Eamon McGee says he wishes Jim McGuinness took over Donegal earlier on in his career as it would have helped him fulfil his potential.
The Gaoth Dobhair man says he 'had so many bloody lives' during his Donegal career, before focusing properly when McGuinness took over the team in 2011.
Now involved in coaching, McGee says he says he wouldn't tolerate his own behaviours in a playing squad, referencing a few 'war stories' during the early days of his Donegal career.
One of those is told in his Laochra Gael episode which will be aired in the coming weeks.
Donegal had a match against Clare in Clare on St Patrick's weekend 2006, but McGee partied through the night, just missing the team bus the next morning.
He was in contact with the lads on the bus, telling them he'd get a taxi down to Carlow.
He was quickly informed the game was in Clare, with the taxi-man having to re-route, in a tale that gives a decent insight into those chaotic early days as part of the panel.
Eamon McGee stands for a portrait during the launch of TG4's award-winning Laochra Gael series at the Light House Cinema in Dublin. The Gaelic sport biography series returns with eight new GAA legends profiled for Season 23. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
"I had so many bloody lives," he says.
“When I actually landed in the hotel. I had heard from one of the selectors, they were actually having a discussion about what to do with Eamon.
"In fairness a few boys and the selectors vouched for me and that was kind of the . . . I don’t know was it a good thing but that was the way it went for a good few years.”
“I’ve got into coaching (with Buncrana) a wee bit now and I don’t know would they tolerate that kind of stuff. And it’s wild hypocritical for me to say that too now.
"If I had an Eamon Magee while coaching I would probably get rid of him after the second chance. And I got 10 of those chances."
“Just when I see young fellas and I see potential, it irritates me and it really grates at me and it shouldn’t."
McGee admits that a lot of potential went to waste in Donegal but he's glad there isn't a 'drink culture' anymore, 'with lads more educated now.'
"Lads are more educated now. I don’t think there is a big drink culture. It doesn’t happen, thankfully.”
"It doesn’t happen, thankfully," he says.
Donnacha O'Connor, Cork, in action against Eamon McGee, Donegal. Bank of Ireland All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final, Cork v Donegal, Croke Park, Dublin. Picture credit; Oliver McVeigh / SPORTSFILE
“I always joke about these war stories with drink but it came at a big cost mentally and the collateral damage of the whole thing, to my own life.
“People say now about the county players not enjoying it; it breaks my balls because it is such an opportunity.
"I think if I had committed earlier, like (Karl) Lacey, he focused in straight away, Murphy focused in straight away. I think if I’d done something like that, I would have definitely benefited but there is a part of me that just feels like I never reached my potential.”
His old team-mate Michael Murphy is back in the Donegal panel this year, having come out of retirement and McGee feels he'll be a huge addition, even at 35.
“The ideal for most teams is if they can get three threats, three real big threats in that top three that they have to keep up for the new rules,” said McGee.
"“Michael Murphy, Oisin Gallen and Paddy McBrearty are as good a top three as what is about.”
"I think no full-back in the country, even though Michael’s been out, will want to see him coming.They’re not going to leave Murphy, they’re going to be nervous with Murphy, keeping one eye on him which frees Oisín Gallen up.
"You do that to Gallen, and then it frees Murphy up for a bit of space.”
“I don’t know should they be jumping to the top of the queue," he says of their All-Ireland chances.
"But I think any team that’s been in the semi-final, that has won an Ulster, deserves to be in the conversation.”
