Fanning: O’Shea the right man for the job

Former Tipperary defender Declan Fanning says Eamon O’Shea is exactly the type of manager the players need after their hugely disappointing All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Kilkenny last month.

Fanning, who helped out Declan Ryan with some backs coaching this year, reckons the 2010 All-Ireland winning coach has the ability to get the best out of the current panel.

“It’s a great appointment and he’ll have great respect from all the players,” he said of O’Shea. “From when I was there between 2008 and 2010, everybody had great time for him and his quality of coaching. Everyone believed in what he wanted to do and he’ll know what’s ahead of him. I felt we needed someone that knew this group of players and he knows exactly what he has and what needs to be improved on.”

Fanning is certain O’Shea appreciates the role he’s now taking up is different to the one he held previously.

“He’ll have tougher calls to make and will be in the media’s eye a lot more but he would have thought of that over the last while.

“He’s in his 50s now and he would have wanted to develop from coaching up to management. He’s not walking into anything blind.”

O’Shea’s length of term hasn’t yet been decided and won’t be until the rest of his management team is in place.

Speaking yesterday, O’Shea said he only agreed to take the role this past weekend and expects to have his selectors and backroom team in position over the next three to four weeks.

With the draw for the 2013 Munster SH championship just seven days away, he appreciates Tipperary face a sterner task of winning a title they have won the last two seasons.

“The challenge is to get back to the top two,” he told Tipp FM . “We’re currently in the top four so we’re not that far away.

“These players have had a lot of success, even in the last two years they have been Munster champions. We’re starting from a good base. I’m optimistic about the next year.

“Whether we win the All-Ireland or not is a different thing because things have moved on, the two teams in the All-Ireland final this year and Munster will certainly be more competitive.

“We’re right to have expectations because we’re a strong county but at the same time we need to temper those expectations and know what’s out there.”

O’Shea said he will be looking for honesty of effort from his players and an awareness of how privileged they are to wear the Tipperary jersey.

“We’re not just representing ourselves, we’re representing the county. Players have to take ownership. It is their team and up to them to make the team successful.

“When you put on the blue and gold jersey it’s bigger than any individual. I’m taking over as Tipperary manager but I know I’m just part of a system and I’ll hand it on whenever.

“You need to be aware of those responsibilities. I think the vast majority of players are.”

He added: “I want us to have the traditional Tipperary style of grit along with the more modern approaches to the game.

“Work-rate is very important. I want the players work-rate to be at a level that is acceptable to me and to the people who are watching us.”

Galway-based O’Shea stressed he won’t be pushed into making decisions about changing personnel on the panel but will be contacting all current members in the coming weeks.

“These players have been hurling into late August and September for the last five years. So there is no rush.”

O’Shea would appear keen on the likes of Brendan Cummins, 38 next May, Lar Corbett, 31, Paul Curran, Eoin Kelly and John O’Brien (all 30) to remain on.

“Panels are always evolving but Tipperary do need senior players over the next two or three years to help transition.”

While mindful of the disappointment following the 18-point All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Kilkenny, O’Shea was keen to praise his predecessor Declan Ryan.

“The previous management had to be doing something and the one before had to be something right so I want to continue to push this on a little bit as best I can.”

He continued: “We’re lucky in the sense that there are incredibly good people involved over the last number of years within the system from medics, physios and logistics. The back-up has been first-class.”