Anthony Daly: Was John Kiely right to say sorry?
In just two weeks, we’ve had a heated debate on referees and new rules, to the state of the game and how heavily governed it is on retaining possession, to the All-Ireland winning manager cutting loose before cutting back, writes Anthony Daly.
Speaking from post-game inter-county managerial experience, you never stop learning how you impart your message, especially through the media. Jose Mourinho always said that his post-game comments were aimed more at his own players than anyone else and, while I always felt there was real substance in that approach, it can be much easier for your message to become mixed or contaminated in an amateur game.
Jose was a master at spin-doctoring and playing the media game, but anytime I lobbed a verbal hand-grenade into a post-match interview I was often second-guessing myself afterwards as to how much potential damage it could cause to me, and the team, from the impending blast.
On a few occasions, I actually rang a few reporters after doing interviews looking to retract my comments, especially if some fella had got me on my own when my blood was still boiling after some incident during the game.
It’s much easier to be reflective in cold blood on the way home in the car.
You can be caught off guard, especially if you’re frustrated in defeat, but I’m still sure that John Kiely knew exactly what he was saying after last Sunday’s defeat to Galway. That was in his head straight after the game. He hardly made it up.
You could make a defence case by saying that the word simulation was put in his mouth by a journalist, but John wouldn’t have gone into so much detail if he didn’t feel there was some truth in what he had seen before his eyes.
If John made any error, he probably regrets not making those statements later in the week, where he could have nuanced them for greater effect, with less potential collateral damage for him and his players.
If, for example, John spoke on Tuesday about simulation in general in the game, without pointing the finger at any one county, he could have got his message across without making any offence, or loading ammunition in the opposition’s arsenal.
Once John retracted his comments in this paper on Tuesday, there was inevitably going to be two black and white perspectives on his reaction; that the Limerick manager showed real character in holding his hands up and admitting he made a mistake; that he exhibited a weakness by rowing back in what he originally stated.
I’d be more inclined to go with the first one, because it takes real strength to publicly admit you were wrong.
I think the players also acknowledge and respect that honesty too.
The whole aura and mystique that is built up around managers now at the elite level can often hype up the role to be something far more than it actually is. Nobody wants to back down. Nobody wants to be seen to be backing down, but you have to be honest, as much as when you’re in the wrong as in the right.
I never had any problem admitting to the Clare and Dublin players: ‘Look, I made a hames of that decision, I’ll try not to let it happen again.’ It’s not showing weakness because, while the person at the top has to lead the way, I always felt it also showed the players that the manager has the same vulnerabilities as anyone else in the room.
I always felt too that players reacted positively to real honesty, no matter how exposed that leaves the manager.
If you’re a strong manager, your players will accept you made a mistake, even if those same players are annoyed about it at the time. I’ve no doubt there were some Limerick players reading those comments on Monday morning thinking, ‘Jeez, John, we could be meeting Galway again later in the year, why did you put this unnecessary heat on us?’
I’m sure the players respect how John tried to diffuse the situation, as much to protect them than expose himself, but those with a different perspective would view it as more of a weakness.
Kiely has won two All-Irelands now so he is the equal of Loughnane in terms of All-Ireland success. Cody is on a different level to every manager, but Liam Sheedy is the only other manager operating at this level with two All-Irelands. And those titles secured by Kiely were won since Cody’s last crown six years ago.
It’s just another talking point this week, but there is nearly always something to talk about lately in hurling. In just two weeks, we’ve had a heated debate on referees and new rules, to the state of the game and how heavily governed it is on retaining possession, to the All-Ireland winning manager cutting loose before cutting back.
We’ve been so devoid of debate for so long that everyone is on a soapbox lately. While I’m up there, I might as well keep going because I can’t understand for the life of me why the biggest game of the weekend, Galway-Tipperary, has been fixed for 1.30pm Saturday afternoon.
Both sides are unbeaten. This has been such a brilliant rivalry over the last 10 years that we’re almost guaranteed to get another cracker, but I just don’t think it’s in our nature — players and supporters — to be worked up for 1.30pm on a Saturday.
We might play a few club games early on a Sunday but never really on a Saturday. TV schedules may have decided the slot, but what consideration does it give to players?
Some lads may be glad to get the game out of the way early to free up the weekend but I’m sure some of these guys have part-time jobs, especially the lads still in college. It’s also a fairly early start if you’re making your way to Thurles from around Galway city.
With both sides in different provinces, I wouldn’t see any shadow boxing here. Galway were nearly the forgotten team after 2019, but they look like a crowd on a mission now. Last Sunday was a win that made the hurling world take notice, following it up with a victory against Tipp in Thurles would be another loud declaration of Galway’s intent in 2021.
I’m not sure if every team is looking to make statements in this league. Cody goes out to win every game, but I’d say Davy Fitz will have one eye on the summer ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Kilkenny. Fitzy won’t want to lose to Cody, but having two wins in the bag now also gives Wexford that bit more freedom to mix it up.
Wexford have other priorities anyway; they need to settle on a free-taker; Aaron Shanagher’s display for Clare last Sunday showed up how they can be exploited in the air at the back.
Limerick and Waterford have both had indifferent starts so they’ll both be looking for a statement win.
After last Sunday, the discourse has naturally changed. There are plenty of people saying now that Limerick aren’t as far ahead of the posse as everyone thinks. I still believe that they are and that this is an ideal opportunity to show it against the team they beat three times last year.
Elsewhere, I expect wins for Dublin, Clare, and Cork. The Dublin-Antrim game is an interesting one because they are meeting in the championship, but Antrim have built up such momentum after their opening two matches that they’ll want to keep driving it on.
The championship will come in its own good time. The league will always be the league, but it’s doing more than enough, for now, to keep our palate satisfied, and to whet our appetite for what’s to come.
And the incidents of the last week have further underlined how much of a monster clash Galway and Limerick will now be if they run into each other later in the season.
