Defiant McCarthy refuses to walk away

JUSTIN McCARTHY last night defiantly vowed to remain as Limerick hurling manager despite increasing pressure to step down.

The embattled boss insisted he will see out the second year of his two-year term and accused members of last year’s county squad of plotting to oust him from his post since last August.

McCarthy omitted 12 members of last year’s panel from his 2010 squad and a further dozen players have withdrawn their services in protest, yet the Cork native is determined to continue with the players at his disposal.

He insisted: “I was given a two-year term. As it is, I’m in my second year and while the county board and the delegates are backing me and I’ve a squad of players, I’ll keep going. Somebody has to be in charge.

“When you’re given a job, you can’t say you’re given the job for two years and then all of a sudden the job is not there for you. I’ve been passed by the county board and the clubs, and voted in by a proper procedure.”

McCarthy, speaking on RTÉ Radio, described complaints from last year’s squad about the poor lines of communication between players and management as ‘a good excuse’.

He claimed members of last year’s squad have refused to discuss any issues with him but insisted the door was open for any player to return.

“It’s not communication. That was a good excuse I think initially. As far back as August, some of the players were trying to get rid of us and didn’t want us on board because they had their own agenda.

“From that point of view, sometimes it’s hard to get through to people who mightn’t have an open mind about things.

“My track record is there over the years, certainly teams I’ve been involved with I’ve had great communication for them. I’d love to have the older players back and the door is open. We tried to discuss things with them and they wouldn’t answer our calls or won’t come face-to-face to discuss anything. That’s just a pity.

“It’s all about playing intercounty hurling at the end of the day. I think the players, whoever is in charge, should want to play for Limerick. They should want to be out there, trying their very best to be stars of the future and win trophies – irrespective of who is in charge.

“I think the nitpicking of managers here and there has gone overboard. I think they should get on with it and face up to it, say ‘right we’ve a job to do’.”

McCarthy has come under fire from several prominent Limerick hurling figures with former managers Eamonn Cregan, Richie Bennis and Tom Ryan all vocal in their criticism of him.

Ryan yesterday called on McCarthy to step down, but the Limerick boss is determined to stay in charge.

“Obviously Tom is entitled to his opinion and he’d some success in Limerick in his time, don’t forget. I think it’s a bit ironic as Tom previously asked me to come to Limerick to do some coaching, that I’d bring experience to it and it might freshen things up. I hadn’t time at that particular period. Now he’s looking for my resignation.”

McCarthy also praised the players in the squad he is currently working with ahead of the upcoming Waterford Crystal and NHL competitions, and is adamant they can build on the progress made in 2009.

“We’ve a panel of 26 training over the past three weeks. I must say their enthusiasm, their application and their desire to become inter-county hurlers, means I can see great prospects there.

“The men in the backroom team are very capable too. It’s not a one-man show. Liam Garvey has a great knowledge of hurling, Brian Ryan has been with the U21s and minors, I’ve brought in John Tuohy this year as well who’s been involved with Bruree and Patrickswell.

“We’ve made progress. The year before last we won no championship game. In the past year we won three, drew one and lost two. We brought in nine or ten young players who performed very well and certainly some of them are still on board.”

He admitted that the manner of their defeat 6-19 to 2-7 to Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final last year was “quite disappointing” but shouldn’t be the game which defined their season.

“There were three simple mistakes made in the first-half. That had nothing to do with training or intensity, these were hurling mistakes that were made. That can happen in a game. When a good team sees those mistakes, they capitalise and go to town. But I have a panel of players on board who want to play for Limerick. As far as I’m concerned, I’m committed to Limerick for two years. I’ve one year already done and we’ve started a second year. That’s the job I’ve been given. I look into the future for Limerick and I can see prospects for the future.”