Owens reveals delight at Déise role

NEWLY appointed Waterford senior football manager John Owens yesterday spoke of his “surprise and delight” at landing the job.

“I never expected the call telling me I was getting the Waterford football job, but I was thrilled at the news because I regard it as a very great honour,” said the former Tipperary star.

Owens revealed that he is no stranger to Waterford having worked as a financial controller in Ballymacarbery for the past 18-years. “During that spell I have followed the club scene in Waterford with great interest and have got to know a lot of players and officials. So it is not like I will be coming in stone cold.

“I am looking forward to the job and I regard it as a very exciting challenge,” said Owens, who recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of his involvement with Tipperary in the All-Ireland minor football final in Centenary Year 1984 when they lost narrowly to Dublin.

Owens enjoyed a fine playing career and was a key member of the Tipp senior team that qualified for back-to-back Munster finals in 1993-1994.

A member of the Moyle Rovers club he later managed the Tipp minor team before joining forces with Seamus McCarthy with the senior squad in 2005-2006 and the following year he took over as manager.

Owens’ first ambition with Waterford is to push for promotion in the league: “The league is very important to teams like Waterford because that is where progress is made and, of course, it’s the ideal preparation for the championship.”

He added: “Over the past few years Waterford football has been making steady progress and they have achieved some very notable wins. The attitude of the players has been very positive and I will be aiming to build on that.

“Of course big challenges are out there but I am eagerly looking forward to being part and parcel of what could hopefully be very exciting times for Waterford football.” he said.