Ryan’s Déise ambition

Former Waterford hurling manager Michael Ryan confirmed last night that he is still interested in managing the county.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Championship Matters, Ryan said: “Of course I want this job. I think I have something to offer. I have maybe a different style to other people — I believe in assembling a good backroom team and delegating. Every facet of our backroom team was outstanding and I think I have a lot to offer. Going forward I hope to be involved in Waterford hurling in the future.

“We’ll have a serious look at it and see what happens.”

Ryan will consider his options in the coming days. “There’s a huge body of support out there, people have contacted me and asked me to put my name in the hat again.

“I don’t know. I’ll think about it over the next week or so. I wouldn’t rule anything in or out at this stage.”

Ryan revealed he had been contacted by other managers, past and present, since Sunday.

“Jimmy Barry-Murphy rang me on Monday and told me he was very surprised and disappointed, as he thought we were in a very good place,” said Ryan. “Ger Loughnane sent me a lovely text — he said he felt we overachieved during the year. Liam Sheedy, Eddie Brennan and Ollie Moran all felt we’d done very well.”

Ryan knew the players meeting was going on last Sunday.

“I had, in fairness, I knew the meeting was taking place.

“When I met the county board on Thursday all the indications were that I’d be manager for the coming two years along with my backroom team.

“But I met county board officers and they told me there was a bit of a problem — some of the players had met, and they’d contacted one another and they weren’t happy. They wanted a change of voice, a new manager going forward. I was very surprised with that, very disappointed.

“And also I’d wonder at the timing of the meeting. It was held at 11 am on the morning of a day the Waterford minors were playing in Croke Park. I believe there were only 11 people present, with other people contacted by phone.

“Overall, it was disappointing the way the whole thing panned out. If you’re going to have a meeting like that you should have all the players present and everyone should have a say.”

Asked by host Marty Morrissey if any players had contacted him before or after that meeting, Ryan said: “No, when I heard there was a problem I contacted eight players. Five suggested they were happy enough with the management team — they did suggest that maybe we needed to improve our hurling coaching and a few things going forward. We had already planned that.

“Three others said in fairness they were in favour of a change but they had their meeting and the vice-captain of the team, Noel Connors, contacted me at 1 o’clock on Sunday to tell me the players had voted for change.”

Ryan said he had no indication of unhappiness in the camp.

“I didn’t have any indication at all that there was a problem. I had been in constant contact with the players, I’m a big players’ manager, On several occasions players would have said to me that things were going well. They would have pointed out to me as well things that needed to improve.”

Ryan said Waterford had acquitted themselves well in a “a very competitive Division 1” in the national league, and that he had been told when taking the job that staying in the top tier was a “priority”.

The Fourmilewater clubman said Waterford had been in a good position in their championship opener against Clare but had hit 15 or 16 wides: “You can blame managements all you like, but we didn’t hit any of those wides.”

He paid tribute to his backroom team: “We had Pat Flanagan and Jimmy Payne in charge of physical fitness. I went down to Pat in Kerry and sat in his kitchen and said I wouldn’t leave until he agreed to come to Waterford. Three hours later he said yes and made a magnificent contribution.

“Pat Moore was our goalkeeping coach. Sean Cullinane, the Rock as he’s known in Waterford, was our defensive coach. We brought in Ray Murphy of De La Salle and Ger Cunningham took some sessions as well.”