Molumphy sad to be leaving helm of Kerry hurlers but Brussels calls

Waterford native answering army's call but reflects fondly on his three-year stint in charge of Kingdom 

TIME TO GO: Kerry manager Stephen Molumphy. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

Kerry senior hurling manager Stephen Molumphy is sad to have to leave his current post. However duty calls for the army man and it’s off to Brussels for the next 12 months. The Ballyduff-Upper clubman admitted that he fought like hell to stay on. 

“It is [emotional] I just wanted to talk to the players there," Molumphy said after his charges rounded off his tenure with a Joe McDonagh Cup victory over Meath on Saturday. "Within the last month I was given word of my next posting...basically I’ve been reposted to the EU military staff in Brussels. We’re going there for a year, 12 months. I was hoping basically to stay on, fought like hell to stay on because the potential here is something else.

"Today was a wet and windy day and the hurling on display wasn’t the best, obviously loads of mistakes, but we got the win, finished third. It’s not where we wanted to be, but we’ll take it. It’s a good effort.” 

The departing manager is very positive about this current crop of players.

“The age-profile is down to 23, they’re [the players] young, they’re committed, they’re very professional. I was actually just saying to the players, [for] any manager coming in, it will be a case that he’ll have to adhere to their standards and not to his. It’s an excellent set up," Molumphy added.

"I’ve said it before and I know it’s a cliché, culture eats strategy for breakfast, and the culture in there is excellent. It’s brilliant, it’s bright. We went around the room, everyone gave their highlight of the year and what they’re looking forward to and they all want to go ahead and push on now and get to the level of the likes of Offaly and Laois who are a small bit ahead of us this year and go one step further.” 

All of which explained why the media had to wait for an hour and half, just to hear his reasons for departing. Did Molumphy like the Kerry job? “I loved it. To be honest I was planning out how to get another year or two prior to that, but it’s the nature of my profession. You’re told what to do and you do it, but I loved it," he said. "Just look at where we have come from in the first year. The hardest challenge was the transition of players year-in, year-out, but I loved it and I was saying inside it’s the character. They’re dedicated. They’re committed. We spoke in November/December about players not being in, but they just got rid of that and, as I keep saying, the best of Kerry took on the best of Meath today. 

"[I'm] disappointed it’s come to an end, absolutely loved every single minute of it and there will be a lot of interest for the next manager coming in. Who wouldn’t want young, motivated and committed crowd with loads of potential going forward?” 

So it’s off to Brussels now and Kerry hurling will be viewed from a distance but one gets the impression, he could return at some future date.

“The EU military headquarters, it’s over in Brussels, a 12-months posting, so it’s working with other international officers that are in Brussels. The family gets to come. Only in the last days it was confirmed and he’s [son Jack] looking up Belgium GAA club and they train on Sundays," smiled Molumphy. "Actually one of the highlights for me was the other night at an Under 10 match Jack pulled the thing back and he said at half-time ‘did you see what I did? I did a Ronan Walsh’. It’s nice to see that. They’re always wearing Kerry jerseys, nobody’s worn a Waterford jersey in years. It’s brilliant."