Listen to the full interview with Mick and Eugene via the podcast.

It's the end of an era as the most successful Gaelic football manager of all time announced his retirement.

But after a near 40-year management career - which included eight All Ireland titles with Kerry - what made Mick O'Dwyer an all-time great?

We were joined by FRC chairman and former Offaly manager Eugene McGee and Kings of September author Mick Foley to discuss the man who called time on his time in management this morning.

McGee, who described Micko as "humble" and the "greatest team manager ever", felt the rise of Kevin Heffernan's Dublin as a major rival played a key part in driving O'Dwyer to greater heights.

"That was the team that made O'Dwyer the great team man he was," said McGee. "[Heffernan and O'Dwyer] revolutionized football in their own way. It was a spontaneous way because I don't think there was great pre-planning. O'Dwyer had such super players that his main thing was fitness which was the thing he preached most of all. But it would be old-fashioned fitness today. But in that time it worked perfectly well," said McGee.

"They had fantastic footballers and fantastically fit people. But he managed to keep them under control. There was no really big heads on that Kerry team - and they had a lot to be big-headed about. None of them were arrogant. He won eight All Ireland's in 10 years and there was a big turnover of players in that time. Mick O'Dwyer was never a coach as such or a master tactician because he didn't have to He built his whole reputation with the team along the training - this running around the field all over the place." 

Foley gave some insights into Micko's personality as manager.

"It's kind of a smiling reverence about him. It's just the way he was. He loved rogues and fellas who had a bit of independent thought and he just knew how to press fellas buttons. He knew some lads had to be pushed harder than other lads in training both physically and mentally. He did things back in the '70s that just are kind of done now in the way managers and county setups look after players."

Main image: Mick O'Dwyer ©INPHO/Donall Farmer