Mike Quirke: I was delighted to see ‘spiky Jack’ back

Speaking on the Irish Examiner’s Gaelic football podcast, Quirke praised O’Connor for his statement after Kerry's win over Armagh.

DELIGHTED: Former Kerry All-Ireland winning player and coach Mike Quirke has hailed Jack O’Connor for his post-match interview. Pic: Evan Treacy

Former Kerry All-Ireland winning player and coach Mike Quirke has hailed Jack O’Connor for his post-match interview after his side defeated Armagh in Croke Park last weekend.

The All-Ireland quarter-final ended in a stunning victory for the Kingdom. Afterwards, O’Connor hit out at the pundits and critics who have been ‘knocking’ his group in recent weeks.

Speaking on the Irish Examiner’s Gaelic football podcast, Quirke praised O’Connor for his statement.

“I was delighted to hear him say what he said. I thought it was absolutely brilliant. We’ve been complaining for years about managers who come out with benign answers, thanks for this and that, there was as much talk about Jack’s comments after the game as there was about Kerry’s performance. I’m sure that wasn’t intentional, but that was the case.

“I think those comments, fair enough they were pointed to a couple of guys in Kerry, I think those comments go across the board. To supporters in general and the boys behind the keyboards having cuts off everybody. Jack has been involved with Gaelic football as long as he can remember. He has about 21 titles, All-Ireland titles from schools, minors, U21s, seniors.

“People are still giving him the world of abuse for not doing this: ‘he hasn’t a clue, he is too old.’ I just think it is great. People saying he shouldn’t have done it, I think he is 100% right. If guys constantly go and have a jab at you, eventually you have to stand up for yourself and the group you are representing.

“ I thought the point, while it was pointed to one or two individuals, across the board it is a great message.”

He continued: “Some guys are doing their very best to give kids an opportunity at a lower level, whether it be U16, schools, intercounty or whatever. Other people are taking shots for no reason because you lose a game. Losing a game can happen. These games have massive swings. Anything can happen. I was delighted to see spiky Jack back in the mix.”

Quirke was a member of the coaching ticket for the 2022 triumph and stepped away last season.

“The knives are constantly out. The knives are out because we live in a generation where criticism sells,” he said of the recent criticism aimed at the manager.

“Everything is on your phone within a minute. We are only hoping that people fail so we can say I told you why. This is why they aren’t good enough and the next guy comes and the cycle keeps continuing. I don’t think that is alone to Kerry, I think it is worse in Kerry than other places, but it is in other places as well.”

The Munster champions now take on Tyrone in two weeks.

“Jack develops a great connection with his players. Management is a tough gig. There is obviously a huge part of it around the tactical approach to games. That is one part of it.

“Jack is never off the phone, never not meeting guys for a coffee, never not chatting to Seanie or to David or to someone about, ‘what do you think if we tried this? What about this guy?’ Constantly giving ownership over to the players as opposed to being the guy who is dictating.”