John Mullane claims that Waterford can deliver a league title in Paraic Fanning's first season in charge. After falling short in their last four major finals since beating Cork in the 2015 league decider, the De La Salle man thinks that the time is right for this team to get their hands on a national trophy.
"They've been in five finals and won one out of five. When you look back on your career you say 'how many trophies did we win?' For me, it's all about climbing the steps. Whether it be Munster championship, All Ireland or National League, you can't beat climbing the steps and looking out and seeing a sea of blue and white. I think this team have to go and win a trophy; they've been knocking on the door for the last couple of years. They're due another trophy. We don't have too many, we've only won three in our history. Go and win as much as you can. It was the Brian Cody mantra: win as much silverware as you can."
He feels that there's less pressure on Austin Gleeson this season. "Three years ago he was hurler of the year and I remember talking to Austin and he was saying that he was putting himself under enormous pressure to replicate what he did. That wasn't being realistic. What he performed that year was hurling from the gods. I kept saying to Austin 'if you perform at 70 per cent of that, that will do'. Austin is more relaxed this year and is saying to himself 'I can have an off day or I can chip in with two or three points'. You have Mikey Kearney, Shane Bennett, Stephen Bennett, Tommy Ryan and Pauirc Mahony. Out of the six forwards, one of them is going to have an off day but you have the fall back that the other five will chip in. That's the one pleasing thing for me, we seem to have firepower there now."
The five-time All Star is enjoying his stint in the commentary box on RTÉ Radio 1. "I think radio is the gig for me. I'm not a suit man where I would go on the TV and put the make-up on, that's just not me. I like going to a game in a pair of jeans or a tracksuit, That's the beauty about the radio, you could go up in your flip-flops and shorts if you wanted!"
Mullane is calling on the Waterford public to support The Kube fundraiser at the WIT Arena on March 29.
Listen back to the full interview with John Mullane from Friday's Lár Na Páirce.
https://soundcloud.com/wlrfmwaterford/johnmullane/s-1FIbO
