The end of an era - Time to say thank you

ANYONE brave enough to step forward to look after a local under-14 team is moving into that dangerous place between reality and the ambitions of his charges and their parents.

Anyone brave enough to assume responsibility for a nation’s international team for the best part of a decade needs a special kind of resilience. He steps into that lonely place between reality and the hopes of his countrymen, where expectations are high and eaten cake is soon forgotten.

Eddie O’Sullivan has occupied that place for nearly seven years and has been at the centre of considerable achievements. One of these is a heightened sense of expectation and ambition. If that alone was his legacy he would deserve our thanks.

He and his family cannot have enjoyed the last months when he was the focus of considerable criticism.

Nonetheless, he gave it his all and we can ask no more. Now it’s time we offered him our thanks.