By Michael McMullan

NEW Derry manager Paddy Tally will pencil in rest for whoever needs it and says a strong link across the u-17 and u-20 grades is essential to long-term progress.

He points out the difference in conditioning levels between a player coming in from the u-20 grade to a seasoned player with a decade of training under his belt.

Speaking after being ratified as the new Oakleaf boss, Tally said managing Derry was too good an opportunity to turn down and is in the process of finalising his backroom team.

Former Derry captain Kevin McGuckin, head coach Paul McIver and former player Paul McFlynn – who part of last year’s ticket under Mickey Harte – form Tally’s management team.

Currently drawing up a panel ahead of the league opener with Tyrone, Tally said any u-20 players he has eye on won’t be on board until they finish with their own grade.

“I’ll be in communication with Damian (McErlain, u-20 manager) for his advice and players coming through that have maybe stepped out of u-20s last year and maybe ready to move up,” Tally said.

“It’s essential that you have a strong link between u-17s, u-20s and seniors. That has to be a very strong link.”

There will be the late developer that needs taken in but Tally feels the structures between age groups is “absolutely essential” and something that needs to continue in the long-term.

Speaking before the news of former skipper Chrissy McKaigue’s retirement, Tally outlined how squads, generally, need replenished with new blood. Some will step away and there will be players who perhaps don’t progress on to be a regular senior player.

“That’s where you need somebody else coming through to replace those players but you need the players coming through at the right level and you need them coming through with the right skills, on and off the field,” Tally said.

“There is a massive jump from u-20 to the heat of the battle in senior football. You can’t fast track that, that’s something you just can’t do.

“Maturation will be different but, physically, to be a 19- or 20-year-old and to maybe come up against a 27- or 28-year-old with maybe 10 years of conditioning under their belt, it’s very unfair to throw somebody in at that heat unless they’re ready for it.”

There is also the importance of players being with their peers and enjoying that before going into a dressing room environment with players who have different work and family commitments.

There are a handful of Derry clubs still in action across hurling and football and Tally is mindful of Newbridge’s players coming to terms with their season.

“We’ll have boys coming off the back of a couple of very, very intense years so there’ll be lads who need additional rest this time of the year,” he said, also stating that players will need downtime when their club season comes to an end.

“Physically and mentally, you need a break from football to a point so we’ll use this time, there’s no rush on us,” he added.

“We’ll use these few weeks to gather people together and plan the future.”

Like every other county, they’ll have to plot for the league without the pre-season competitions and with potential rule changes coming in for 2025.

“Really, you’re going to have to hit the ground running when you start playing and that’ll be a new challenge, not just for me, but for any manager,” Tally said.

“I think certainly it would have been great to have had the McKenna Cup.”