Davy Fitz New Deise Manager

Kristopherus

Davy Fitz has been appointed new Hurling Manager in Waterford. Good or Bad ???

Sherifu

Good I guess especially if the players asked for him.

CyberDave

Just seen that there on the RTÉ site. That puts Waterford right back in the race for the champioship as far as I'm concerned. Davy Fitz is an outstanding manager and has proven this in the last few years, none more so than with LIT in the Fitzgibbon Cup. If his drive as a player is anything to go by Waterford will not lack motivation for the remainder of the championship. He was the only candidate mentioned that can save them at this stage. I was watching the Sunday game Sunday night, I knew he was going to take the job because he didn't deny his interest in it when questioned about it by Spillane and also didn't criticise the players, which was the most obvious pointer. Fitzgerald is a passionate hurling man and if my own county (Galway) don't succeed (again) I will be routing for Fitzgerald and Waterford. Probably more because of Fitzgeralds likeability, will to succeed and passion for the game than the Waterford team themselves after their disgraceful treatment of Justin McCarthy last week.

Erin Go Brath

A good move i would say. He seems to have done a great job managing LIT, although granted this is a step up. It seems its a popular choice amongst Waterford players too. Waterford were a huge disappointment against Clare. It looked (to me anyway) like a few of the players weren't exactly killing themselves out there. When that happens a change is often the catalyst thats needed to spark a bit of life back into the team. Good luck to him in the new role.

tonc76

www.hoganstand.com

Fitzgerald handed Clare reins

Davy Fitzgerald
10 June 2008


Legendary Clare goalkeeper Davy Fitzgerald has been appointed as Waterford’s new hurling manager in succession to Justin McCarthy, who resigned last week.

The 1995 and ’97 All-Ireland winner, who retired from inter-county hurling earlier this year, was the unanimous choice of Waterford delegates at last night’s county board meeting. Fitzgerald, whose appointment is for this championship only, will be assisted by selectors Maurice Geary and Peter Queally, who was believed to be a candidate for the manager’s position.

The double Fitzgibbon Cup winning manager with Limerick IT said he was looking forward to meeting the Waterford players, many of whom he had faced during his playing days. He didn’t expect this to be an issue and admitted that not having to face his native county - who knocked Waterford out of the Munster SHC last Sunday week - in the immediate future was also a factor in him allowing his name to go forward for the job.

"I’m delighted," Fitzgerald said.

"It’s a great opportunity to test myself. I’m looking forward to working with the Waterford lads, there are a lot of good hurlers on the panel. Maybe no-one gives them a chance this season, but I’ll be working hard to get them right."

He added: "I’d imagine there’d be mutual respect there, and if you have respect going both ways it’s a good start. That’s the way I am. I’m just looking forward now to the next two months and to working hard with the lads."

Fitzgerald is expected to meet with the entire panel of players within the next day before beginning preparations for the All-Ireland qualifier against either Galway or Antrim on July 5 later in the week.

"He is fully determined to get the very best out of the players, and having looked at and listened to his plans, I think it is going to be a very exciting championship season from here on for Waterford," Waterford chairman Pat Flynn said.

"I firmly believe that he can do a very good job, that he can re-launch our challenge for All-Ireland glory, and I have full confidence in him."

Despite the turmoil of the last week, which saw the players successfully launch their heave to oust Justin McCarthy, Flynn insisted they have remained fully focussed and are aware of the huge responsibility they have now put on themselves by their own actions.

"They are ready to give it a right go and so too is the new manager," he added.

gucci

Best of luck to him, i think he has a great opportunity to give himself some great experience and exposure as a manager. After his success with LIT he has shown he has the potential, and now is time to make the step up, yet if hes unsuccessful he can point to the lack of preparation time etc.

Hope he gets all the team pulling together, with Clare winning, and Tipp winning on Sunday the championship is full of surprises and good games and a potential Davie Fitz Vs Ger Loughnane battle would be something to savour! I'd say it would be fairly tense on the sidelines!

Steve_o

I'd say good, the players seem to like him, he's not short of spirit (he's nuts infact, i've seen him in action on the sideline with LIT).
I say best of luck, he'll be missed at LIT.

timmyyyyy

Kristopherus wrote: »

Davy Fitz has been appointed new Hurling Manager in Waterford. Good or Bad ???

i gess its ok dat davy is d new manager seen as though d players wanted him nd it woz tym 4 justin 2 go. he dun his bit 4 d deise. hopefully davy nd peter quelly can do there bit now gd luck lads


[translation]
I guess it's ok that Davy is the new manager seen as though the players wanted him and it was time for justin to go. He did his bit for the deise. Hopefully Davy and peter Quelly can do their bit now good luck lads
[/translation]

Mod edit: Can we please use the whole keyboard?

timmyyyyy

i tink its grnd dat davy fitz is d new manager
justin did his bit nd hopefully davy nd peter can do it now
gd luck lads

I think it's grand that Davy Fitz is the new manager.
Justin did his bit and hopefully Davy & Peter can do it now.
Good luck lads.

Future posts will be deleted if stil in txt speak

Evil_Clown

I think this is a good move for both parties
Waterford looked short of hunger and motivation in the Clare game
After watching davy as a player and manager he will put that right straight away
Davy also gets a chance to manage a fantastic team for his 1st stint at inter county managemant
Interesting to see what happens,

junkster12345

loose the mobile phone text language, im sure you must be older than 7 and able to spell properly !!!

john concannon

This is a good way to put Waterford back in the right direction for an All-Ireland.

Good luck to Davey.

Mossy Monk

I don't think you will last long. Not that that would be a bad thing.

grenache

I must be alone in thinking that this is not a positive appointment for waterford hurling. Fitzy is a strong character, and there's a big difference between managing LIT and taking the reigns of an inter county team. There are a few strong personalities in the Waterford team, the likes of Dan Shanahan, John Mullane and Paul Flynn. Fitzy can go a bit nuts at times and i'm not sure that this is what the Déise need - there's positive energy and then there's losing the rag - as Davy himself did during a Clare U-21 game a few years back, resulting in a mass brawl. I can see a clash of personalities between him and his players down the line if things start to go anyway wrong. Me thinks it will all end in tears.

gucci

grenache wrote: »

. Me thinks it will all end in tears.

The tears have started after the clare game, if the lads are taking it seriously they will be able to do alot of work themselves, as they have the experience. Davey just needs to focus their belief and get them to pull one big game out of the bag.
On paper this is just a short term appointment, Davey will be taking it seriously though, as he loves the me against the world scenario. I wouldnt sweat about it, Waterford are in a much better position now than they were after the Clare game/

kraggy

timmyyyyy wrote: »

r u sayin bout dat spellin yoke 2 me
lol

Are you takin the piss from da way Davy Fitz talks wen he getz really excited like?! In his tick Clare accent like?!

Sherifu

/hums "POD - youth of the nation"

timmyyyyy

no i wasn't really talking about that

Archebald

they have obv reached the bottom of the barrel to have him trainin them ........

tonc76

Archebald wrote: »

they have obv reached the bottom of the barrel to have him trainin them ........

Could you please elaborate on your worldy wise comment?

He has in the last 7 years coached teams to a total of 13 championship wins be they underage/senior/and colleges.

He coached LIT to 2 Fitzgibbon Cup wins and finalists again this year in which the lost to WIt after extra extra time.

Who in all your wisdom do you think they should have turned to?

Mossy Monk

Archebald wrote: »

they have obv reached the bottom of the barrel to have him trainin them ........

Why?

premierstone

Archebold actually has a valid point here, Davy is a very good fitness coach and very popular with the players, but he's management skills leave alot to be desired, looses the run of himself on the esideline, gets too carried away and looses focus, as for he's record the majority of the jobs he took on were hand picked its not as if he took on no-hopres and turned thenm into world beaters, just to confirm all of this check out what he did with Nenagh Eire Og in the North Tipp Championship this year, absolute shambles!!

buck65

In fairnes to him he turned a football club (Ennistymon) into a decent hurling club where there was no tradition of the game, I think he probably had 2 or 3 teams on the go before the Waterford appointment, quite a franchise!
I remember when Clare beat Galway in a replay in 1999 Fitzy drove directly to Antrim to take their under 21s in a training session, very committed to the cause.

tonc76

Heard last night that training is going very well and fitness levels are at a higher level than previously. His motivational skills are going down a treat and competition for places is fierce with a 15 v 15 and 5 subs each match at the end of every training session. This is not split between the 15 "starters" and subs but an even split and if you have a poor game you are dropped for the next training match. Heard he has taken 1 player in particular down a peg or 2