Cody successor 'will come from within Kilkenny'

Kilkenny GAA Secretary Ned Quinn says that any potential successor to Brian Cody will come from within the Marble County.

Quinn was involved in the appointment of Cody as the Cats' senior hurling manager back in October 1998 and has served as Kilkenny Chairman and Secretary since the school teacher came on board.

He feels that the Cats will resist the urge to go outside of Kilkenny whenever Cody calls time on his glittering career as manager.

Quinn said: "It's like Tipperary or Cork - in Kilkenny I don't think an outside manager would have any chance.

"It would be a smug answer in Kilkenny and counties like Cork and Tipperary to say that they don't have to go outside their own county.

"Certainly I would never envisage a situation where by Kilkenny would go outside their own for a team manager.

"You can't make that as a definitive answer for every county - it can work both ways."

Quinn may want Cody to continue as Kilkenny supremo for a long time into the future, but he is realistic that the tenure of the James Stephen's clubman cannot go on forever.

He says that steps are already in place to ensure a smooth transition for the new management, whenever Cody calls it a day.

"As I keep saying, I hope it isn't for a long time yet. Inevitably that day will come.

"I think what we are doing at other levels is giving people a chance to perform as a county manager. It's also giving them a chance to be involved with county teams.

"Somebody will emerge from the pack that will have the creditials we are looking for and maybe in my own case, Brian will be here long after I'm gone myself."

Quinn revealed that it was a unanimous decision by the selection committee to appointed Cody late in 1998, despite some high profile candidates being interviewed.

"I was part of the committee that interviewed the candidates the last time and we had some absolutely outstanding candidates. People who had been successful with clubs and some inter-county teams as well.

"At the time the decision was unanimous as we just felt that Brian - first of all his credentials as a player were unquestioned.

"He had been a manager with his club, albeit people would say not successfully. Not successful is not winning the Senior Championship, but that doesn't make you unsuccessful either.

"It depends on what material you are working with.

"It was the things that Brian was suggesting to ourselves, his ambitions and intensions and that swayed us big time. I suppose for once we got it right!"

And Quinn has praised Cody for keeping the bandwagon ticking over nicely during the last decade, by making the smallest of changes when necessary.

"One thing about Brian that has probably gone unnoticed is his ability to evolve and change over the years. There is an old saying that, 'even if you are on the right track you will be run over if you sit there'.'

"Certainly Brian has never sat down and he has made the changes, both on and off the field. Little, subtle changes here and there - both player and personnel wise.

"A lot of this has gone unnoticed but it has all been part of the evolving Kilkenny team and it has been an evolving Kilkenny team from 11 years ago to this year."

He added: "It has been our thing as the County Board to continue to develop young players. Even though people might think that we would have been disappointed this year at having been in four All-Irelands and only winning the senior one. We would be very happy that we got back to four All-Ireland finals again having won the four last year.

"I'm certainly quite satisfied that there are good players coming through. We will get players, even from the teams that were beaten in All-Ireland finals this year, who will go on to play senior for the county.

"Certainly if Brian stays on for a few years yet, I can guarantee that we will continue to be competitive. Nobody can guarantee All-Ireland success one year after another - that's just not possible."