The Tullysaran man is Kerry’s full-time Head of Athletic Development and believes David Clifford’s appetite to continually improve his game sets him apart
Jason McGahan knew what he was signing up for and he got an early reminder of the standards that those associated with Kerry GAA are held to.
Having previously worked with Kerry in 2015 as part of Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s backroom team before joining Cian O’Neill in Kildare in 2016, the Armagh man returned to Kerry late in 2018 as their full-time Head of Athletic Development.
In his first season with the Kingdom in 2019, he hadn’t yet secured full-time accommodation and needed to stay overnight for their League meeting with Dublin.
Upon heading down for breakfast the next morning, Kerry kitbag in tow, a lady working in the function room asked what it was he did for the team as it was clear from his northern accent he was an outsider.
He told her he was from Tullysaran in Co Armagh and explained that he was a sports scientist and had recently been employed by Kerry to oversee the strength and conditioning work of Kerry’s football teams.
“Oh. . . and there’s nobody in Kerry who could do that job?”
‘Welcome to Kerry’, he thought to himself. Breakfast was hard-earned for McGahan that morning but, fast forward some six years later and his importance to the Kerry cause is perhaps more widely-known.
One of the most rewarding aspects of his job is working with one of the greatest talents Gaelic football has ever seen.
Earlier this month David Clifford became the first player to win the Footballer of the Year title three times while also picking up a sixth All-Star.
Success hasn’t changed Clifford off the pitch, but McGahan says a relentless pursuit of continual improvement has made the Fossa ace the star he is today.
“David Clifford is not just a good footballer, he’s a good person,” stated McGahan.
“He’s a good lad to work with. When I first came to Kerry, he was only 19 at the time.
“But straight away you could tell he was mature beyond his years. How he thought about the game, how he handles himself, it’s incredible. I think it’s a credit to himself, but also to his family.
“He comes from a good family and a good background. They keep him pretty grounded. He is something else.”
He added: “Physically, he’s filled out since I started working with him. He’s worked hard at the gym. He’s worked hard in the field as well, in his conditioning.
“He’s always thinking about the game, how he can get better. He’s not sitting back, thinking he’s already there or he’s done that. He’s looking forward, even for next year, how can he bring it to another level or how can he get better?”
That might be a pretty scary prospect for defenders across Ireland, but it is an ethos shared by Jack O’Connor.
After hinting that he could step down following Kerry’s win over Donegal in July, a victory that saw him win a fifth All-Ireland title with the Kingdom, O’Connor agreed to a two-year extension at the end of August.
Kerry then delivered a huge statement of intent for 2026 by bringing former Footballer of the Year Kieran Donaghy into their backroom team.
Donaghy spent five years in McGahan’s native county and was a key cog in Kieran McGeeney’s management set-up when the Orchard County won the Sam Maguire in 2024, beating Kerry in the semi-final.
McGahan insists it is a “privilege” to be working with both men as they seek to win All-Ireland SFC title number 40 next season.
“To be working with any Kerry team is a privilege and then you get to work with the likes of Jack O’Connor too,” added McGahan.
“Jack staying on is massive, not just for Kerry football, but for the boys as well. We did think that if we could chat with him and work on him, we could get him to stay on. His love for the game and his love for Kerry is infectious. He always wants the best for the players and Jack is a great man for following his gut.
“He had an instinct that he wanted to do something different, he wanted to freshen it up. We were very fortunate that Kieran (Donaghy) was available and we are lucky he said yet.
“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to work with him and I know the players are looking forward to seeing what he can bring.
“Jack is always looking for ways we can improve. I honestly don’t think Jack gets the credit he deserves. What he has done for Kerry and the success he has had – and he still wants to go again and make a difference next year. He has that hunger and he is buzzing to get going again – we all are.”
It would be reasonable to suggest that no benefited more from Gaelic Football’s changes in 2025 than the team that won the All-Ireland Championship.
Those rules will be in force again next season after the FRC’s proposals were unanimously passed at a special congress last month.
Kerry hit their stride during the summer months after a set-back against Meath in the group stages and subsequently defeated four Ulster teams in the knockout stages, namely Cavan, the-then champions Armagh, Tyrone and Donegal.
For Kerry coach Jason McGahan, the new rules have brought about a host of changes to how strength and conditioning teams manage the training loads of players. A one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work in the modern era with kickouts being contested and ball-winning target men back in vogue.
“We are still looking through the data and we are comparing it to different years,” said McGahan.
“We are back to what we would have seen 10 years ago where it’s like a bell curve- the inside lines aren’t doing as much as the middle eight.
“Whereas if you looked at data going back to 2020, 2021, ’22, ’23 and last season, you would have seen a whole lot of difference between what a full-back might do, compared to a midfielder because the game was up and down. The big difference is the inside lines are doing more accelerations, decelerations and the middle eight are now covering a lot more high-speed running, and a bit more volume.
“The inside line will be stop-start and change of direction. So you’ll take that into consideration.”
A keen basketball fan, McGahan said GAA coaches should always be on the lookout for ways to improve their teams, even if it means borrowing ideas from other sports.
“You can definitely learn from basketball, but also in soccer as well,” said McGahan.
“Look at the old Liverpool team and the likes of Man City, how they defend and their quick transition from attack to defence.
“You also look at AFL teams and their skill set around the tackle and stuff like that. You’re always on the lookout and take in whatever you can from other sports. It is also important that you don’t overcomplicate it all at the same time.”
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