BY DECLAN BOGUE

d.bogue@gaeliclife.com

"What's the referee's like in Fermanagh?" he asks.

- "Well, to be honest, whenever Fermanagh people watch football in Tyrone they are amazed how the referees let the game flow. You only have to lay a hand on a man to be blown up in Fermanagh football."

"Jesus, you'se must be in bad shape. See referees? That's why I'm not involved in football anymore. No referees have played football, they're too old, or not fit. You only have to look at the shape of them. Gaelic football is so fast, but our referees are not fit. Look at rugby or soccer referees, they are meticulous in their fitness.

"They don't even use their own discretion anymore. We used to be able to ask a referee what a free was for, now they wave a card in your face as if you're dirt to them, and move it on ten yards."

As introductions go, Frank McGuigan's is quite something.

Sitting in his living room in Ardboe, there is no sign that the man who earned the devotion of a generation of football fans nationwide, ever laced up a set of cogs and went out to break hearts with his solo-dummy. Not for him a scattering of sepia-toned photos of teams from a bygone age, or Ulster medals sitting on the fireplace for everyone to see.

How is he? People always want to hear how Frank is getting on. A soul-baring interview with Kieran Shannon of The Sunday Tribune almost five years ago opened up the lid, revealing morbid details about life, alcohol and mortality. He's getting on the best, thanks for asking. Still got the limp from when his hip shot out from the base of his spine in the crash that ended a stunted career, but able to get around a golf course for the odd four-ball nonetheless. Full of opinions and only willing to share them. Set the tape rolling and pray you have enough of it.

New York New York

A potted history; Frank McGuigan was born, played football for Ardboe, got noticed, picked for Tyrone minors, captained them to an Ulster title in 1972 alongside Mickey Harte, played for the county minors and seniors on the same day, drank a bit, drank a lot, went on an All-Stars trip in the late seventies and never turned up for the return flight out of New York. Six years as 'The Man' in Gaelic Park. Delighting the diaspora with his skills, and slinking back into a relished anonymity afterwards. Contrary to what you may have heard, no American-based players received payment, "The odd player they would look for work for, but I got nothing. I got my own job and football had nothing to do with it. The boy coming over for the weekend got paid but that was it. Nobody based there got a cold cent." Six years of living in The Bronx, Queen's and Hackensack, New Jersey. Met Geraldine who was soon to be his wife, fathered three sons that all go on to play for Tyrone, dodged about on construction sites keeping his nose clean.

Is there any more point talking about Frank McGuigan and drink? It's been covered before in great detail, and at this stage, the only noteworthy thing is how balanced his perspective is. What does he think, for example, of former-President Dr Mick Loftus ending his All-Ireland hurling final day protest, now that Guinness are no longer sole sponsors? "Nonsense. I never watched a game of hurling and thought I needed a pint of Guinness after it. Why would you? Because Guinness are putting up sponsorship of the Liam MacCarthy Cup? That's crazy."

You might wonder how he, fresh and sober as he is, can manage working in the bar his son Brian has the lease on. Putting in the shifts in front of the locals enjoying their pints? "Sure that's the best deterrent. It would turn you completely off. You see a guy coming in for the cure and you feeling fit behind the bar, you'd never want to look at it at all."

The King

Frank was known as The King. Before him was Frankie Donnelly from Carrickmore who earned the plaudits in the '50s, and after Frank was God, wee Peter, the Glencull kid who was mesmerised by McGuigan's eleven point haul from the 1984 Ulster final and made it his business to be a two-footed forward. Now with Peter gone, the adulation is up for grabs, and Tyrone fans of a sentimental bent will look at Brian McGuigan's return as one of saviour. The attendance at the recent league game against Laois was over 3,000, but as they rose to their feet in unison to salute the brave return of their wizard, it was as if all the frustration from the past two injury-destroyed summers was washed away with a deafening roar. Almost, but not quite.

The sons

For his team mates that had been slogging out a narrow victory in poor conditions it was a significant moment for a group that feel the bite of unrealised potential. It was the first time his brother Tommy, operating at corner-forward, got to share a competitive Tyrone game with his brother, and he says, "We always knew he was close to coming back, but to be honest we weren't expecting too much of him, because last year he was close to coming back and he got another injury.

"We just played it by ear and thought 'if he comes back, it will be a bonus.' Now he is back and we have to take it in stages, but he is a good asset to have."

Frank was even more forthcoming, "Ack, Brian got a good reception, but that was always going to be the case when he came back. He's got nothing to gain from playing football again, but it's good to see him back.

"Tyrone are there or thereabouts this year, but to pull anything off they need Stephen O'Neill back. I wouldn't rule out a return for Stephen, but if his injuries are bad, why risk your future life for football?

Brian himself is floating about the house, but declines to speak, saying that he feels it is bad luck. In any case, his superstitions get the better of him, which is fair enough. There are too many column inches given over to complaining about gaelic athletes who won't speak to the press, but it should be remembered that it is their prerogative and they are under no obligations.

Last year Tommy was named in the famed 11 jersey for the championship first round against Fermanagh, hitting three points and seemlessly fitting into the role. Does he not get sick of the comparisons? "It's very hard to be compared to Brian y'know, he's been there, done it, and played a lot of the big games for Tyrone over the last few years. Performance-wise at the minute, Mickey has me in the corner whereas Brian would be further out. I have no difficulties with that, because I've played there for the club, and out around the middle too. But at county level, the quality of ball coming in is very good. It's not much of an ask to step into the corner, but I just hope to get an extended run of it."

With the Championship rolling round and the clocks going back this weekend, Tyrone's season starts in earnest under the Saturday night lights in Healy Park against Donegal. In the corresponding fixture last year Donegal hit the height of their peak last year, cleaning them out on their way to the title, while Tyrone saved their best for the championship fixture, embarrassing Saturday's opposition and announcing Raymond Mulgrew's arrival on the senior scene with an incredible team goal. In Ardboe they still talk of the goal years ago that had seven passes among the McGuigans, with that kind of telepathy between Tommy and Brian, adding Brian Dooher and Mulgrew, Tyrone's threat could be a revamped attack in the height of the Summer.

Is there the chance of another All-Ireland in this team Tommy? "Absolutely, I wouldn't be there anyway if there wasn't. You can see the intensity in the training, no-one is missing it, and they are putting in great effort, even the ones who are coming back into it with physio work. There is 100% effort there with the likes of Joe McMahon and Brian Dooher who will be looking to come back in."

Mulgrew, Cavanagh, McGuigan, McCullagh, McGuigan, Gormley, McGinley, Dooher and Mulligan, try picking six from that, they haven't gone away you know. First blood of the year will be shed Saturday night- should be well worth a look.

SIDEBAR

Frankly talking

Frank on...

On football now

"I'm not involved in any football at the minute, and I got away from it because of the state it's in.

Where football is falling down is the coaching level. I have seen all these boys that are coaching football at the minute, none of them played at the top level. How can a guy show anyone how to play football if he never played it himself? Where did these boys get the credentials to do these jobs?

You go to a training session now and it's all these short wee drills. The best gaelic football coach that I have seen is Dessie Ryan. His words is, 'gaelic football is a simple game, and there are a crowd of boys trying to complicate it.'

I've watched the things they're at, and it's not enhancing gaelic football. The GAA in general is suffering. Get back to the basics, and learn the basics of catching and kicking a football. How many fellas can score a point from fifty yards out of their hands. You watch football now, and a lot of the kicks land in the keeper's hands, which is a crime. The goalie is so involved in games now because of this. These boys simply cannot kick it dead.

You go into a field now and everybody has a ball. There is a bag of balls, maybe 50 balls. Nobody has to compete to get a ball, whereas in the olden days you kicked a ball out and you had to win it. Gaelic games have been destroyed by this coaching.

The All-Star Awards

The All-Stars to me are the biggest farce, and I'm not just saying that because Brian did not get one, I'm saying it from when I started playing football. I have one, should have had two from the '70s, but it didn't annoy me because the guys was doing it were press men who didn't have a clue. They weren't at the league matches and managers should have picked them.

The Press

It's funny how much the ordinary Joe Soap would read into the reports in the paper, or people writing columns in the papers.

There's none as critical as the press, you're only as good as your last game. One day Mugsy, Brian and the boys have Celtic Crosses, the next day they're nothing but useless!

Pay for play

You can talk all you like about sport and gaelic football, but it's only a thing you do passing through. It would be different if you were making a living out of it, then it would be important.

I got paid for managing. Not saying who the clubs are, but I got paid, wouldn't have been there without the money. I got on well with the clubs, but the thing about coaching for me is, I couldn't take part in the session myself, with my leg, so it was hard for me.

Of One Belief

The boys that are on top of the 'Of One Belief' thing, the prominent members of this, one of them is from a club that was one of the first to pay managers. And another went out to New York, which comes under Central Council, and he demanded a big fat envelope of money. Was that not pay-for-play?

These guys seem to forget we remember these things.