Five big questions for Jack

JACK O’CONNOR owes Kerry football nothing.

He has proven himself to be a tremendous manager over the past seven or eight years and has delivered All-Ireland successes from schools to senior inter-county level.

The retirement of outstanding leaders like Darragh O Sé and Diarmuid Murphy coupled with the loss of Tadhg Kennelly and Tommy Walsh to Australia was always going to be a major challenge to overcome in 2009. Then things lurched from bad to worse with the suspensions of two of his onfield generals, Tomás O Sé and Paul Galvin. All those factors combined to leave Kerry exposed and Down took full advantage at Croke Park on Saturday. Their exit from the championship leaves Kerry and Jack O’Connor with a number of serious questions to answer in the weeks ahead.

1. DOES he want to stay on himself?

Nothing lasts forever. Jack may wish to have a look at his own life choices, discuss things with his family and decide that after close on a decade of massive commitment that he does not want to continue in the red hot furnace of county management. And who could blame him for that? The time commitment involved is huge and the strain mentally and physically must be immense. O’Connor walked away before and came back to win another All-Ireland. However if he left this time, it is highly unlikely he would ever return. He is a proud Kerryman and I wonder if a defeat to Down is the way he will want to end his career.

2. DOES he need to freshen up his back room team?

Kerry looked a tired team on Saturday. Their main men have been on the road for a long time. They have scaled the summit and seen the view and it was Down who were hungrier, had more zeal and were first to the ball.

So how do Kerry freshen things up for 2011? Are new voices, new opinions, new approaches required? If Jack stays, does he need to bring in some new people to challenge him and create a new synergy? Ger O’Keefe and Eamon Fitzmaurice are extremely knowledgeable football men who have been tremendously supportive and loyal to O’Connor but managers have to look at all the options if they want to stay at the top. The same is the true on the fitness side of things. Kildare, Down and Dublin looked shiny and new last weekend and no matter who wins the 2010 All-Ireland, those teams look like they will be around the block for the next few years and Kerry need to reinvigorate themselves. What has to happen for that to happen?

3. IS it time to put Kieran Donaghy to midfield on a permanent basis?

Kerry need a new leader at midfield to replace Darragh O Sé. Is the Austin Stacks player the man to do that?

He has great hands, vision and mobility and a full repertoire of skills. A team needs possession and a link man and perhaps Donaghy would thrive in such a role for Kerry. At full forward, he and Colm Cooper are dependent on what is happening out the field to determine their influence on the game. By putting Donaghy to midfield you give him the opportunity and responsibility to become the team’s main ball winner.

4 WHERE will he find the new players the team needs?

Superb and experienced defenders like Mike McCarthy, Tommy Griffin, Tomás O Sé and Tom O’Sullivan are all on the wrong side of 30 for inter-county football. Some may decide to hang up the boots but regardless of possible and probable retirements, Kerry and Jack O’Connor need to find some new young players and start blooding them.

Where he goes for those players is debatable and replacing experienced stars takes time. Referring back to my first point, Jack may wonder if he wants to take charge of such a transition. It will take time and may not be easy. Kerry have not won an All-Ireland minor title since 1994. Tyrone have won that title four times since then (’98, ‘01, 04 & ‘08), and may do so again this season.

5. GET the county to invest in a serious and progressive youth policy

Kerry have a superb tradition of winning All-Irelands at all grades, the best in the country, however tradition alone will not keep the cups coming South. Jack O’Connor is at the coalface everyday with schools football and in his coaching role with the Kerry VEC, so he will appreciate more than anyone the need for Kerry to ramp up their investment in coaching, schools of excellence, development squads and the cultivation of future talent.

All-Ireland winning stars are not just born. They are coached, developed and encouraged.

Kerry need to protect their proud tradition by investing in their youth.