Peter Canavan does not expect Stephen Cluxton to play for Dublin this year but thinks the return of the game's most decorated goalkeeper will still be a big boost to their chances.
The eight-time All-Ireland winner and six-time All-Star made a sensational return to the Dubs panel recently, having missed the 2021 and 2022 seasons and apparently retiring without fanfare.
The 41-year-old is now back in Dessie Farrell's squad and though Canavan feels that David O'Hanlon, who started throughout the league after an injury to Evan Comerford, has done enough to keep the No 1 jersey, Cluxton will help to re-instill the mindset that drove Dublin to six Sam Maguires in a row from 2015-20.
"I can't see him being used," said the RTÉ analyst, at the launch of the 2023 Sunday Game programme.
"But it’s what he’s going to bring to the panel outside of that.
"On Sunday, [ex-Dublin star] Paul Flynn, was at the [Derry] game. He was very critical of Shane Walsh hitting the frees with his left foot.
"For most people, Shane Walsh can do whatever he wants. Look at the scores he scored on Sunday. Breathtaking. If he wants to kick it with his left foot, eight or nine times out of ten he’s kicking it over the bar.
"But he was saying, if I was a Galway player, I wouldn’t have been happy with that. He was reducing [his chances] if his right foot was his stronger foot.
"When I thought about it I said 'this encapsulates why Dublin won the All-Irelands that they did'. His mentality and the mentality like him.
"When him and Cluxton were winning All-Irelands, it was all about the process. Their shooting stats the other day were 10/36, 30%. When they they were winning, they didn’t shoot from silly positions. It was all playing to the process and you have to do things the way they should be done.
"Stephen Cluxton will bring that honesty and getting the process back in the way it should be. It’s trying to get back into that winning mentality and he’s one of the leaders in the group.
"That’s my take on it because David O’Hanlon is playing well. He’s a young lad, he got his chance and he has been one of their bright spots."
Recently retired Mayo star Lee Keegan was at Croke Park for RTÉ when news of Cluxton's surprise comeback emerged before Dublin's league win over Louth.
"It was the most Cluxton moment I have ever come across," said Keegan.
"He caught us off guard, we were meant to talk about the Dublin-Louth game but we were so taken aback by Cluxton. I think it's brilliant.
"He broke our heart enough times but it's a great story going into championship.
"One of the best players of all time and we're talking about a goalkeeper, that’s how good he is.
"I think it’s going to add to them. It brings that elite mentality to the Dublin setup and they’ve probably missed that by a percent or two. When Cluxton is in there, you have that at the top level."
Watch Mayo v Roscommon in the Connacht Football Championship on Sunday from 3.15pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app or listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1
