Kerry have learned to adapt

In a social context, a Kerryman has always been a chameleon. Because of Eamonn Fitzmaurice, they have become the very same as footballers. The said Kerryman would regard such a comment about himself as a compliment but when it’s attributed to his team, it takes on a different connotation completely.

Almost seven months on from their shape-shifting success over Donegal, there’s a body of supporters who refuse to believe they’ve abandoned their tried and trusted ways. Luxuriating in that against-most-odds glory, they have conveniently neglected how it was achieved.

If Sean Walsh was Kerry chairman now and claimed, like he did in 2004, that last year Kerry’s triumph marked “a return to a free-flowing game as opposed to suffocating, blanket defensive football”, he would be laughed at. But he wouldn’t dare.

Since Jack O’Connor met a prominent Ulster figure to learn the tricks of the “dark” trade, Kerry’s innocence has been whittled. To paraphrase one of O’Connor’s favourite lines, they have long since burned their boats. Heck, it might be more appropriate to say Kerry aren’t facing Tyrone tomorrow in Omagh, but rather joining them.

“It’d be amazing to think people still believe Kerry play traditional football,” says Peter Canavan. “Far from it. They can be very quick to get bodies back and into position for the blanket defence. But they are the one team capable of varying their game-plan, I’m not sure other teams can.

“It’s the versatility of the players they have. There are big men in midfield and target men up front if Eamonn Fitzmaurice so chooses. Having an abundance of good footballers helps in devising various game-plans. You’ve seen them experiment this year with open, attacking football. For example, against Cork. Fitzmaurice is not stupid; he realised the risks. But he’s not tying himself down to one style. Don’t be surprised if you see a very defensive-minded Kerry side in the championship.”

To illustrate his point, Canavan cites how the half-back line operates under Fitzmaurice’s watch compared to O’Connor’s and Páidí Ó Sé’s times. Granted, Tomás Ó Sé’s retirement curbed that propensity to move forward but he was an exception in Fitzmaurice’s first year in 2013.

“They have changed, from the point of view they are more aware of their defensive aspects. The very nature of the Kerry teams I played against and those that went before was attack-driven. You had attack-minded wing backs and any of their defenders were that comfortable on the ball they could go forward with it.

“It was obvious from the number of games they played last year that they worked to have a presence in the half-backs at all times. There were numerous times you could see two men perched in the half-back positions. That wasn’t always the case. They were more off the cuff. I’m not saying they do it all of the time but when it was needed, Donegal found themselves in difficulty.”

Canavan’s admiration fo Fitzmaurice is clear, as it is across Ulster, where he is held in the same esteem, if not more, than predecessor O’Connor. The Dromid Pearses man may have tasted glory thrice but on none of those occasions did he have to dig his own well like Fitzmaurice.

“He’s very highly respected and regarded and was as a player too,” says Canavan. “He was very much a man who did his talking on the pitch. He was never vocal, just hard and strong. Off it, he keeps his counsel. He just ticks all the boxes.”

Listen to Fitzmaurice speak and you’d know he’s not a conventional thinker. In three league campaigns, Kerry have beaten the likes of Tyrone, Kildare and Derry away only to be beaten by Derry and most recently Monaghan at home. Asked to explain it, he said: “Away from home, where the group are together for the weekend, it’s a tight group, there are no outside distractions. You can have a chat in the hotel the night before; you can have a chat before you get on the bus going for the game on the Sunday.

“Nothing is left to chance; every detail in regard to food and everything is looked after for the lads. In many ways, it is actually easier to have the team more tuned in and focused, whereas when you playing at home, and lads are staying at home on Saturday night, there can be other distractions in their lives maybe.”

It’s a different tune this piper is playing. Some in Kerry mightn’t like it but they know better not to follow.