Pat Spillane brands Cork statement on Cuthbert’s exit ‘a complete joke’

Former Kerry star Pat Spillane has described the Cork County Board’s statement regarding football manager Brian Cuthbert’s resignation as “a complete joke” and suggested that the county should consider an outside manager to replace Brian Cuthbert.

Speaking on RTÉ 2fm’s Game On yesterday evening, The Sunday Game analyst Spillane zoned in on the line pertaining to the probability of Cork reaching the All-Ireland semi-final but for Kerry’s penalty in the drawn Munster final.

“The whole statement is a complete joke, really,” he said.

“It’s laughable.

“First of all, blaming the referee for possibly costing them a place in an All-Ireland semi-final — I would agree that it probably wasn’t a penalty but let’s deal with facts, it was awarded with 20 minutes to go in the drawn match, it made the game a draw.

“After that, Cork had two great chances from frees and they failed, so that argument doesn’t hold water.

“In the replay, the weather conditions were the same for both teams and Kerry won because they learned more from the drawn game. People will say that a seven-day turnaround was difficult but Kildare, who were humiliated by Dublin in the Leinster championship, had a six-day turnaround to play Longford and they won it, so I don’t accept that.

“Yes, Brian Cuthbert is a gentleman, but I think that statement serves no purpose at all. Releasing a statement blaming a referee for costing them a place in an All-Ireland semi-final —come off it.”

Spillane does believe that the Cork job is still an enticing one and feels and outsider could be an option but thinks county board interference should be limited.

“Brian was unlucky in that a lot of senior players retired,” he said, “but the county has had a lot of U21 success and the potential is there, I wonder if it might be time for Cork to look outside the county.

“The bigger problem is that, in the successful counties, Kilkenny in hurling, Kerry in football and even Donegal in recent years, nobody knows who the chairman or secretary is. The manager is given greater control and they are the better for it.”