Ryan ponders switch to the stand

Kildare boss Jason Ryan may watch championship games from the stand this year to improve his effectiveness.

Ryan spent last season in the upper levels as Kieran McGeeney’s ‘eye in the sky’ when serving as a selector, and has continued that policy during the Lilywhites’ O’Byrne Cup campaign.

“It’s great” says Ryan. “Last year I enjoyed watching the game. It’s about how much impact do you really have.

“I would question the effectiveness of a manager in GAA, in Croke Park, with 82,000 people shouting and roaring; the management trying to shout on the sideline.

“In my experience at Croke Park as a manager, certainly in the games against Dublin, my selectors couldn’t hear me on the sideline, not to mind me trying to shout onto the pitch.

“So you just have to wonder what’s effective and what’s not.

“It’s something we’re experimenting. I’m able to speak with my selectors and we have the guys doing the stats beside us, so we’re able to compare and contrast.”

It is also helping him become more acquainted with the viewpoints and footballing philosophies of his selectors, Damien Hendy and Ronan Quinn, and the rest of the backroom staff.

“I’m not as familiar with Damien on the pitch because Damien used to be the runner, he was the selector that was down on the pitch with Kieran and I was in the stands, so we’re starting to learn more about each other. The same with Ronan and (liaison officer) Morgan (O’Callaghan) and the rest of the guys.”

Strength and conditioning coach, Barry Solan is the runner at the moment and all instructions are delivered to him via an earpiece, for him to deliver to the players.

It is a similar philosophy to that employed at the top level of rugby, as well as other major international sporting competitions such as the AFL.