YESTERDAY IN Croke Park Mickey Whelan was inducted into the All-Ireland Kick Fada hall of fame. Fellow members of this elite group Mick O’Dwyer and Billy Morgan, were on hand to welcome him on board.

Whelan was Pat Gilroy’s assistant until Dublin captured the All-Ireland title last September. Considering he was charged with following Dr Pat O’Neill in 1996 as Dublin’s manager, the last time they were minding Sam Maguire, it seemed like a fitting moment to step off the management treadmill.

“There is a time to hold and a time to fold. My time had come. There is a good management team in place and while I’m not involved I’m on the periphery,” said Whelan.

There remains deep concerns within the capital ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final against Mayo. The performances so far this summer have yet to mirror the giant leaps taken in overcoming Tyrone, Donegal and Kerry in 2011.

Whelan is asked if it is just like ’96 all over again. “It’s not that. Maybe they are gearing towards a final. It is not hard to do,” he said.

“But listen, the four-minute mile took a hundred years to break and 26 people broke it within two years so why can’t you win two All-Ireland’s in a row? If you are good enough it can be done.”

So Dublin, to continue in track parlance, are pacing themselves. They are not trying to break any world records, merely hoping to kick from about 600 metres out and decimate the remainder of the field. Much like the Kilkenny hurlers.

It’s all about timing then.

“It is risk but that’s what we live on. What’s the point in being at your best in the first round and getting beaten in the second round? You have to make judgments,” said Whelan.

“You can train more intensely for games you just want to get by in, not be at your best in the games. Guys are fluting around with race horses and dogs all the time, holding them back. I’d say Kerry are the experts at that. They bring guys out of the woodwork every year.

“These are the only two games that count. Nothing matters up to this. We could have been hammered in Leinster but we’re still in the back door. Last year we took a chance in that. We didn’t focus on Leinster but we still won it. They’re a good enough team, so there you go.”

You can’t but enjoy Whelan’s company. Ask him about Dublin’s form and he talks about telepathy. “You can’t lose sight of the fact that they have the players. I mean Bernard Brogan has been a shadow of himself,” said Whelan.

“He’s only a young fella and he is a brilliant player so he is due a good performance,” added Whelan. “It is an excellent forward line but it is a particularly good defence. The team now is beginning to have a unity of purpose. They know what each other are doing. They have become more telepathic over the last number of years. A team like that, that have won an All-Ireland, are always in the running.”

And this is a defence that no longer has Whelan’s St Vincent’s clubmate Ger Brennan at its heart. “He is still very important to the team,” explained Whelan.

“I mean Paul Casey is not playing but he is still very important to the team. It is a good team that will leave Ger out; I think he’ll play.

“I’d go anywhere with him. He is a tough guy without being a blackguard. I think he’ll definitely play at some time.”

Bray Emmets GAA club host the All-Ireland Kick Fada on September 15th, starting at 1pm.