Ger Brennan brought clarity to the roles of several major players in his Dublin setup during his first media duties as Dubs manager on Thursday afternoon.
Brennan was appointed as Dessie Farrell’s successor last month, with Farrell stepping down after six seasons in charge in the immediate aftermath of Dublin’s quarter-final exit at the hands of Tyrone.
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At a media briefing held in StayCity Aparthotels in Dublin City Centre, Brennan spoke exclusively to Balls.ie on Thursday.
Brennan clarified the exact role Stephen Cluxton will play for Dublin in 2026, as well as leaving the door open for superstar trio Brian Fenton, Jack McCaffrey and Paul Mannion to return to the fray.
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Ger Brennan sheds light on Cluxton and returning Dublin players
Though the word “retirement” was not used, it would appear that Stephen Cluxton’s playing career is over after 23 seasons in blue, judging by Ger Brennan’s comments on Thursday.
Brennan named Cluxton on his backroom team shortly after being approved as Dublin manager, and said this week that his role will be “100%” devoted to coaching in 2026.
“Stephen specifically has been an incredible servant to Dublin GAA,” Brennan told Balls.ie on Thursday.
He won nine All-Irelands along with Michael Fitzsimons and James McCarthy, they’re the only three in the history of Gaelic Games to have won nine Celtic Crosses.
Stephen is going to be 100% part of the management team. His role won’t be limited to goalkeeping.
Stephen’s ability to read the game – and certainly most goalkeepers, the position they’re in, they can see a lot of what’s happening defensively and offensively, and what can work and what mightn’t work. He will have a big remit there in all aspects of the game, along with the other guys.
So, we may not see Stephen Cluxton lining out for Dublin in 2026, but what of the trio who stepped aside after the 2024 campaign?
Paul Mannion and Jack McCaffrey quietly slipped away from the panel after the 2024 All-Ireland quarter-final loss to Galway, while Brian Fenton’s retirement was more of a bombshell announcement.
All three were sorely missed by Dublin in 2025 – they do, after all, have 20 All-Ireland winners’ medals between them.
Ger Brennan has not shut the door on a potential return for any of the trio in the coming months, saying they would be “welcomed” back to the panel:
The way we’re going to run things with the panel will be a revolving door from pre-season to National League and into the All-Ireland series.
If a fella has come through the revolving door and is falling away for different reasons, he’ll have to go out the other side and someone else will come in.
In the same way, if it’s a former player who has stepped away – or a new player – if they have that desire and the hunger and the want, and they’re in form, and they’re fit and healthy and want to get back…whether for the first time or continue, in the case of the three lads, well then they’ll certainly be welcomed.
The newly appointed Dublin senior football manager, Ger Brennan, pictured during his first media briefing at Staycity Aparthotels, Dublin City Centre. Staycity Aparthotels is proud sponsor of Dublin GAA across all four codes of the game. Sign up & save 10% every time you book direct at www.staycity.com.
Stephen Cluxton is not the only familiar face on Ger Brennan’s backroom team.
Professor Niall Moyna comes with Brennan from his previous post in Louth, while former Dublin teammates Denis Bastick and Dean Rock have joined as coaches. Brennan hailed the presence of Bastick and Rock on the pitch as an indicator of what he expects them to be capable of as coaches.
“I’m delighted to have Professor Niall Moyna onboard,” Brennan said while breaking down his coaching team for 2026.
“Niall was obviously heavily involved with St. Vincent’s when we won the club All-Ireland in 2008, heavily involved with Dublin when we won in 2011. He has been heavily involved in DCU for a long time, winning four or five Sigersons in that specific role.
“We’re delighted to have Niall involved. He was up in Louth the last couple of seasons with me, too.
“I obviously played for a long time with Stephen, with Dean, and with Denis. All three guys are incredible operators on the field. It was like having another manager or coach on the pitch, given how proficient those fellas were at reading the game and making changes and adaptions in-game, which obviously added to the success of Dublin in the last number of years.”
It’s been a whirlwind few years for Ger Brennan, who is tasked with turning around the fortunes of his native county after leading Louth to a first Leinster title since 1957 last year.
The Dublin job is one that does not faze the two-time All-Ireland winner, who counts the two managers who brought him to those Celtic Crosses as major influences.
One of those men, Jim Gavin, is an early favourite for the Áras, having been nominated as Fianna Fáil’s presidential candidate this week.
“Me, speaking as Ger Brennan and not as the Dublin senior football manager, I am not one bit surprised to hear Jim’s name linked with such a public and prestigious role,” Brennan says.
I think Jim’s life has been one of service, whether it be with his job in the Defence Forces, his work in the North Inner City, his work in the local community. You look at it then on the GAA side of things, his work with Round Towers Clondalkin, his kids in Ballyboden St. Enda’s, what he achieved with Dublin as manager, not to mention his U-21 success. Then, nationally, his role within the GAA and the FRC.
Jim is somebody who is able to lead, who is able to bring people with him from a diverse range of views and backgrounds. Having played under him for three years, I think his vision, his leadership, and his commitment to the greater good is second to none.
All going well, I’ll be able to seek Jim’s counsel on GAA matters and pop down to the Áras for a cup of tea and pick his brain.
Should Gavin win the race to the Áras and Brennan achieves his goal of bringing Dublin back to the top of Gaelic football, it could well be that Brennan’s Dubs captain greets Gavin on the pitch at Croke Park on All-Ireland final day next July.
“I’ll tell you, that would be something!” Brennan says of that prospect.
“Certainly, from Ger Brennan, he has my vote when the election comes around at the end of October.”
The prospect of Dublin appearing on All-Ireland final day next year would certainly be greatly helped if Ger Brennan can secure the services of Brian Fenton, Jack McCaffrey, and Paul Mannion.
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