Final Debate

How much influence can a manager really have over the referee? We’ve heard a lot about Brian Cody’s comments on refereeing ahead of Sunday’s final, but does it have any effect? We spoke to a couple of managers who’ve been on the same sideline as the Kilkenny man in the past...

“I can’t see where the hype is coming from about influencing referees,” says John Allen, Limerick manager and former Cork boss.

“They’re involved for their own reasons, and they know at the top level — like players and managers — that they’re being judged every time they go out. If you’re refereeing and you don’t do a good job then you won’t get the next big game.