Davy Fitz wont be Waterford manager next year

KevIRL

Strong rumours from reliable sources down these parts that Davy will not manage the Waterford team next year. Personal decision from himself.

Possibly will be announced tomorrow

Daysha

Well considering the man himself said only yesterday that he was taking a 2 full weeks off before he considers his position, I'd take this with a pinch of salt.

noby

Director of Hurling for Dublin (whatever that is) has been mentioned. All rumours, obviously.

brettmirl

noby wrote: »

Director of Hurling for Dublin (whatever that is) has been mentioned. All rumours, obviously.

Maybe he is being drafted in to write the follow up to the blue book?

Erin Go Brath

Davy Fitz should stay for a couple of years and give it a proper go with this team. I really don't see the point in staying for a few months and then buggering off coz of one bad result. Regardless of how they did in the final, he actually got them there which in itself is a very good achievement, and start to his tenure as manager. I hope for Waterford hurling he sticks it out with this team.

premierstone

Erin Go Brath wrote: »

Davy Fitz should stay for a couple of years and give it a proper go with this team. I really don't see the point in staying for a few months and then bu*gering off coz of one bad result. Regardless of how they did in the final, he actually got them there which in itself is a very good achievement, and start to his tenure as manager. I hope for Waterford hurling he sticks it out with this team.

Not sure how you make out he got them there, do you honestly think he did more in 10 weeks than Justin did in the years hard graft that was done previously, put it this way if it wasnt for Justin Waterford hurling would still be in the doldrums and Davy would never have been interested in the job in the first place.

And also i think theres more here than one bad result, the team is now a year older, there is at least 4 or 5 key members well passed their best and there isnt exactly a conveyer belt of talent coming through to replace these guys, so personally if i was from waterford i would want someone from within the county who knows the clubscene and will have some chance of rooting out the required talent to replace these guys, i would go as far as betting Davy was never at a Waterford club game in he's life and if he was it was probably a Mount Sion - Ballygunner county final

Erin Go Brath

premierstone wrote: »

Not sure how you make out he got them there, do you honestly think he did more in 10 weeks than Justin did in the years hard graft that was done previously, put it this way if it wasnt for Justin Waterford hurling would still be in the doldrums and Davy would never have been interested in the job in the first place.

And also i think theres more here than one bad result, the team is now a year older, there is at least 4 or 5 key members well passed their best and there isnt exactly a conveyer belt of talent coming through to replace these guys, so personally if i was from waterford i would want someone from within the county who knows the clubscene and will have some chance of rooting out the required talent to replace these guys, i would go as far as betting Davy was never at a Waterford club game in he's life and if he was it was probably a Mount Sion - Ballygunner county final

He managed them through the AI series to an AI Final ~ he got them there. Davy Fitz deserves the credit for that, just as he deserves criticism for the team doing so poorly in the final. No of course he didn't do more in a few months than Justin did in his years, nor did i imply that. Not undermining Justin McCarthy for one minute, he was a great manager who guided them to Munster wins, unlucky not to make the AI Final and then he was treated very poorly by a few of the Waterford players it has to be said. I'm a big fan of Justin McCarthy, he always came across as a gentleman on tv and i feel he was wronged by some within the panel. That said he didn't guide them to an AI final over these years, and possibly the mood in the camp was that it was time to move on and try with a different manager.

It might look a bit bleak short term for Waterford after that defeat, but Davy Fitz is a good manager and i would think a lot of the Waterford fans would hope he would stay for a few years so he can really impose his ideas on the team. The Waterford team is not as old as many think, they've only a few guys in their 30s who are nearing the end of their playing days. They will only lose 1 or 2 players at most due to age in the next couple of years.

The big challenge for Davy (or whoever takes the helm should he go) is to get these guys playing as a team and not as a bunch of individuals who very often take the selfish option, Eoin Kelly is particularly guilty of this imo. Waterford have some great players and its a top job for any manager.

premierstone

Erin Go Brath wrote: »

He managed them through the AI series to an AI Final ~ he got them there. Davy Fitz deserves the credit for that, just as he deserves criticism for the team doing so poorly in the final. No of course he didn't do more in a few months than Justin did in his years, nor did i imply that. Not undermining Justin McCarthy for one minute, he was a great manager who guided them to Munster wins, unlucky not to make the AI Final and then he was treated very poorly by a few of the Waterford players it has to be said. I'm a big fan of Justin McCarthy, he always came across as a gentleman on tv and i feel he was wronged by some within the panel. That said he didn't guide them to an AI final over these years, and possibly the mood in the camp was that it was time to move on and try with a different manager.

It might look a bit bleak short term for Waterford after that defeat, but Davy Fitz is a good manager and i would think a lot of the Waterford fans would hope he would stay for a few years so he can really impose his ideas on the team. The Waterford team is not as old as many think, they've only a few guys in their 30s who are nearing the end of their playing days. They will only lose 1 or 2 players at most due to age in the next couple of years.

The big challenge for Davy (or whoever takes the helm should he go) is to get these guys playing as a team and not as a bunch of individuals who very often take the selfish option, Eoin Kelly is particularly guilty of this imo. Waterford have some great players and its a top job for any manager.

Fair play Erin good post, obviously i jumped the gun a bit but i know that there is alot of Waterford ''supporters'' who arent given Justin the credit he deserves, ur obv not one of these.

Just on the other issue i dont think its the age profile that is the issue really its the amount of hurling done and the lack of strenght in depth that is the major concern, but i hope im wrong because a competitive waterford can only be good for hurling.

deisedevil

premierstone wrote: »

And also i think theres more here than one bad result, the team is now a year older, there is at least 4 or 5 key members well passed their best and there isnt exactly a conveyer belt of talent coming through to replace these guys

Name the 4 or 5 who played on Sunday who are finished? Tony Browne might finish up, Paul Flynn almost certainly will and that's it. Browne had a great year and played super hurling, Flynn barely had a few minutes. So where are the 4 or 5 who are well passed their best?

I hear the same rubbish every year that this Waterford team is finished. This Waterford team has changed every year since 98. Have a look at the team who played in 98 and the team who played last Sunday. If we have no conveyer belt of players coming in every year then how on earth are we coming up with new players every year?

Daysha

deisedevil wrote: »

I hear the same rubbish every year that this Waterford team is finished. This Waterford team has changed every year since 98. Have a look at the team who played in 98 and the team who played last Sunday. If we have no conveyer belt of players coming in every year then how on earth are we coming up with new players every year?

Well said. The only players that could possibly retire this year are Browne, Feeney, Flynn or Bennett, and yet out of those 4, only one of them started the AI Final, and he's the man least likely out of those 4 to actually go!

We will never have a huge influx of players break through every year, but there's always been 1 or 2 to make the breakthrough. Jamie Nagle did it this year while Molumphy and Kearney did it last year. And now with De La Salle College in the city winning back-to-back AI College Championships, there are quite a few 17/18 year olds waiting to make the breakthrough.

flahavaj

deise59 wrote: »

Well said. The only players that could possibly retire this year are Browne, Feeney, Flynn or Bennett, and yet out of those 4, only one of them started the AI Final, and he's the man least likely out of those 4 to actually go!

We will never have a huge influx of players break through every year, but there's always been 1 or 2 to make the breakthrough. Jamie Nagle did it this year while Molumphy and Kearney did it last year. And now with De La Salle College in the city winning back-to-back AI College Championships, there are quite a few 17/18 year olds waiting to make the breakthrough.

Exactly. If Tony decides to stay on next year, then Waterford will be no weaker than last year, the other retirees aren't regular starters. This constant talk of their demise is massively over-exaggerated. They may be miles behing KK but they're more than a match for every other county in the championship.

hawkwing

Looking at this year Dan is finished,Ken McGrath prob was never less effective,Prendergast very poor all through,Tony Browne and the other 6-7 at 27 and over are hardly going to improve and what's on the bench?Also there has been no progress underage other than the Harty Cup which is a few years off yet so there is more of a demise than a future surely?? Trophy less Wfd 2008 are nowhere near Wfd 98,02-07 despite getting further in my view.But in 4-5 years with some recent Tony Forrestal (+ Harty) success etc they will prob be back soon.

Pride Fighter

I would not like to see him in Dublin just yet. Tommy Naughton is doing a fine job. We have not been this good in quite a while. Roll on next year, we can make the Leinster final, even with Galway there.

Daysha

hawkwing wrote: »

Looking at this year Dan is finished,Ken McGrath prob was never less effective,Prendergast very poor all through,Tony Browne and the other 6-7 at 27 and over are hardly going to improve and what's on the bench?Also there has been no progress underage other than the Harty Cup which is a few years off yet so there is more of a demise than a future surely?? Trophy less Wfd 2008 are nowhere near Wfd 98,02-07 despite getting further in my view.But in 4-5 years with some recent Tony Forrestal (+ Harty) success etc they will prob be back soon.

A few points on this.

Dan is NOT finished. Many hurling fans seem to have very short memories, so may I reiterate to you all that Dan once went went 3-4 years playing poorly. After first breaking through the ranks in 98, he went years without achieving anything in the panel before his breakthrough year in 04 when he scored 1-4 from play in the NHL final and then 6 goals in Munster alone. He was poor in 05 and 06 before going on to win HOTY and scoring EIGHT goals in the 2007 Championship. He has had a poor year, but we should all know better then to write him off at this stage. He can still return to his best.

You want to know why Ken wasn't effective? Well, let's see....he missed the Clare match through injury and he was played completely out of position against Antrim, Offaly and Wexford. Upon returning to his usual position against Tipp, he deserved won MOTM. he really was inspirational that day. By his own admission he was completely outplayed by in the AI Final, by there were over 10 other players on our starting 15 who could say the same.

He's still IMO our best player, and the best centre back in the country. He wasn't ineffective, he was unlucky, primarily based on injuries and some management decisions. So there is nothing to suggest that Ken won't be back to his best next year.

Prender has been poor this year yes, but like Dan, one bad year is not the be all and end all of a player. Pundits have been purring over the form of Eoin Kelly and Mullane this year, yet they fail to mention just how poor they both were just two years ago in 2006. Prender will recover, just like nearly every other star player on the Waterford team has in the face of a bad campaign.

On the subject of Tony Browne, I don't think many will disagree with me when I say that his last two Championships have been his best since he won Hurler of the Year back in 1998. The man's in his mid-30's, yet his performances against Tipp this year and the Cork matches last year were amazing under the circumstances. Tony will always have the quality, the only thing that will hold him back from continuing on is his fitness, and like I said a couple of days ago, there has been nothing to suggest that Tony was any way off the pace of the game the past year.

You say that the team of 08 is not as good as 02-07, but you only need to look at our performances in 03, 05 and 06 to know that this is certainly not the case. In those years, we were blighted by a failure to close out games when it was really needed: our AI defeats to Cork in 05 and 06 being the perfect example. They learned how to deal with this last year when they beat both Tipp Cork and Kilkenny by 3 points or less on their way to the League title, along with our AI QF win over Cork last year and the Tipp win this year too.

The team of 05/06 would NOT have beaten Tipp this year, nor would they have won the League title last year. Simple put, the more years that go by, the more experience the team gains, which helps them in a strong way close out vital games rather than bucking under the pressure.

Thats the difference between the current team and the team of 3/4 years ago, and it was a vital one at that too. Unless we actually win an AI with this team, I'll always maintain the team of 2004 will be the best we ever had, but under the circumstances, the team of 2008 are right up there with the best Waterford teams in the past 10 years.

CyberDave

Davy should not go. People are forgetting, that as well as it being this Waterford teams first All-Ireland Final, it was Davys first as a manager. Sure, he played there with Clare and won, so you should imagine it wouldn't be much different with a panel of players. Truth is, although his own experience from playing in the final is useful, it is another thing to get 30 players right for the game. Davy is still an inter-county management rookie. Give him a chance. If he does stay on, Waterford can use the Kilkenny hammering as a huge motivating factor. If they do reach the final again, they will have learned from their mistakes and chances are they won't play that badly again.

deisedevil wrote: »

Name the 4 or 5 who played on Sunday who are finished? Tony Browne might finish up, Paul Flynn almost certainly will and that's it. Browne had a great year and played super hurling, Flynn barely had a few minutes. So where are the 4 or 5 who are well passed their best?

Browne should stay on one more year and the reason Flynn was so out of shape this year was because of an injury he picked up earlier in the year, so he missed out on training. Flynn is at least 2 stone over weight. He probably will go this year.

Browne is 35, Then the next oldest players on the Waterford team/panel are Flynn, 33, Shanahan, 31, Clinton Hennessy, 31 and Ken McGrath, 30. Browne and Flynn are the only two possible candidates for retirement IMO. So, correct in saying there isn't 4/5.

None of these players are bad hurlers and don't just loose their ability overnight. Dan had a terrible season, but all players go through bad spells.

bobbysands81

Have also heard that Davy Fitz will be with Dublin next year (Waterford player was the source).

Would be a very interesting move by Dublin to have him on board, he would add a lot of belief to a decent young up and coming team.

CyberDave

I wonder what are the odds on him becoming the next Clare manager? after Mike Mac... I'd say he would jump at the chance.

A-Bit-Dodge

Donal O Grady moving across the border?


..that seems to be the new estimate....

plasmaguy

You don't come in and win an All Ireland in your first year unless you are in Cork or Kilkenny. It takes years to build the right structures ala Kilkenny.

Davy did very well imo and reached the limit of what was possible, no shame on him. The facts are in Waterford, there is only one John Mullane, one Dan Shanahan etc.

In KK, the guy who comes off the bench is as good as the guy taken off, you certainly don't have that in Waterford and that is the problem. Waterford players have a lot of hurling under their belts and if you don't have players on the bench who can replace your star player when they are having a bad day then you can't win.

If I was Davy I would chalk it down to experience, and if he stays on in Waterford start building the right structures across the county to create that critical mass of good players trying to get on the Senior team.

Daysha

Davy Fitzgerald is expected to continue as Waterford hurling manager, with the decision set to be ratified on Monday night.

Waterford County board will meet and it is thought that the decision to give Fitzgerald a second year in charge will be finalized.

The former Clare goalkeeper replaced Justin McCarthy as Waterford boss last June.

Waterford are due to meet McCarthy's new side Limerick in next year's Championship and Fitzgerald is already looking ahead to the game.

'It will be a very hard game for Waterford, whoever is in charge of them.

'Limerick will be unhappy with the way they played last year and with Justin as manager they will have added motivation.

'Justin will certainly want to get a big performance out of them because he left Waterford in controversial circumstances.

'But Waterford lost to Limerick in an All-Ireland semi-final last year, so they have plenty of motivation.'

He added: 'The Waterford-Limerick match is going to be huge and it will be a sell-out wherever it's played.'

Thank god for that, this is a huge boost for us. Not only do we get to see what he's really capable of with a full year in charge, but now I wouldn't be surprised if that inspires Tony Browne to give it one final year too.

Aquos76

Davy Fitz has signed up for a further 2 years as Manager of Waterford,

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2008/1013/fitzgeraldd.html

Yavvy

Good luck Davy ! you will need it...

I think he has potential but not enough to get past the cats ..yet..
still he had to be given another shot after his perofrmance this summer