When it comes to sports psychology, confidence and self-belief are the buzzwords.
One man who has both in abundance, is UFC Featherweight champ Conor McGregor.
He is known for his controversial brand of cockiness, a ruthless mentality one would imagine the likes of Brian O’ Driscoll would champion.
However, in the wake of the recent Joe Brolly/Enda McNulty face off, whereby Mr. Brolly heavily criticised the sports psychologist’s focus on self-reflection, the psychology of sport and persona is under the microscope.
O’ Driscoll would be of the opinion that any persona or act of bravado, like Conor McGregor’s, can be deconstructed as quickly as it’s constructed.
Speaking to Jarlath Regan’s Irishman Abroad podcast, he said: “Any sportsman who says he lives without doubt isn’t even deluded, he’s a liar.”
“That’s all sports people. Some people might trick themselves into thinking they’re more confident than they are but it’s impossible to maintain.”
“I think it’s still early on in Conor McGregor’s career. I don’t know how long a UFC career will go but if you go for 10 or 15 years, I think over that period of time it is very very hard to maintain a really high standard of lack of self-doubt.”
He added: “No one knows the true inner thoughts of Conor McGregor. Only Conor McGregor does. I’d say John Kavanagh his coach, doesn’t even know that. And fair play to him if he believes everything that he’s saying.”
Well, that’s McGregor told.
