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18th March 2011
06:51am GMT

There’s one on every team. If you don’t know who it is, then chances are it’s you!
By William Costello
Is Paul Galvin's influence in the fashion columns filtering out onto the fields? JOE looks at some of the ways to identify the modern day GAA poser.
You might say that this neo-expressionistic breed of metrosexual footballer is doing no harm. Sir Alex Ferguson argues the opposite, so much so in fact that he has barred his youth team players from wearing any colour football boots other than the classic black leather.
Senior players like Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney are allowed wear whatever they like, so as to not impede on anyone's sponsorship deals. Sir Alex did, however, put a ban on the snood for senior and youth team players alike, he also demanded that Portuguese newcomer, Bebe, get a haircut immediately after his arrival.
Now that’s taking the hairdryer treatment to a whole new level Sir Alex.
Back in the GAA world though, we'll also provide you with the ultimate toolkit for becoming a football poser and an insight into the expense that our GAA posers go to look so stylish for us.
Why is he doing it and is it any harm? We also take a look at some of the most high profile football posers, who must be the influence for such an influx of fashion over function in the modern game.
How to identify a GAA poser
High profile, modern day GAA posers
High Profile GAA posers
Paul Galvin

Paul Galvin is the ultimate in GAA poser as well as being a walking juxtaposition. Not only is he the first footballer of the year winner to don skinny jeans and have a fashion column, but he’s probably the first genuine, bad-boy with skinny jeans.
Everything about Paul helps draw attention to himself, whether it’s his skin tight jeans, pushing referees or fish hooking his marker. Like him or loath him, everyone has an opinion on Paul Galvin as he epitomises the modern day GAA poser.
Conor Mortimer / Ciaran McDonald


The Mayo duo incurred the wrath of footballing legend Colm O’Rourke in 2006 when he slated their trademark bleached blonde hairstyle. The bleached, blonde Mayo boys are a rarity though as it is very rare to find TWO bona fide posers of this magnitude on the same team.
All the time spent in the hairdressers together must have paid dividend as Mortimer and McDonald developed a telepathic connection (a chemical thing) that carried Mayo to the All-Ireland Final in 2006, with the former becoming the top scorer in the championship that year, notching up an impressive 1-32. Mayo’s Croke Park hoodoo continued though as they lost out to Kerry in the final.
Conor had a fall from grace in 2009 when one of his stage managed PR stunts caused him some embarrassment. In the aftermath of pop legend Michael Jackson’s death (a huge influence on Conor’s football), Conor paid homage to the king of pop in his goal celebration, revealing under his jersey a message that read “RIP Micheál Jackson”.
Who knew ‘The Mort’ was such an avid supporter of the Irish language?
MJ Tierney


Michael John Tierney, as you can see above, is a fan of showcasing various GAA poser identifiers, with the bleached hair, socks up, white ankle socks, jersey sleeves taped up, discarding of the jersey and overall over-elaborate celebrations.
MJ specialises in the gimpy run up for free kicks, at which he is a master craftsman. No doubt about it, when it comes to gimpy run ups, MJ reigns supreme. Although, maybe he’s on to something as more often than not, he hits his target.
Colm Parkinson

Colm Parkinson is another one of football’s posers, come bad boy, getting into trouble on and off the field. In an interview with Newstalk in 2010, “Parky”, committed footballing blasphemy when he labelled Mick O Dwyer “a bluffer”. With four All-Irelands as a player and eight as a manager I think we’re going to have to disagree Colm in this instance.
Honorary members of the GAA poser Hall of fame
Trevor Giles

Owen Mulligan

Zach Tuohy

And finally...The arch nemesis of the GAA poser

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. For every poser, there is a Francie Bellew. The arch nemesis of the poser, he is described as an “agricultural footballer”, the type that resents any skill level in an opponent.
His rugged, haphazard appearance is offensive to the poser. He has taken his instruction to “let him know you’re there” far too seriously and is more than willing to partake in a good ol’ fashioned rastlin match with his marker.
As the majority of football fans are older, “not so gentle” men, the GAA poser alienates them, making the likes of Francie Bellew a fan favourite. They will roar inaudible words of encouragement as he “puts the fancy dan out over the line”.
AXA and ISM competition terms and conditions

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