Jim McGuinness appointment is some lift for Donegal - Conor Classon

The return of Jim McGuinness to the Donegal managerial hot seat has been hailed as a huge plus for the county and the Donegal GAA public.

The now almost veteran Conor Classon of Ardara was involved with the Naomh Conaill man at U-21 level and briefly at senior level and is a huge admirer of the new boss.

He also feels that the arrival of McGuinness will be good in other ways, especially around the Donegal media, which he feels was disrespected in the last year or so, not just by the Donegal senior management, but in other ways also.

“It’s some lift for Donegal to have Jim McGuinness back. I’m absolutely thrilled for the county, because I know what he brings, I know what he’s about; I know the integrity he’ll bring back to Donegal football,” said Classon, who feels there was a lot of disrespect for the Donegal media over the last year.

He said that using the fact that there was so much media in Donegal as an excuse to not have media briefings was disrespectful. And he also feels that it was because of the work that the media were doing that had a direct bearing on Jim McGuinness being back as manager.

“There are so many branches of media in Donegal for a reason, they are all interested in what is going on in the county.

“I know all the nonsense that went on. Our own media being disrespected. I think our media does a super job in Donegal. They go to every championship game, every league game, they go to junior games. They cover every aspect of Donegal football and I just felt there were a couple of times during last year’s campaign that they were a wee bit disrespected.

“It’s not an easy task to stand out in the middle of nowhere in  the lashing rain and you’re the only person there to cover a league game,” said Classon, who feels that Jim McGuinness will bring a fresh approach.

“Jim’s mantra will be to look after everything Donegal. I just think what Jim will bring is an unbelievable focus, unbelievable intensity,  and he’ll want players that want to play for Donegal.”

Asked if he would have liked to be a few years younger and be involved, he laughs: “I would only be wanted to collect bottles.”