Derek McGrath: Cohesion comes from a settled selection

Derek McGrath says that the most cohesive teams are the ones that know their jobs inside and out.

Speaking on this week's RTÉ GAA Podcast the former Waterford manager added that sometimes a manager throwing in something unpredictable can make it more difficult for players to know their role.

The panel were discussing the value of changing up teams ahead of big games, with Clare seen as having a settled team, while Kilkenny, under Brian Cody, can always throw up a surprise inclusion.

"The two most cohesive teams are Clare and Limerick," McGrath said in a discussion about this weekend's All-Ireland SHC semi-finals at Croke Park.

"They know who they have, they know their systems, they know how to play, so everyone can spring a surprise.

"Anecdotally, there's a history of unpredictability here, and I'm only speculating, but I'm reading that he [Cody] goes on training. If I'm picking the Kilkenny team Pádraig Walsh is there because he's one of my best players.

"You've fellas that if they're right they're playing no matter how they're going in training.

"I was watching Pádraig Walsh getting six points off Tadhg de Búrca in the last round of the league and I'm thinking he's going to be a stalwart of this Kilkenny team for the whole championship season.

"I accept a fella's form can drop, but the balance between a fella's form dropping and putting in the guy who is going well in training... Over the years you might look to the bench and say that, 'Austin Gleeson at 70% is better than what is on the bench at 100%.'

"I was reading a bit about the most cohesive teams in soccer, rugby, GAA and American football. The most cohesive teams are the ones that know their systems of play, and the personnel are nearly the same the same the whole way