Jack O’Connor plays down Tomás Ó Sé tensions

Former Kerry boss Jack O’Connor says Tomás Ó Sé is a “great warrior” who is “entitled to his opinion”, despite Ó Sé writing some harsh words about O’Connor in his new autobiography ‘The White Heat’.

Ó Sé takes particular issue with O’Connor revealing issues from within the Kerry camp in his own book ‘Keys to the Kingdom’.

“I don’t agree with giving away secrets like that, though, particularly if you’re going to come back and coach the team again,” Ó Sé wrote.

And while he praises the tactical ability of the three-time Sam Maguire winning manager, Ó Sé wasn’t entirely on board with O’Connor’s man-management style, writing: “I’m a teacher myself, and maybe I recognised that we were treated like children in class at times.”

Speaking after being named Radio Kerry Randle Brothers Sports Star of the Month for September, O’Connor confirmed he has read extracts from ‘The White Heat’ and insists he holds the An Ghaeltact man in high esteem despite not seeing eye to eye with him on a number of issues over the years.

“The one thing I always said about him is that what you see with Tomás is what you get,” said O’Connor. “He was a great warrior. I’m not saying everything was hunky dory between us all the time but sure when is it ever between a player and a manager? But if you were picking a player to go into battle, you’d have him at the top of the pile.

“He was a great player over many, many years. I had him at U21 so I knew him before he went into the seniors. Sure he will go down as one of the all-time great players.

“If he thought I was a bit offside once or twice, sure the man is entitled to his opinion.”

O’Connor guided Kerry’s minors to back-to-back All-Ireland wins last month, but the day still ended in disappointment as the seniors were outplayed and ultimately beaten by Dublin.

O’Connor admitted it was an ‘unusual atmosphere at the banquet’ that evening as his victorious minors were forced to limit their celebrations due to the presence of the nearby senior team.

“My initial thought of the day was that we were fierce disappointed because we had such a great night last year when the two cups were back in the hotel so it put a bit of a dampener on that because even the minors couldn’t celebrate too hard because of the fact that over on the other side of the room, the seniors were feeling the pain,” said O’Connor.

“So it was an unusual atmosphere at the banquet I have to say, that was my initial feeling, it just took a bit of the spark out of the celebrations.”

Asked why he felt Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s seniors turned in such a tame display, with just nine points scored in total, O’Connor said one of the main reasons was Dublin’s more arduous path to the final.

In a statement that will give Kerry fans hope of reeling in Dublin in 2016, O’Connor said the fact that Dublin had two outings with Mayo, while Kerry were ‘twiddling their thumbs’ waiting on an outcome, helped the Leinster champions greatly.

O’Connor suggested too that, despite previously beating both Cork and Tyrone in miserable conditions, the wet and windy weather on final day affected Kerry and played particularly into Dublin’s hands.

“As regards the game itself, I just felt that sometimes, like some old politician, an English politician, said one time, ‘circumstances, they abide’,” said O’Connor. “Circumstances kind of dictated that Dublin were more primed for that game than Kerry.

“Four weeks in the month of September is a long time to be twiddling their thumbs, especially when you spend two of those weeks not knowing who you’re going to be playing.

“So I felt myself it was no more than the replay last year (with Mayo) also helped Kerry win the All-Ireland, I think the replay this year definitely helped Dublin.

“Dublin wouldn’t have been half as primed if they had got over the line the first day against Mayo. It just goes to show you can’t beat games, especially games that are that tight and competitive. Everything is on the line.

“Management are tested, players are tested, subs are tested, fellas’ nerve is tested. How can you simulate that below in Killarney in training? So I think it was the circumstances more than anything that beat Kerry.

“Plus, on the day, I still maintain Kerry play their best football with a dry sod because Kerry are a kicking team, at all levels. Maybe Dublin were a bit stronger in contact. Then when you have to carry the ball and fellas are hitting you, maybe Dublin were slightly more physical in contact.

“I think the rain certainly wasn’t what Kerry were looking for and you would have to say on the day that Dublin were worth it.”