‘We’re not particularly tactical’

Brian Cody doesn’t focus too much on his future with Kilkenny – but he’s always ready to look to the past and learn from it. He spoke to DIARMUID O’FLYNN

REMEMBER the good old days, when hurling training consisted of a bit of a warm-up before the main event, a no-holds-barred practice match between two hand-picked teams? The trainer – because that’s all there was in those days, none of this manager/coach confusion – stood in the middle of it all with whistle lost in his calloused fist and allowed the game to flow, intervening only when things got seriously out of hand.

The first-choice forwards would be pitted against the first-choice backs, but all those on the edge of selection would be given their opportunity at some stage or another and boy, did they add some steam to the mix! Nothing and no one was spared, individual battles took place in every corner, and as ash clashed and timber crashed, the leather fairly flew up and down the field. Come Sunday, come any big championship day, those boys would be ready, because nowhere is competition more fierce than among friends. Remember too when the muscle-building drink for hurlers was milk, good old-fashioned cow-juice, with all its natural ingredients?