s, Mullingar.
When Cooney was initially labelled as “former Westmeath manager”, he immediately responded amid a flurry of laughter: “I'm afraid that’s the correct term, but it doesn’t sound great!”
He went on to explain his move: “I went for a position in Croke Park that was advertised. It’s a national coaching role for player pathway. It’s a really exciting role and it’s an important role. It’s something I am going to learn and develop from as well. I would hope that after two/three years in this role that I will be a far better coach, and I’ll bring all that back to Westmeath.
“I’m delighted that I got it but, unfortunately, I have to relinquish my position as Westmeath coach. However, I’ll still be involved in Westmeath in the background, in the development side of things, in underage – building for the future.”
Naturally, he was asked about his term ending with a splendid win in the inaugural Tailteann Cup. He replied: “That win was the culmination of a lot of good and progressive work. There was a lot of commitment from the lads over my four-year tenure, and a lot of new fellows came in this year as well.
“The key thing that we have tried to implement is that this is all about Westmeath. It is not about me, or about any particular individual. This is about improving the standards in Westmeath, and Westmeath playing at a higher level more consistently, playing against the teams that are above us. That is what we are striving for.
“For sure, winning the Tailteann Cup was a great way to finish and I hope it is a great springboard for the lads, and Westmeath in general, to really think about their football with a more long-term view.”
A totally committed player in his younger days, when being handed a maroon and white jersey was not considered by some to be as much of an honour as it is nowadays, and later a selector under the very successful tutelage of both Luke Dempsey and Páidí Ó Sé RIP, it came as no surprise when Cooney stated: “There are three things outside of family that I am really passionate about – Westmeath, coaching, and the GAA. Those three things are still going to be a huge part of my life.
“The GAA is a great organisation and there is an awful lot of work going on in the areas of coaching and player development.
“It’s going to be great for me to have a helicopter view of that. I’m going to be working with great people in Croke Park. There are great coaches all around the country. I’m really looking forward to it.
“I’d like to reiterate that I’m not going anywhere in terms of Westmeath. I’m still very passionate about Westmeath and I will be working to make Westmeath better,” he added.
Cooney, a very popular and respected figure with all stakeholders in Westmeath GAA including, most importantly, the players, concluded: “There are lads there who are well capable of taking things on and bringing it to another level. Players took ownership of it when I was manager from very early doors.
“Literally, all we had to do was to turn up and open the gates to let the boys in.”
Tremendous servant
A member of Páidí Ó Sé’s backroom team when Westmeath enjoyed Leinster SFC success in 2004, Cooney has also worked with Donegal as a selector, and at club level has managed Rhode (Offaly), Newbridge (Kildare) and his home club Coralstown/Kinnegad. He was also a tremendous servant to Westmeath as a player (1988-2000).
Last September, he was ratified as Westmeath manager for a further two years, but his appointment means he will not see out the remainder of this term.
“Since becoming manager of my native county, I have worked with a fantastic bunch of players, whose commitment to playing and preparation at this level is second-to-none; they certainly deserved the success they achieved this year when we overcame Cavan in the first-ever Tailteann Cup final,” Cooney said in his statement published on Saturday last.
“I would like to thank each one of them for their support to me. I have also worked with a wonderful group of coaches and selectors, and I thank them for their support. We have a wonderful backroom team, all of whom are totally committed to Westmeath football, and I thank them for their hard work and dedication.
“We have a wonderful band of loyal supporters, and I will never forget the Croke Park support this year, and the reception we received from thousands of people in the streets of Mullingar when we brought the Tailteann Cup home.
“The support of the clubs of the county, and, of course, the officers of the county and football board, under the leadership of Frank Mescall and Billy Foley, has been outstanding during my tenure; without this great support I would not haver been able to carry out my role.
“And finally, a thank you to my wife, Elaine, and our family, for their unwavering support to me during this period.”
Westmeath GAA Chairman Frank Mescall said: “We are extremely disappointed to lose Jack Cooney as county team manager but are very proud of the fact that he is taking up this prestigious role for the GAA at national level.
“Jack’s commitment to Westmeath football has been magnificent throughout his career, from the time he wore the maroon himself, through his period as a selector in the early-noughties, and his time as senior team manager for the past four years, culminating in our annexing of the Tailteann Cup this year.
“On behalf of all Westmeath Gaels, I say míle buíochas, Jack, and wish you the very best of good fortune in your new role. We have no doubt that given his commitment to Westmeath, that Jack’s experience and knowledge will not be lost to us in the county, and we look forward to seeing him undertaking different roles in the future.
“I confirm that the process to find a successor to Jack will commence immediately.”