John Kiely never considered walking away after Cork defeat: 'You have your mind made up beforehand'

Limerick manager John Kiely during the game. Pic: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo.

Change is constant. Limerick go from conquerors to challengers. The backroom team evolves; new prospects blossom. John Kiely welcomes all of it.

As long as it is gradual, that is. The changes to the coaching ticket have been minimal, with a consistent coach and manager. The same process applies to players.

"I would always look to have a 10 percent rotation,” said Kiely, speaking at the Munster championship launch.

“You would be looking at between three or four players per year to be rotating. That can happen naturally by people retiring, by people getting injured.

"It's healthy that there is a 10 percentile change and if you think about that, that would mean a new group every 10 years. Which would be about the goal.

He continued: “We've always liked to bring in players and keep them for two to three years to get a real opportunity to grow physically, to grow tactically, to get to know everyone in the group really well and understand how everyone else in the group plays.

“You would like to think that if a player comes in he gets a really fair crack of the whip and we are not pushing them in either. Cathal O'Neill and Colin Coughlan joined in 2020. This is 2025.

"That's a long time. Adam English shortly after it. I think he came in in 2021. Shane O'Brien came in two years ago. It takes time and we need to give the players time to grow.”

Limerick moved on from a disappointing league campaign with a training camp in Portugal. It is their third successive year jetting to the Algarve.

"You can never underestimate the value of having time together. When we are together in a normal week, if a player arrives at training at 5.30pm and you are training at 7pm, he comes in, meet the medical team, some of the video analysis or a coach, tog in do some activation, might be a meeting or two before training.

"There is no time for him to socialise very much with the other players or for the group as a whole to socialise and to spend time together.”

Kiely was appointed manager in the autumn of 2016. Speaking after their defeat against Wexford last month, he suggested they have the greatest challenge so far ahead. There is no doubt they will embrace that too.

In the aftermath of the Cork defeat that ended the Limerick five-in-a-row bid, there was no consideration on whether he would go again. This is where he wants to be.

"You have your mind made up beforehand, to be honest. It's not that you leave it expire and then visit it. I would have had that question in my head for the previous 12 months and one of the main litmus tests for me is - number one - I enjoy it.

“The journey, the work and being with the group. Two, and it sits alongside it in terms of importance, do you think that the group are benefiting by being there. Enjoyment and benefit to the group, are the two primary questions.

“I have always really enjoyed being with this group. There's a fantastic backroom team. There have been changes over the years -there has probably been a bit more change this last winter- but nonetheless, there are great relationships there, great camaraderie there, great purpose there and great enjoyment.”