Chrissy McKaigue optimistic for future of Derry football

Michael Bolton

Chrissy McKaigue says he is optimistic for the future of Derry football despite a difficult season following relegation from Division One, which saw them without a win in the seven games.

Defeat to Donegal in the Ulster championship was followed by another loss against Armagh in the All-Ireland group stages, before rescuing a draw against Galway last weekend.

In what has been a difficult 18 months for the county, McKaigue is confident they can get back on track, and praised the work clubs in the county have been doing over the years.

"Derry has always had a spread of good underage teams across minor, Under-21s, U20s as it is now, and schools.

"That's not a guarantee, don't get me wrong, but I've never seen as many clubs in Derry have their house in order. That rivalry and wanting to compete with each other has made each other better, a rising tide and all that.

"Schools are doing phenomenal work and that should give Derry county teams a really good chance, you would imagine."

"Derry are working hard in the background to put structures in place for that because they've had a consistent spread of teams and players coming all at the one time.

"It's exciting for Derry but be under no illusion the hardest thing is to try and get them players from being really good juvenile players to being really good servants at senior level for Derry."

McKaigue also put into perspective the number of injuries to key players Derry have had this season, while also pointed out the age profile of the team.

"Derry have to claim that they want to be in contention for Sam Maguire in the next ten years.

"They have to be. What's the point then in doing all the work they've done? There's no guarantee, I know that, but the bottom line is you've got to have your ambitions, you have to dream big.

"Derry should have, theoretically, a chance in the next number of years to do big things. You have a very good senior side at the minute, albeit this year has not been great.

"You look at the age profile of a lot of those Derry players. Conor McCluskey has been out, still a relatively young man; Ethan Doherty is a relatively young man, you have Lachlann Murray and Paul Cassidy.

"A lot of players there with a lot more to give, and a lot more on the conveyor belt of talent coming through."

A two-time Ulster winner with Derry, McKaigue made the decision to step away from inter-county football after 15 seasons in the Derry jersey.

The 35-year-old still has GAA as part of his life, but discussed the mental toll inter-county football can have.

"It was fairly demanding. If I was playing against Dublin (Saturday week in Newry), I'd be starting to think about Dublin the minute the Galway game ended. You don't have that anymore and that is a welcome addition.

"It wasn't a kneejerk reaction for me to retire. I'm happy to it the transition has been relatively smooth. I know in my gut that I'm happy enough because I can imagine for a lot of people it is more difficult.

"But for me I'm content and was ready to move on to the next chapter."