Glenullin's Culture Club: How Paddy Bradley led his club back to Championship glory

Glenullin were fortunate not to be playing Junior football this season. Twelve months ago their managerial post was the job no one wanted at a great club which appeared to have lost it's way.
Glenullin manager Paddy Bradley.  Photo: George Sweeney.  DER2243GS – 028Glenullin manager Paddy Bradley.  Photo: George Sweeney.  DER2243GS – 028
Glenullin manager Paddy Bradley. Photo: George Sweeney. DER2243GS – 028

Perspective managers were approached, but the proverbial barge pole wasn't needed. No one would touch it as current boss Paddy Bradley knows only too well. How? Well, Paddy was the man seeking candidates, desperate to help straighten out his beloved Mitchel's whose fall from grace was gathering pace at an alarming rate.

Fast forward to Sunday and Glenullin are Derry Intermediate kingpins after a renaissance Lazarus would have been proud of!

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The transformation has been nothing short of startling and much of the credit must be laid firmly at the feet of former Derry great, Bradley, who openly admits he came into the job by default only to lead the club to a first championship success since his own winning point secured the senior title of 2007. Fairy-tale stuff? Well maybe, the Glenullin 2022 story did start with a poisoned chalice . . .

Supporters of Glenullin at Sunday’s IFC final against Drumsurn at Celtic Park.  Photo: George Sweeney.  DER2243GS – 035Supporters of Glenullin at Sunday’s IFC final against Drumsurn at Celtic Park.  Photo: George Sweeney.  DER2243GS – 035
Supporters of Glenullin at Sunday’s IFC final against Drumsurn at Celtic Park. Photo: George Sweeney. DER2243GS – 035

"There was no pressure when I came in (to the job) because of where we were at. It was the job that nobody wanted!" admitted Bradley after Sunday's 0-15 to 1-11 victory over Drumsurn in Celtic Park.

"I'll be honest with you, I was one of the boys who was out head hunting, trying to get boys to take the club at the start of the season. We talked to many an individual but nobody wanted to touch it with a barge pole because everybody thought it was poison given the things that have happened over the past three or four years.

"I took the job by default but am I not delighted now? Of course, but I was lucky to be assisted by good men in the club, men like Lawrence O'Kane, Eamon Boylan, James Henry doing the strength and conditioning; Chris Collins, my old mate from Derry, was in taking sessions; big Barry Gillis, Dominic McIlvar - we had a good men involved and everybody bought in. I'm just delighted."

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Yet Glenullin's return to the championship winners' circle was no accident and Bradley has one word for what's changed over the past season.

"It's culture. When I was there as captain of the team, and had been captain of the team for a long number of years, we had really, really high standards," explained the Glenullin manager, "I had still been floating in and about the last few years even though I was managing with The Loup and Newbridge and what not but the standards just weren't there. The culture was all wrong. The attitude of the younger players wasn't right and then the older boys were getting frustrated so there was friction there.

"We had a meeting at the start of the year and we put that to the side. I said I would bring a real professional attitude, I would bring good men with me and the club wouldn't be found wanting in terms of the back room. Everybody just got behind the thing and this is what you get from that."

A winner now as both player and manager with his own club, Bradley describes Ulster as "bonus territory" but stresses they won't be there just to make up the numbers.

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"It is a bonus. Let's be honest, the Ulster Club is a special, special competition. Going to watch Glen, Slaughtneil and all these clubs and being involved in it with Newbridge; even our time back in 2007, we probably didn't treat it with the respect it deserved. We probably celebrated a bit too much, and we will celebrate tonight, Monday and Tuesday, whatever it is.

"We have three weeks now to prepare so I will give the boys three or four nights off but our attitude all year has been the same in every competition we've been in; we are in it to win it so we will try and get the job done there as well if we can."

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