David Clifford is one of the most promising young stars in football today and Bernard Brogan has selected the Kerry man as his number one forward in a mock GAA draft.
Brogan described Clifford as the "complete footballer" on Wednesday's OTBAM and is eagerly anticipating what he can achieve this summer.
"I love all of the Dublin players, the forwards, and they would be in my team but the package that Clifford is bringing, for such a young man to be so calm [is amazing]," Brogan said.
"His balance, off of his left foot and his right [is outstanding], and that confidence.
"I think that is what great players have, that confidence, you look at Con O'Callaghan, you look at Cormac Costello, they are so cool on the ball.
"Clifford has that size and that ball-winning ability and obviously, an eye for goal. He is just a complete footballer and I am looking forward to watching him over the summer."
Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/SportsfileBrogan commended Kerry for the tactics they have adopted since Clifford has emerged, catering their style, at times, to one of their match-winners.
"I love the way Kerry are supporting his strengths," Brogan said.
"They are getting him the ball, allowing him time [on it].
"He is working hard, to be successful in this game you have to be a hard worker and then you get the rewards from it.
"I am looking forward to watching Clifford to see can he continue this form. I always look at how teams set up against players like that, how they mark them and try to tactically slow them down.
"It will be interesting to see how teams try to set up and pour a bit of cold water on his steam."
Photo by Brendan Moran/SportsfileOne method of slowing a slick forward down is to foul them and this is something Clifford has dealt with in the past and will have to contend with moving forward.
Last year, he was sent off for reacting to provocation from a defender, something that Kieran Donaghy said he would learn from at the time.
"Unfortunately, it is often the reactor that is caught in these situations," Donaghy said after Clifford was sent off for East Kerry in 2020.
"Refs could probably do with a lot more help from umpires and linesmen on who is actually starting these altercations because you have got a forward that is running down the field trying to get on a ball and kick an insurance score and he is met by somebody that is not even looking at the ball.
"That is par for the course. David will have to learn and he will learn."
Photo by David Fitzgerald/SportsfileBrogan agrees on this front and believes that if Clifford can avoid these situations in future there is no limit to his upward trajectory as one of the games greatest players.
"I think he should learn that he does not need to get involved in that," Brogan said.
"When you get excited like that, and it happened to me a couple of times and I learned quickly, your emotions go up, the blood rises and you nearly get dizzy when you get into that heightened state during a row or dragging match.
"It just throws you off your game, takes you out of your comfort zone and takes away your focus."
Kerry and Clifford will be aiming to improve on last years championship disappointment, a loss to Cork in the Munster final.
The Kingdom will be desperate to stop Dublin from claiming another All-Ireland on the spin and in order to do so their star man will need to be at his very best.
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