Danny Murphy was impressed by the aura of McGuinness during his decade long pursuit of a coaching career in soccer.
Then again, no one in Donegal could comprehend why the most successful manager in their county’s history had crossed borders - sporting as well as geographic.
Yet for all the criticism McGuinness has received for trying, but failing, in soccer, respect was won from an unlikely source. “So, people literally look up to him. He delivers instructions on a training field and all eyes are on him. Being a nice man doesn’t convert a championship winning GAA manager into a wise soccer coach, though.
“The entire explanation took a minute, maybe two, to deliver. Yet every player got it. There was no confusion. His details were clear. There was confidence about Jim, for sure, but there was also a deep knowledge. I won’t lie, I was hugely impressed.” “That’s a big thing about him that I really like. He has never gone around with the attitude, ‘do you know who I am?’
That Jeffries then succeeded McGuinness tells you a lot more than a thousand words could. His backroom staff stayed on, too, after McGuinness left.
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