Gaelic Football
Bernard Brogan shares his top tips for success
Bernard Brogan talks work ethic, mental strength and recovery as he shares his secrets to success.
Bernard Brogan
© Red Bull Content Pool
Bernard Brogan’s success in Gaelic football has not come easily to him. The Dublin superstar did not make his county debut until he was 24, after spending two years on the bench. However, Bernard’s self-belief coupled with a lot of hard work shaped him into one of the football greats of his time, following in the footsteps of his father and brother.
We caught up with Bernard to find out a little bit more about his secrets to success.
You have had huge success in your sporting career, what do you think are the main contributors to your success?
A lot of people don’t know that I didn’t make my county debut until I was 24 which was very old for someone to start out their career. I am not as naturally talented as some of the other guys that play with the Dublin team so I had to work harder to get to where I am.
I joined the team when I was 21 and spent more than two years on the bench, watching the other lads play. I had to figure out how I was going to get on that team. I realised that hard work was the key. I went out and trained on my own, I went kicking myself, I practiced hours more than everyone else. I kicked hundreds of balls every week, to make sure that when I got my chance I was going to get my shot for Dublin. I honed in on the skills that I wanted to bring to the fore.
You have to work harder than the guy beside you, there are no shortcuts; you have to put in the hard graft. The clichés of the importance of hard work are all true, it’s as simple as that.
Bernard Brogan
© [unknown]
Spending those years on the bench must have been a challenge in itself, surely you were itching just to get out there? How did you keep your mind strong and not give up?
I suppose I would have thrown the hat at it if it wasn’t for my family legacy in the sport. My dad played in the 70s and my brother, Alan, was playing at that time, he was the main man back then. Going out to training with him and having him there doing it, really gave me that hunger to get out there beside him. I also saw the joy it brought my dad and my whole family so that also kept me motivated.
The mental aspect of the game is huge. What tips do you have for other players for staying mentally strong during a game when things might not be going their way?
You have to keep your emotions in check. You have to leave the past behind you. You need to be able to focus on the next ball.
Whatever happened before is gone, if it lingers with you, it is going to distract you from what you are trying to do. Everyone has bad days and the top guys are those who can leave the bad days or the excuses behind them and go out the next day with confidence, step up, and deliver the goods. My key thing is to forget about mistakes and move on as every play is a new beginning. Just focus on the next ball and try and get that right.
How important is it, do you think, to focus on the weaker parts of your game?
It is so important. It’s a team game so you do have lads there on the pitch, guys to help you out, and some people are better at things than others but for your own individual game you need to focus on your weaknesses to try and broaden your skillset. You have to put in the practice.
Have you identified any weaknesses in your own game in the past, and how did you work on those?
I put in a huge amount of work on my left foot in the past. When I was younger, I wanted to be very strong kicking off my left foot so I did a mountain of work just kicking with my left foot, I didn’t do any kicking with my right foot for a period. I turned my weakness into a strength with a lot of hard work – my left foot is now as good as my right foot for kicking, maybe it’s even better!
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VIDEO: Bernard Brogan
VIDEO: Bernard Brogan
How important is a good diet for perfomance?
I think diet is a massive thing. What you put into your body is the fuel for your game and if you don’t get that right you will be running on empty and you won’t have the resources to keep you going at your top level. You also make bad decisions when you are not hydrated or fuelled up properly as you lose concentration. You need to figure out what works for you, everybody is different and everyone’s bodies will need different types and quantities of fuel to get the most out of them.
You are playing a really physical sport where your body takes a lot of knocks on a weekly basis, how do you speed up your recovery?
Recovery is really important and there are loads of little things you can do to help it along. Nutrition is, once again, really important. Ice baths or sea swimming are also brilliant – I swim in the sea regularly out in Portmarnock and at High Rock in Malahide. I also get massages, some physio work and I even wear compression tights – they are all small little things, but together they produce big results.
Do you still feel nervous before big games? How do you deal with those nerves?
I think pre-match nerves are good, they show that you care. I remember Padraig Harrington (the golfer), gave us some good advice. He told us that we should welcome the nerves because they show us that we care, it’s all about using those nerves positively – you need to remember that nerves are a sign that you are really up for the game. Some people squash nerves but I try to embrace them and put them to use in a positive way by thinking about what I am going to do in the game ahead.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Back in 2007, Jason Sherlock told me that I should write down three simple things that I wanted to do in a game. They shouldn’t be too easy but they should be attainable things that you can do early in the game – it might be to get a tackle in early or get a good shot off or try and get a score. Come half time you will get a great sense of positivity and a boost of confidence when you realise you have achieved all three of those things. People sometimes have unrealistic goals or expectations of themselves that are far too high which often leads to disappointment. Make your goals attainable and then go after them in the game.