"I Don't Give A F*ck!" - Joe Brolly Addresses Latest Disastrous Kerry Prediction

Not for the first time, Joe Brolly became something of a public enemy in Kerry this year, as the Kingdom marched to a 39th Sam Maguire triumph.

The outspoken pundit made headlines earlier in the season when he suggested that Kerry were something of a one-man team, in reference to talisman David Clifford. More specifically, Brolly suggested that Clifford was the only Kerry player worthy of the famous green and gold jersey.

Kerry responded on that occasion by laying waste to Armagh in a sublime All-Ireland quarter-final second half, with Jack O'Connor admitting afterward that Brolly's pointed column had been a source of motivation for the team during the build-up.

The Kerry manager suggested that some pundits had "let themselves down" in the build-up to that game, directly referencing Brolly's article.

The Kingdom would go on to claim a memorable All-Ireland triumph, with Sunday's 10-point victory in the final over Donegal a superb way to round off the All-Ireland series.

Clifford was sublime, contributing 0-9 from play, but the supporting cast were also immense. Any one of Gavin White, Joe O'Connor, or David's brother Paudie could have claimed the man-of-the-match award after brilliant showings.

After the game, Paudie once again suggested that the likes of Brolly had been sources of motivation.

"To be called a one-man team then, it’s nearly like it’s disrespectful," Clifford said after Sunday's triumph. "It’s kind of personal. I suppose that’s the angle we were coming from.

To be called a one-man team when I see myself some of the work that our lads put in...like Joe O’Connor, the turnovers, winning balls, scoring. Jason Foley, Brian Ó Beaglaioch, Gavin White, I’m only naming a few, I see the work that they put in every day.

With the work we put in and the players we have there, for those things to be said, it’s not nice to hear it.

It certainly seems as though plenty within the Kerry camp had a chip on their shoulder after remarks from Joe Brolly and others about their supposed dependence on David Clifford.

Brolly has now responded to those remarks with typical panache.

READ HERE: Tyrone Legend Sums Up Why McGuinness Can't Be Criticised For Tactics in Donegal Loss

READ HERE: Jarlath Burns Paid Special Tribute To Michael Murphy Before Kerry Lifted Sam Maguire

On his podcast Free State on Tuesday, Joe Brolly was asked to repond to Paudie Clifford's indirect call-out after the All-Ireland final.

"I don't give a fuck about that!" was the perfectly on-brand response from the Derryman.

"You have to understand...it's the entertainment value, it's the conversation."

It's not the first time Brolly has antagonised the Kerry GAA public on their way to an All-Ireland. In 2014, Kieran Donaghy infamously called him out on RTÉ immediately after the final whistle.

Safe to say, the people of Kerry have not forgotten.

If you'd been with me coming out of Croke Park on Sunday, the Kerry people were roaring and shouting, 'WHATCHA THINK OF THAT?!'

This is all interest, it's all part of the [game].

No-one has ever doubted Joe Brolly's ability to get a rise out of his fellow football men, and he appears to understand his role in this ecosystem.

It's clear, as well, that Brolly is a massive fan of David Clifford. How could you be a Gaelic football fan and not be?

Even during the second half when Clifford drifted out of the game for a period, seasoned observers in Croke Park would have been waiting patiently for the moment he would strike.

His superb ninth point, off his weak foot after that barren spell - and what immediately followed that - summed up the brilliance of 'Superman' for Joe Brolly.

What do you do with Superman?

I wrote it in my column this morning, I had to laugh when I read it again. After he had got his ninth point...it was such an amazing thing to happen, he was sent clean through on goals, goes round the goalkeeper. Everybody was in the air already - and he missed!

I wrote it was like Superman dropping a woman who had fallen from the top of a skyscraper. He looked down at his foot, mystified!

For Brolly, however, the footballing ability is secondary to the humility of David Clifford.

When it was put to him that Clifford takes as much joy in his teammates' scores as his own, Brolly said:

That is such an essential point when it comes to greatness.

The first time I really appreciated that was how he revelled in his Fossa teammates. He revelled in it, and never presented as better than them or as being higher up in the pecking order. He just absolutely blended in.

That humility is his most important quality. From the point of view of longevity with Kerry, from the point of view of his teammates being inspired by him all the time.

If Cliffords David and Paudie continue in this vein of form for the coming years, a new golden era could be inbound for Kerry football.