Angry TJ Ryan blasts ‘cheap shots’ aimed at Limerick

TJ Ryan has expressed contempt for the handful of individuals who he reckons are experts in throwing “cheap shots” at Limerick hurling.

The Limerick manager has revealed he does not read newspaper articles concerning his team as he does not wish to be influenced by the opinions of GAA writers and columnists, and says the criticism he has received since taking up the job in November, 2013, has impacted on his family.

“Criticism is part of this job. I don’t think anybody is above or beyond criticism so long as it is fair and constructive. What I don’t like as a manager would be cheap shots which might be untrue, people who would spin a story, and we definitely have one or two individuals in Limerick who are very good at that,” remarked Ryan, at a business breakfast organised by Club Limerick.

“I don’t read newspapers because I don’t want to be influenced by them so I stay neutral. I think it affects my family more so than myself.

“In Limerick, we are an unusual county. We can be very hard on ourselves, very critical and very jealous. At the same time, we have an ability to create support, pride and a passion that can’t be created elsewhere in the country.”

Rooted in the league’s second tier since 2011, Ryan says his charges will be chasing promotion to Division 1A “in a major way” next year.

“We have Division 1B to go after in the spring which I can tell you we will be going after in a major way,” Ryan said. “We would have been very disappointed over the last number of years with the league, especially last year. Building a dream is about doing rather than talking. That is what we have done since the summer. There has been no talking, we have gone to ground. The lads are going to be ready from the drop of a hat on January 1. The league is our early season goal.”

With a number of the county’s All-Ireland U21-winning team expected to be part of Ryan’s panel next year, Limerick chairman Oliver Mann stressed the importance of not burdening these emerging players with “undue expectation”.

“There is no point burdening young lads and telling them they are the future. They are part of the future because alone they will not be able to do it. I sat three years ago at a table with a Kilkenny hurler, Eddie Brennan, and he made the point to me that Limerick are expecting 18- and 19-year-olds to be leaders and it will not happen. It doesn’t work like that. They will be 24, 25 and 26 before they are leaders. That sentence has stuck with me.

“As a county, we are inclined to burden young lads with undue expectations. We have to be careful going forward.

“The future is bright for Limerick, but how we manage that future is the challenge. How we manage the expectations is the challenge. What I would say to the U21 players is ignore what is being said in the media, that you should be this that or the other. Just put your head down and be proud to wear a Limerick jersey.”