It’s a darker shade of sky blue and magnificently lightweight, neatly decorated with the initials of US insurance giant AIG – and worth around €4 million to the Dublin County Board over the next five years.
Now that Dublin have officially unveiled their new jersey, beginning the most lucrative sponsorship deal in GAA history, the question is who exactly will wear it. The AIG sponsorship covers all four codes, and the jersey goes on sale to the public from Friday (priced at €60), although the headline act, at least for 2014, will be the All-Ireland football champions.
So when Bernard Brogan – man of the match in the All-Ireland final win over Mayo – is finished modelling the Dublin jersey he's asked that very question, albeit in a roundabout way. Brogan himself says he'll be "picking and choosing his battles" from now on, after nearly burning himself out this year. Yet two Dublin footballers he definitely wants to see wearing the new jersey next year are his older brother Alan Brogan, and goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton.
Rumour mill
No one is honestly expecting Cluxton to retire, even though the rumour mill is already grinding, but for Alan Brogan, who missed all of Dublin's All-Ireland-winning campaign through injury, 2014 is far from certain. One man eager to see him give it another go will be his younger brother.
“It was a massively frustrating year for Alan,” says Brogan, not just expressing some brotherly affection. “No one sees the work that people do in the background when they’re injured. He got back, was so close, was flying, but then he pulled his hamstring, which put him out for another four weeks.
“And I always love playing with Alan, because he’s such a good footballer. Not many people who can pass the ball like him. The way Alan strikes the ball is special. In fairness, now, he is busy with work and the family, and he is questioning whether to go on, whether the legs will carry him. I’m just hoping he gives it one more year. because he has so much to add.
“He was player of the year in 2011 and he delivers year in, year out. He’s not going to lose any ground because he’s a naturally fit guy. He never loses his pace and has a great engine. And he’s back flying with the club at the moment [with St Oliver Plunketts Eoghan Ruadh].
“I’d say if he had won an All-Ireland this year and played in a lot of games he probably would have retired. So over Christmas I’ll be telling him to stay going. And I’m hoping missing out will give him the inspiration to come back. I’d like to see him go out on his own terms, to go out in front of 80,000 people, in Croke Park. I think he has loads left to give, and hopefully a quiet word in his ear will get him over the line.”
Walking away
Brogan also admits that while Cluxton "is a peculiar fish at the best of times", and may well be considering walking away at the top after captaining Dublin this year, chances are he will be back between the posts in 2014:
“He’s massively important, as you’ve seen over the last few years. The coolness to come down and kick frees is such a bonus. He’s also a leader.
“He just needs a bit of love every now and again. We’ll give him a bit of attention, at the end of the year, put his arm around his shoulder. I’m sure he’ll be back. He’s put massive effort into Dublin over the years and I think he’s loads left. He’s the fittest man, top of every sprint and long run. So I don’t think there’ll be any issue there.
“His girlfriend is a massive Dublin fan as well. We’ll probably need to talk to her more than him.”
As for the notion of Dublin GAA getting richer while most other counties stay poor, and the new AIG deal perhaps widening the gulf between competing counties, especially in Leinster, Brogan is not so sure. Indeed he reckons the last thing that guarantees All-Ireland success is money.
"The structure of the GAA does a lot of funding for the smaller counties, and Dublin has the biggest population. And in fairness, it's the success over the last number of years that has led to an amazing company such as AIG coming on board.
Very expensive
"And to run an intercounty team at the level we want to run it is very expensive, and Dublin is more expensive to run. Dublin has a development officer in nearly every club, so the outlay in Dublin is 20 times that of most other counties, say somewhere like Longford. It's a world apart.
“I know the sponsorships are worlds apart, but at the end of the day, in Croke Park, on any given Sunday, in front of 80,000 people, it’s not a sponsor or the money that will win the game for you. It’s the heart of the person, the players on the pitch, and the management.
“That’s what gives you the resources. The investment is great, but on the day, it’s the lads that tog out, the guys on the pitch, that win games.”
So beyond wearing the new Dublin jersey what else must they do differently in 2012?
“I think one of the main things this year was the competition in the panel. You look at any of the games, there were five subs made in every game, and the lads who came on all made a difference. We know we have the players, and players coming off the line, who are going to make a difference so if we keep doing what we’re doing we will get over the line. It’s a massive thing to have – that belief that you’re going to win the game.”
Having a €4 million sponsorship deal won’t do that belief any harm.
