PRIDE IN wearing the Irish jersey is the foremost quality Anthony Tohill will be looking for in his team of players to face Australia in this autumn’s International Rules series. Tohill was unveiled as the Ireland team manager in Croke Park yesterday, for a two-year period, and the former All-Ireland winner with Derry left no doubt what an honour it was for him to be chosen.

Clearly, Tohill is passionate about the hybrid game, or at least what it means for a Gaelic footballer to represent his country, and that will be the starting point when it comes to assembling his team for the two Test matches in Limerick and Croke Park in October – with the assistance of his selectors Eoin Liston (Kerry), Kevin O’Brien (Wicklow) and Seán Óg de Paor (Galway).

“There are so many things that make an International Rules player,” said Tohill, “but fundamentally, it’s players that are bursting to play for their country. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, what you’ve won, or what reputation you have in the game. If you’re not bursting to pull on that Irish jersey then you’re no use to us.

“We also need players who are fit, strong, can take contact, in the right way, and not react adversely. Players who are disciplined. Highly skilled. We were blessed in 2008 when we went to Australia that we had the best players in the country, and all of them performed at a high level. And that’s what we need if we are to beat Australia.”

Tohill takes over the role from Seán Boylan, who was in charge for the last series, in 2008, and was in line to be in charge again last year, before the Australians deferred their participation for a year.

However, GAA president Christy Cooney selected Tohill for the new series, as is his right, and there was no arguing with his choice. A four-time All Star, and 1993 All-Ireland winner, Tohill, in fact, spent a season playing in Australia in 1989, and went on to represent Ireland eight times in the International Rules – captaining the team in 2001. For the last two series, the 38-year-old was a selector under Boylan.

“It’s remarkable thing for me, and a massive honour,” he said. “I’d be forever indebted to Christy Cooney for giving me this chance to be in charge of my country. I suppose for me it has been a natural progression, from the time I started playing football with my club.

“To go on to play International Rules, later as team captain, and to be involved with Seán Boylan for the last three years as a selector, to now be in the hot seat.

“Ultimately, it’s about bringing success, and winning the series.

“We will leave no stone unturned to achieve that. We only have the players for a short space of time. And we’re really, really looking forward to it, and we’ll have a bit of fun.”

Liston, O’Brien and de Paor have also all represented Ireland against Australia in the past.

Mike McGurn, the former strength and conditioning coach with the Irish rugby team, also comes on board as the team trainer. Ireland host Australia at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick on Saturday, October 23rd, and at Croke Park a week later, looking to retain the title which they won in Australia in 2008.

Having won the series quite convincingly in Australia in 2008, Tohill pointed to a number of key components to the game – including discipline, which marred the 2006 series to the extent that it was suspended for a year: “We’ve spoken about the need to win, but also the need for this series, and every series, to pass off without incident. We can never go back to what happened in 2005, or 2006, or else this series doesn’t have a future.

“The disciplinary measures that were put in place after 2006 were key to getting proper structure in place, forces players to behave themselves. As long as we have those, and put as much emphasis on the discipline side of things as we do the success side of things, then we do have a future.

“But we’ll be concentrating on all sides of the game. I think in the second Test in Melbourne last time, Ireland actually made more tackles than Australia.

“That’s why we’re delighted as well to have Mike McGurn on board, giving us his background in rugby, and strength and conditioning.

“That’s ideal to prepare our players to make physical contact, and also take physical contact. And that’s an important part of the game. Australia will always be more physical, but that doesn’t mean we walk away from that aspect of the game.”

Both Cooney and GAA director general Páraic Duffy declared their “100 per cent satisfaction” that the Australians are fully behind the series, despite their withdrawal last year.

Cooney was also entirely satisfied that Tohill was the man to lead the Irish campaign.

“Anthony is a man of vast experience in the arena,” said Cooney, “and an outstanding player for his club and country, and given great service in the International Rules area, both as a player, or a selector.

“The key things were his standing and the standards he has set, but also we wanted some continuity from the last period of time. That was important.”