 So time now to talk more Gaelic games here on Highland Sport as we look forward to the Ulster Minor Championship Which gets underway this coming at Wednesday evening Donegal Of course have a tie against Antrim to come delighted to say Donegal manager look Bart joins us now in Highland look good to see it Welcome to Highland. Thanks very much. I should thanks for having me on Listen, it's been a long wait for you and your management team and indeed for the players as well Your term last year came to an end at the hands of Tarone just before Christmas And you're getting back into the swing of things now as we head or what we're in the middle of July So there's been a big gap there. What's the time been like during that that gap for you guys look? Yeah, it's been challenging. There's no doubt about it I think that that lockdown period over Christmas really had a negative effect on a lot of things. So it did but No, look we We have a completely new squad here. It's it's gonna be very interesting because you know We were planning originally for probably a championship around the end of the the end of the year and suddenly within a couple of days You're told now it's gonna go ahead quicker and then a couple of days later You're out in the training pitch trying to get a squad together and eight weeks later then it's championship So it was a very long wait and then it's happened very very quickly. So I think that's I suppose a bit of positive and negative Yeah, and I suppose the whole disruption in the maze was all based around what's happening the pandemic and COVID-19 how worried are you with the current COVID situation look going into the next number of weeks and obviously the fear of this Delta variant Yeah, look the reality is we've the unfortunate position We're in it with minors as well as that there's no real control over it And you know we we try to keep them as you know informed as possible and the best way to look after themselves and things But you know you've got particularly at the start of it Think you had guys coming from all different schools all over the county. You've got you know parents involved as well You know where it's a senior level or under 20 level Maybe they they could isolate themselves a little bit more from parents and things like that there older siblings Maybe going out now and socializing at the weekends and things like that there and listen There's absolutely nothing we can do about that and I suppose you like as I said young people have to get out as well But it is a constant worry. There is no doubt about it But to be fair the fellas like they have they have given a very Strong commitment over the last couple of weeks and and to be fair to them that there's none of them They're very wary of what's what's the implications of a COVID incident in the squad So they seem to be looking after themselves well, so please God that can continue Yeah from the squad that you had last year that disbanded towards the end of the year How many players have actually come over and into this year squad you just mentioned at the start of the interview That's basically a new panel you have has there been many that that stayed around No, not really. No, there's only been one or two Machine obviously look McGlynn and there's another one at the corners involved last year with us as well And that's just the nature of under 17s this year It's different as most of the former minor years where you might have a carry over there just seems to be a You know that it's a whole new group essentially and that new group kind of came together over the last Maybe 10 weeks, so we haven't really had much time working with them in terms of development But again, as I said, it's been an enjoyable experience with the last couple of weeks to get to get to know the players and And hopefully they'll continue to keep going over the next couple of weeks. Yeah at 20 level your own Club mate Rory Adonis leading the way as as captain and Jamie Grant of Termin's the vice captain of the 20s in relation To the under 17 group and the miners who's going to be your captains this year look I Yeah, we look we named the captain there a week or two ago within the squad look McGlynn's gonna be the captain and ocean coffee It's gonna be the vice captain ocean from the Rossa. So up the two lads have been tremendous over the last couple of weeks You know in terms of leadership and maturity well beyond their years You know we would have worked with look last year and we would have said that he's he's a player that you know He just has a real way about him with people as well. So he does both on and off the pitch So listen that they're they're the two pies I suppose is the vice captain and captain, but you know There's leaders all over that group and all within that within every line of the team So I suppose they're just the two that are representing the group as such Yeah, there's a big group and there's a big spread of clubs as well involved look Yeah, there is I think we were 14 or 15 clubs involved You know, I suppose the nature of it and we would have found that essentially this group here would have Missed out in football last year completely. They played one game in the bunk run a cup It was disbanded after that. They played no club football last year They under 15s would have had maybe one maybe we're on trial period for the and to get into the academy setup That was pulled. They didn't have any football last year as well. So this group here essentially you're looking at a brand group of players that probably haven't really played competitive football in nearly 18 months and Bar the couple of challenge games and the club football that they've played over the last couple weeks So it's amazing to see the development rate within even within that couple of weeks, you know There's and there's guys that have just decided to be grown in front of your eyes There's players that would have been involved last year that aren't involved this year for various reasons injury Things like that there and there's players in that have you know overlocked down have completely dedicated themselves to making them Sells better fopplers and they've come to the forefront as well. So there's a really nice mix and balance within the squad But they're all fantastic young young men who are just completely committed to learning and developing themselves and you know It's it's for us. It's a privilege to get to go out and watch them play football every every Every week, you know, and that's really enjoyable experience for us because it comes with from within the group you know and as I said, it's only been eight or nine weeks, but and the level of bond that they've developed themselves as I said They're running the show. We're just kind of there to support them in any way we can, you know Yeah, I was taken into the championship is a bit unknown for the likes of yourselves and Antrim You've had no league bases to go on this year. Look, you've had a handful of challenge games How do you go about picking your strongest team for Wednesday night? Or do you know who your strongest team is at this stage? As well as the answer to that is no, we don't you know We've been we would very much be in a way, I think in that every evening that we train as an opportunity for a player to put up his hand and claim a jersey and both In the starting 15 or be it someone who comes in and to finish the game or whatever the case may be It has been very difficult. There is no doubt about it and challenge games are that they're a challenge Obviously, but one of the things that was brilliant for us, you know And in a couple of games, I think we played a couple three games of challenge games and every player in the squad has got game time for Donegal so that's going to stand to the long-term development of the players as well And you know, hopefully that they're in an environment now that they're learning and you know They're probably being hopefully coached at a higher level and they're training at a higher level And we hope that they'll bring that back to their clubs as well because that's that this stage group You know, yes, it's brilliant to compete for Ulster minor championships and it's brilliant to compete at the top table But ultimately, but you know our long-term focus is how many players can we get from this squad into playing in games like Sunday in Brewster Park and the Ulster senior semi-final that is and has got to be the long-term goal So for us, it's about creating an environment where these guys can learn and you know work as hard as they possibly can and You know, they are challenging us as well You know, they have high standards and they expect and they have high expectations of us as well Which is brilliant. So as I said, it is going to be a challenge over the next couple of days to try and put a 15 out that you know And as I said, we don't know everything What we can only do is go on the players that are probably ahead at the minute and training and be as fair as possible in that regard Yeah, what do you know about Antrim football, Luke? I suppose I know a very little my own personal experience with Antrim and minor squads both as a player and as a coach has not been very Successful and it's been quite disappointing in 2017. Obviously, we lost in the first round to and Balba Faye after extra time by a point which was Gut retching at the time and then as a player in 2011 I was involved where we were, you know Probably look the reality as we were outclassed that day. We probably didn't have the work done that we we should have done But so over the last 10 years, you know Antrim have come to Balba Faye twice and again 2016 we were lucky to get out of Corrigan Park So I suppose there's a slight ignorance to the knowledge that everybody thinks that Antrim football Maybe, you know, wouldn't be a strong but you know an underage the club structure up there is very good and the schools football up There's very good. So that you know Antrim minors have Historically been very very strong and their development squads are working away as well So and there's a real unknown. We don't know what's coming And we know there's a couple of players that have been really good in schools football over the last couple of years And we know that the one game they played in the Bunkron a couple last year They won convincingly against Antrim so are against our mass. So in terms of that, it's very difficult It has been very difficult to prepare and I suppose from a coaching point of view in terms of a player point of view These guys we focus on try to focus on ourselves completely and getting our own house in order as much as we can And that's the the the great thing with minor footballers is they want to go out They want to play they want to express themselves, you know They want to put on that jersey and and do their absolute best in it. They're not too worried about, you know Tactical analysis of the opposition that you know as long as we have our house in order, you know And then give them the opportunity and then create the environment for them to thrive Hopefully that they can deliver a really good performance because that's what all we've been focusing on completely Development as much as we can and and you know every day that they get better and improve and if we keep doing that there I think will not be far away But finally there's probably no better way to improve is to get her on on the championship And I'm sure getting the whole way to the final and battling it out for a provincial title as a goal there. Look is it? Listen these boys set their own standards. So they do it's very interesting I was listening to an interview recently with another manager Keith Rickin in the cork and like, you know, people think it might be a cliche It's not they genuinely do have high standards for themselves But they're very wary of every taking every game one game at a time We have completely and literally not looked anywhere past andrum andrum's been the focus since the draw has come and Balba fe and I suppose And these guys are very wary of that. They're they're preparing for this and one of the most important things as well as they're looking forward to it They're excited to get playing football like, you know, we're talking here today And it's the weather is beautiful the sun's in the sky the ground is hard The 20s are playing the scene and Bristol Park the seniors are playing and Sunday, you know So there's a really good buzz and in Dunnigaw football and as there is an antrim football So I can imagine both teams are just getting ready to go now and they'll be excited to get out on Wednesday night Okay, that's a look many thanks for talking to us and we wish you all the best for the Ulster Championship which starts on Wednesday No problem machine. Thanks very much