Former Kerry coach O’Connor sorry for criticism of fans
O’Connor admitted he was “a small bit over the top,” telling guests at the victory banquet in the Gleneagle Hotel that he wanted to put the record straight.
“I have met a lot of people since who said that the negativity that came across in Cork was not indicative of the true Kerry supporters and I want to acknowledge that now,’’ said O’Connor. “In every sense of the word, while the Kerry supporters are the most demanding in the country, they are also the best in the country. And, it was a very small minority who didn’t do justice to Kerry supporters, the Kerry jersey or the county.
“I’d have to say that 99% of the Kerry supporters are the best and we’d really like to thank you for that.”
O’Connor was also in reflective mood in terms of explaining that it was the positive reaction of the players to the defeat by Tyrone in last year’s final which encouraged him to continue in charge for a further twelve months. At the time, the temptation to walk away from it all had been very strong.
“Obviously that defeat hurt very deeply. While we all just wanted to ‘pack it’ for a few days after the game, the vibes I was getting back from the players gave me and the rest of the management tremendous heart to have another go at it!”
Overall, in terms of how well the management worked over the three years, he pointed out that the ‘secret of their success’ was how well they worked as a team. Co-selectors Johnny Culloty and Ger O’Keeffe, along with trainer Pat Flanagan, were all ‘independent minded — not ‘yes’ men.
“They had their own way of thinking, they were different in many ways but they complemented each other — great experience with Johnny, great verve and enthusiasm from Ger and fantastic professionalism from Pat.”
And, remembering back to the beginning — when ‘there were a few doubters’ about whether he was up doing the job — he admitted that he hadn’t been ‘so sure’ himself if he had the capability. “I’d have to say that I got some fantastic support from a lot of people, including my own family.”
In terms of the commitment the players made, O’Connor said that only the wives and girlfriends were in a position to appreciate the sacrifices required ‘to live like monks.’ “Your social life is non-existent, you might have a few pints on the night of a championship game or whatever, but it’s really a disciplined lifestyle. And, for the Kerry players to do what they have done over the last three years as amateurs is an absolutely incredible feat.’’
Paying tribute to Seamus Moynihan and Mike McCarthy for their tremendous service to the team, O’Connor singled out a number of other players for special mention. In particular, he praised Darragh O Sé for his inspiring display in the All-Ireland semi-final. “Four years ago in the final (against Armagh) he was within five minutes of lifting the Sam Maguire and the ‘Player of the Year’ accolade. But, all that was taken away from him.”
Wishing new manager Pat O’Shea the best of luck, he joked: “it’s a tough job and nobody knows better than myself.
“If everybody pulls together, I think there’s a great future for Kerry football. We have lost two great men in Seamus Moynihan and Mike McCarthy, but the core of the team is still there. Let everybody get together and support them.”
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