Barry O’Shea: It’s vital Kerry get coaching appointment right

Kerry’s 1997 All-Ireland-winning full-back would love to see Paul Galvin linking up the Kerry set-up

Wed, 27 Jan, 2021 - 07:00

John Fogarty

Barry O’Shea says Kerry can’t afford to get their next senior coaching appointment wrong as Paul Galvin mulls over joining Peter Keane’s management team.

Kerry’s 1997 All-Ireland-winning full-back would love to see Galvin linking up the Kerry set-up and reckons finding the right replacement for Donie Buckley is of utmost importance.

“Paul Galvin is the type of personality who, if I was a young player inside there and I heard he was coming in, it would give me a lift. He has earned respect from what he has done on the field but players will expect a lot from their coaches and your name alone isn’t going to get you there.

“I presume if Paul is considered for the job he is well capable of doing it, and it’s something I think Kerry need to up their game in coaching and bringing in quality people. It’s something Dublin have done.

“It’s very important that Kerry get this appointment right and it’s not easy to do because it’s nearly easier to find a manager than a coach.

“The way the GAA has gone, the coach and the strength and conditioning guy are the ones driving the whole thing in terms of atmosphere and the work they present to the players every night at training. They’re nearly more important than the manager.

It’s vital it goes well for Kerry because there are a good crop of young players in Kerry at the moment but the years don’t be long in slipping by and they need to be well directed.”

O’Shea welcomed the appointment of Paul Murphy as captain following his East Kerry team-mate David Clifford last season.

“I suppose it was a no-brainer, really. Paul is an experienced guy and it probably made sense after David was captain last year and that was a lot of pressure on young shoulders.

“Paul Murphy will be well able for it. Paul was the most experienced guy that could be picked and he will take it in his stride and I don’t think it will have any major impact on him.”

Regardless of the captaincy rule, O’Shea says Rathmore man Murphy would make an excellent candidate.

“There are a few players who would come into your thinking like Paul and David Moran in what is a young squad.

“There is a lot of talk about the captaincy rule but it’s still there. The divisional boards have a certain amount of power and when it comes to a vote they win out and that’s it.

“At times, it hasn’t done Kerry favours but in general the captaincy hasn’t made too many huge issues.” he added.