Pat Spillane Gives Two Reasons Why Jim Gavin's Presidential Campaign Was Doomed To Fail

While he is massively respected in GAA circles, it's fair to say that Jim Gavin's brief foray into the world of politics did not go to plan.

The former Dublin manager's campaign to become President of Ireland proved to be an ill-fated one, withdrawing from the race weeks before the election despite having secured Fianna Fáil's nomination for the position. It was a dispute over rent with a former tenant that proved to be the tipping point, although Gavin had clearly been struggling prior to that revelation.

He is not the first big GAA figure who has failed to move into a political role, although some feel that he was doomed right from the outset.

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Pat Spillane is someone who has a huge amount of respect for Jim Gavin's achievements in the GAA, but the Kerry legend also believes that the ex Dublin manager was never going to shine in the world of politics.

Writing in the Sunday World, he said that Gavin was missing the two main characteristics needed to become President of Ireland. He also said that being outside his comfort zone was something that the 54-year old is not used to dealing with.

The real requirement for the role of president is to be articulate and charismatic...

Sadly, Jim is very much lacking in those two vital qualities, and that meant that he was on the back foot from the very start...

In the defence forces, as when Dublin manager, he was in total charge. He was controlling the controllables, he was managing the narrative.

Not so, however, in the shark-infested world of politics. All too often, he was left looking like a fish out of water. And sadly, his judgement and decision-making went AWOL.

It seems likely that Jim Gavin will not return to the political arena any time soon, while it remains to be seen what his involvement will be in the GAA after the conclusion of his main duties with the Football Rules Committee.

In any case, it seems clear that his presidential campaign is going to go down as a blunder for both Gavin and Fianna Fáil as a whole.