Galway unveiling: Fitzmaurice on All-Ireland ambitions, his new commute and the Kerry factor

Fitzmaurice arrives out west having been immersed in Kerry football. Now he is trying to deny them a 40th All-Ireland title

Jump right in. There is only one place to start. Former Galway manager Pádraic Joyce said his stated goal was an All-Ireland. Well, Éamonn Fitzmaurice, is that still the case?

“I knew coming up that I'd be asked that question,” said the new Galway boss, speaking at his first press conference at the Lough Rea Hotel.

“I said, what is the best way to answer this now? It kind of went out of my head again and I didn't really come back to it. Sure, yeah, of course that is the goal. Absolutely. Silverware is the goal.

“I think in any kind of high-performance environment, what you're trying to do is you're trying to create an environment where the players can get the absolute best out of themselves. If I can get the best out of those players, they'll be well in the mix. They'll be in that conversation. Look, at the end, I suppose the All-Ireland is the outcome.

“If you can get them playing at such a high level that they're competing at that level, we'll be in a good place. Let's see, can we do it?” The 2014 All-Ireland-winning manager paid due credit to the previous regime. He knows there was good work done. More to do.

“To be fair to Pádraic, like I said, he has put Galway in that conversation. Galway are in that conversation, so it is no shock for me to be saying that.” Fitzmaurice said there were three main considerations for him when he was approached by Galway chair Paul Bellew: family and work, the Kerry factor and the football project.

“The commute has been the most asked question so far and I'm sure some of you saw the AI things that were flying around,” he said with a smile.

“Pardon the pun I suppose, but the kids in school were saying to me on Thursday that it is way easier now to doctor up these things with AI rather than when you were in charge of Kerry. The commute will be fine.

“I used to do a lot of driving with my media work anyway and when I was in the FRC I did an awful lot of driving, especially the first year in ‘24. So that won't bother me really, to be honest. There is a bit of organisation in it, obviously. We have a half day on Fridays in the school.

“The school is closed a half day on Fridays, so that will make it a bit easier. I have a very understanding deputy principal in Eileen and she'll support me as well. Ironically, she is Brian Ó Beaglaoich’s mum, so we're doing well at the moment.” 

He watched the club quarter-finals last weekend and will begin meeting players this weekend. Fitzmaurice arrives out west having been immersed in Kerry football. He was a player, a selector, a manager. He coached school and various club teams. He gave his debut to David Clifford and Sean O’Shea.

And now he is trying to deny them a 40th All-Ireland title.

Fitzmaurice with the Sam Maguire Cup and then Kerry minor manager Jack O'Connor with the Tom Markham Cup in 2014. Pic: Eamonn Keogh

“I did, I wrestled with it a lot. I suppose the whole Kerry thing was one side of it. It was probably more the personalities than Kerry when it came down to it.

“There is a cohort that I would have had at school, that we would have won a good bit of stuff at school and that I would have taught. You obviously have a bond with those lads.

“There is a host of the lads that are still playing that I would have given them their first start. Again, you have a special bond with the manager that gives you your first Kerry jersey. I had it with Páidí. I was in Fossa for four years working with David and Paudie (Clifford). I obviously got on very well with the lads and thoroughly enjoyed my experience over there.

“There was plenty of thinking about that side of it. I got past it. Would it ever sit 100%? I don't know.

“I think the league game will be fine. The ultimate picture I have to paint. My two kids, Faye and Rian, Kerry are playing Galway in the All-Ireland Semi-Final, and I'll be up there in Croke Park with a Galway top. Can you accept that?

“I was talking to Dara Ó Cinnéide yesterday and he told me to be ready for that week. I'll be getting plenty of stick in Kerry.

“I'm ready for that. I'm not the first person from Kerry. Christy O'Connor had a great piece in the Examiner this morning going back as far as Dick Fitzgerald training the Clare footballers before the 1917 All-Ireland. From Mick O’ to Paidi to Micky Ned to Jack himself to Peter Keane.

“A lot of former Kerry managers have gone beyond the county bonds. I'm not the first one, I suppose, which gives me a bit of comfort. To be fair to all the lads, they were welcomed back into the county afterwards. I might not be flavour of the month for the next couple of years, but I think people know me well enough in Kerry to accept the decision as well.”