Lyng has no issues with following in Cody's footsteps

NEW BOSS IN TOWN: Kilkenny senior hurling manager Derek Lyng with Paddy Deegan, left, and Walter Walsh. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Derek Lyng, Kilkenny manager. Six months on from the historic appointment, it still has a strange ring to it.

Life after Brian Cody isn't entirely different though and at his first official media engagement - a promotion to highlight the continued sponsorship of Glanbia and Avonmore - the new boss gave a pretty decent impression of the old one.

Cody rarely gave much away at these annual events and Lyng chose his words carefully too.

On the return of the Ballyhale Shamrocks players following their All-Ireland club exertions, Lyng would only confirm that 'one or two' could be back this weekend to face Tipperary while veteran TJ Reid specifically won't be back 'for the next two or three games' anyway.

There was only a hint of his true feelings too about the strain being placed on inter-county managers by the Fitzgibbon Cup.

"There could be a little bit more joined up thinking in terms of the fixtures when it comes to the hurling and football leagues, with the Sigerson and Fitzgibbon," offered Lyng.

On having to face old ally and current Galway manager Henry Shefflin at some stage, something Cody couldn't warm to, Lyng also played that one with a straight bat.

"To be honest, the only thing I'll be concerned about is having the team ready to play Galway. That's enough of a concern."

As for the team's playing style, a Lyng-managed Kilkenny could look a lot like a Cody team when the season properly unfolds.

"I'm not too sure it will look any different," said the former midfielder.

The real intrigue with Wednesday's Nowlan Park media day lay in what Lyng may have to say about taking over from Cody, an 11-times All-Ireland winner in his 24 seasons in charge.

Did he have any second thoughts, for instance, about being the first man up post-Cody?

"No, that didn't even enter into my mind at all, that doesn't bother me," responded Lyng. 

"Like, I don't wake up every day comparing myself to anybody else. I'm privileged to get the job but I'm determined to just get working on it and to put my own stamp on it.

"The expectations are always there with Kilkenny and that's to be as successful as you can possibly be, winning All-Irelands. That's no different for me. That's fine. I have no issue with that. It's something that we're working towards every week and for me, at the minute, it's about taking it on a week-by-week basis and looking forward to the games that are coming ahead. We've a big one this weekend."

After overcoming Antrim last weekend, Kilkenny will host Tipperary this Sunday. Lyng railed at the suggestion that it's the beginning of the 'real' league though he couldn't deny that it is a fixture laced with rivalry and rich tradition. 

These were the games Cody used to live for. Lyng was part of Cody's management team when the Cats beat Tipp in the 2014 All-Ireland final replay. He was also there for the 2016 and 2019 final defeats to their neighbours. 

He and Cody were clearly close colleagues though the Emeralds clubman insisted that he didn't seek his old ally's counsel around taking over Kilkenny.

"To be fair, when I got the job he did congratulate me, as he would with anybody," said Lyng. 

"I came across him recently at a medal presentation as well and he's very supportive, wondering how things are going and very encouraging that way. But look, I'm obviously very grateful for what he did for me in my career but as I step into the job now, I'm taking it on myself and trying to put my own stamp on it.

"Decisions like that (taking the job), you have to make for yourself and, to be honest, my gut feeling was that I wanted to take the job once I was offered it. I had no hesitation."

Between a busy family life - Lyng has three kids - and his day job, being Kilkenny senior manager for 2023 was initially the furthest thing from his mind, admitting Cody's exit was a 'shock'.

Now he's a game into his first Allianz League campaign and preparing to face up to the old enemy. 

Even with a new look team, Billy Drennan shooting the lights out in attack, the Ballyhale players absent, Mikey Carey and Conor Browne unavailable for the year, it's a huge date in the hurling calendar.

"The reality is, if we win it's brilliant but if we lose, it's not the end of the world either," he reasoned.