Cody says retiring never an option

The thought of stepping down from his role after last year’s All-Ireland SHC never crossed Kilkenny manager Brian Cody’s mind.

Kilkenny lost to Cork in the All-Ireland quarter-final, the earliest they have been eliminated from the championship during Cody’s tenure, but he didn’t entertain the notion of departing the post he has held since late 1998.

“I didn’t go looking for any doubts, I just carried on as normal. My head kept telling me I wanted to do it again and that was it.

“We’ve had great years but we also know what it’s like to lose. Last year we experienced losing at an earlier stage but regardless of what happened, when a new year starts you get out there, the buzz is there and off you go.”

The 2014 season is only the second time since 2006 that the Cats have not begun a campaign as reigning All-Ireland champions. That does not mean a change in approach, according to Cody, who appeared at a question-and-answer session in Ballincollig GAA Club in Cork on Saturday.

“The reality is, regardless of what position you’re in, you just go about being the best you can. That’s our plan, obviously it was our plan last year too but we weren’t good enough. I suppose we haven’t been used to being knocked out so early, we didn’t get to play in Croke Park at all.

“That’s something that we don’t want to repeat, I think it makes us hungrier. We have a team that has been on the road for a good while and there is a necessity to bring new blood in.

“Even though we’ve been doing that gradually all the time, the challenge now is to get back and be competitive. We weren’t competitive enough last year, even though we won the league, and the challenge is great now.”

While there are changes in personnel – both on and off the field, with James McGarry and Derek Lyng coming in as selectors – Henry Shefflin remains, his Kilkenny senior career congruent with Cody’s managerial tenure.

Shefflin played against Galway in the Walsh Cup yesterday and Cody is delighted to have him available and fully fit at his time of year.

“He’s had his pre-season opportunity for about four years now, he’s been injured every other year,” he said.

“It’s an opportunity he’s grasping, he’s in seriously good shape. He’s moving really well and he’s bursting to get out hurling. He’s done so little of it the last few years, he’s really, really fresh, which is unusual, considering he’s 35 now.

“He’s looking forward to the year and hopefully he’ll stay injury-free and just get a chance to go and play.”

Cody is also set to serve as a selector with his club James Stephens’ senior side in 2014.

“So I believe, I keep hearing that’s the case,” he laughed, “after September, when we have the All-Ireland won, I’ll give them a bit of a hand!

“James Stephens is always important to me, regardless of what Kilkenny are doing, and I’m never too far from the thing. I was a minor selector for the last few years and nobody was worried then, so we’ll see what happens.”