Disillusionment with former teammates swayed Kevin Cassidy over Donegal return

Kevin Cassidy has admitted that disillusion with former colleagues who didn't back him when axed by Jim McGuinness in 2011 was part of the reason he didn't return.
Disillusionment with former teammates swayed Kevin Cassidy over Donegal return

Kevin Cassidy: Disappointment with former teammates. Picture: Oliver McVeigh/Sportsfile
Kevin Cassidy: Disappointment with former teammates. Picture: Oliver McVeigh/Sportsfile

Kevin Cassidy has admitted that disillusion with former colleagues who didn't back him when axed by Jim McGuinness in 2011 was part of the reason he didn't return.

Cassidy said he played for years with certain players and 'dug them out of holes a good few times' but felt left isolated when axed.

The former captain said he'd like to think that if the situation was reversed, he wouldn't have acted as they did.

Gaoth Dobhair colleagues Neil and Eamon McGee were among those Donegal players and Cassidy said that while there wasn't 'bad blood' afterwards, there was a 'kind of disappointment'.

Cassidy was dropped for contributing to a book which McGuinness felt broke dressing-room protocols and the player knocked back an opportunity to return months before their 2012 All-Ireland breakthrough.

Speaking in an interview for Benetti Menswear, Cassidy revealed how his disillusion with ex-colleagues influenced his decision.

"Yeah, that was the toughest thing because I'd like to think that, like, I played for 10, 12 years, a lot of those lads I would have dug them out of holes a good few times, definitely wouldn't have let any of them down, would have been there 100 per cent in their corner any time they needed and I think that was the worst thing about me and that's why I couldn't go back because I just felt that even though I knew Donegal were going to come close, it was the kind of situation...I don't want to be...it's not somewhere I want to be because it's not the kind of people I want to surround myself with, if that makes sense," said Cassidy.

"You have to see it from their side as well that...their tunnel vision in what they wanted to achieve and it was a routine and it was a structure and you were either in or you were out. But the question I had myself, would I have done the same? I don't think I would have like, so that's what I had to base it on.

"That was probably the worst thing about it. The clubmates, obviously Eamon and Neil, that was the toughest thing, because we were clubmates and they were in a tough situation and for a wee while there, it wasn't that there was bad blood or anything, it was just kind of disappointment probably. Thankfully we got a chance to rectify that."

Neil McGee still plays for Donegal and started all five of their Allianz League games before the COVID-19 shutdown.

Cassidy feels the back to back Ulster champions were poised to do 'special things' if the Championship had taken place as scheduled.

"I think if this year doesn't go ahead I think the most disappointed man will be Declan Bonner because I think you were going to see something this year from Donegal.

"They're coming to a nice age. Those lads have had a good year behind them. (Patrick) McBrearty's back from the States he was coming into good shape again. I think our lads were ready to give it a good shot this year. I think, honestly, I would rate Dublin first, Kerry second and behind that we're definitely right there."

Cassidy praised current boss Bonner for realising that counties like Dublin and Kerry had Donegal's style of play 'sussed' following the McGuinness and Rory Gallagher years.

"He came in probably with 90 per cent of the squad that was there through the McGuinness and through the Rory Gallagher eras," said the two-time All-Star. "It was, let's face it, it was a system and that was it. You didn't change from it.

"It was very successful but I think Declan Bonner realised that Dublin had you sussed, Kerry had you sussed. It was time to do something different and I think Declan Bonner put his own print on it.

"The way we play now, we will drop one or two men back but we're exciting going forward and I think it's good to watch. When you have the likes of Murphy, Paddy McBrearty, the likes of Jamie Brennan, these kind of lads, there's no reason for us to be dropping back, I think we should go for teams."

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