Three-time All-Ireland winner Enda McGinley believes an anti-county agenda is holding back underperforming counties.

McGinley won three All-Irelands with Tyrone but his county last reached a final in 2008 when they beat Kerry.

And speaking on the Saturday Panel, McGinley believes weaker counties need to build a sense of excitement if they want to progress beyond their current status.

“To me it’s a chicken and egg story,” McGinley said.

“Unless there is a general ethos of honour and privilege of playing for your county and a general good will towards that county team – players won’t have developed enough whenever they get to the top level.

“In too many counties, the likes of Derry and Down to a lesser extent – you hear of club v county. There is a general disdain slagging off the county, slagging off boys having to go to the county, and slagging off the commitment various counties are asking for.

“There is a widespread anti-county thing in the GAA at the minute. If 13, 14 and 19-year-olds are hearing that all the time; where is the desire or the drive to play for the county?

“If you rob county football of that then you don’t have anything, you don’t get buy in. No manager is going to get full time buy in from your best players.

“It’s too easy for your moderate player, your almost county level player or potential county player to be the big fellow playing really well for his club and not taking the risk of going up to the next level because none of his mates, family or club is bestowing any level of honour to that county.

“Unless you have that raw desire to play for your county then you will see counties continually underperforming.”

Written by James Hopper