Hayes in pressure cooker post

THESE are not good times to be a senior inter-county hurling manager.

Gone already this year for a variety of reasons, Bertie Óg Murphy of Cork, Eamonn Cregan of Limerick, Tom Fogarty of Offaly, Bernie O'Connor of Kerry, Nicky English of Tipperary, Tony Dempsey in Wexford and Dinny Cahill of Antrim.

Even in the counties which had success, Brian Cody came under a lot of criticism in Kilkenny for what was seen by some as reckless experimentation during the course of the league and championship and even the double in those competitions didn't quite put all that to bed.