Dublin football manager Jim Gavin has said it is insulting to his players to say "the funding" the county board has got over the years "is what's made them."
The 47-year old had been speaking after leading the Boys in Blue to a ninth Leinster Senior Football title in a row at Croke Park by beating Meath on a scoreline of 1-17 to 0-4.
Over the last six years, they have won the Leinster decider each year by an average of more than 14 points, and he had been asked if the money being pumped into Gaelic games in the capital should take some of the credit.
But Gavin was keen to praise the volunteerism that imbues the GAA, praising the parents and coaches that have helped the Dublin county game to a period of such dominance.
"I was with the under-11s yesterday for their last game before the summer - my son plays with Ballyboden St Enda's. [They were] playing Cuala. We had four coaches [...] Cuala had another four on the sideline. I don't think any of us are getting paid - we were there to see our kids on a beautiful summer's day - what memories are made of.
"We're just fortunate in Dublin that we have some really smart people with their hands on the tiller, who have applied to Croke Park [and] got funding. We're in a fantastic stadium in Croke Park, led by remarkable people [who] have the mortgage paid off. If I was in another county, I'd be knocking on their door with a smart business plan to say 'We want to use a similar model to what Dublin have'.
"The clubs [in Dublin] fund 50% [of coaching funding]. Croke Park do help, [and] our other monies are bridged by the sponsorship we get, and gate receipts.
"As to boots on the ground, the teachers who were with these men when they were 10 [years old] in Croke Park, in the Cumann na mBunscol games, and the mums and dads - it's probably a bit of an insult to say the funding they got, or rather the coaches got, is what's made them.
"What has made them is bloody hard work.
"I can just see the pride these guys have for playing for their county, and long may it continue."
Written by Ben Finnegan.
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