Manager deserved one more season
Not that the two incidents had any connection but symmetry? Absolutely. The Johnston episode was an embarrassing one for the county book-ended by his decision to head home. Because he couldn’t tie down a regular starting spot in the Kildare team? Perhaps, but McGeeney had also insisted he would have to earn his spurs.
The sight of Johnston togging out for Coill Dubh hurlers just to make himself eligible for Kildare last season made Kildare a national laughing stock. A situation McGeeney greatly contributed to in his bullheadedness to make Johnston a Kildare player.
However, it was the Armagh man who for the previous four seasons had transformed Kildare from whipping boys to a more-than decent side.
McGeeney is the last man who would look for sympathy but only downright bad luck cost Kildare an All-Ireland final place in 2010. In the following two seasons, he brought Kildare to third and fourth consecutive All-Ireland quarter-finals while gaining promotion to Division 1 last year.
Aside from leading the U21 side to a Leinster title, he retained top flight status this year in what was generally agreed as a season of transition for the seniors. That he was afforded the time and space to introduce a second coming of the team showed the esteem in which he was held by the county executive prior to Wednesday’s night of the long knives. Others wouldn’t have been given such accommodations but such a cult formed around McGeeney’s management, as it did Mick O’Dwyer before him, he retained that amount of confidence and power.
Did he break a few eggs to make an omelette? More than a few dozen. Clubs were frustrated with the scheduling of fixtures to accommodate the county team. Somebody should’ve shouted ‘stop’ in the Johnston affair.
Did he deserve another term? Yes but only the one year. Having started the restructuring, he was entitled to another season to see it out. It would have been seven seasons then. More than enough time for any manager to make the breakthrough, that breakthrough being a Leinster title.
Let’s not kid ourselves; as much as expectations were excessive in Kildare, the extent of the resources invested in the panel and the professionalism espoused haven’t restricted them. The fear is now, having very much made this Kildare team his own, his successor will be left in an unenviable position of working with systems six years in the making.
The players have voiced displeasure at his axing but the power in the set-up was always McGeeney. Without him, they aren’t so strong.
It is a sad state of affairs if, as is speculated locally, a petty difference one club held against McGeeney is one of the main reasons for the vote going against him. But when he himself became embroiled in silliness, can McGeeney be all that surprised at the nature of his departure?
