Flannery retiring

Fishooks12

Munster rugby has just tweeted that Fla is set to retire with immediate effect due to injury

Really feel sorry for the guy, clearly struggled with injury for the last few years but still seemed to be an integral part of the Munster set up around UL

Burgo

Real shame, great player for munster and ireland, and that hair!

rrpc

Fishooks12 wrote: »

Munster rugby has just tweeted that Fla is set to retire with immediate effect due to injury

Really feel sorry for the guy, clearly struggled with injury for the last few years but still seemed to be an integral part of the Munster set up around UL

Sorry to hear that, one of the best (no pun intended) hookers we've had and had a really flat fast throw.

It was looking likely as he'd been saying recently that the calf was still causing problems every time he put it to hard work.

iwasonbwh

One of our best servants, and an even better joker.

onlyrocknroll

What a shame. I was always amazed how every time he returned from injury he hit good form extraordinarily quickly. Shame that it kept recurring.

Least we forget how good his darts were.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HsleEP7p4A

ongarite

Sad news indeed. Must be tough on the body and mind to have such injury setbacks for the last 3 years.

Best of luck in his future career.

padraig.od

Phenomenal player.

Called Steve Thompson a fat c.....t live on the BBC. If he'd retired there and then he'd still be a legend:D

its_phil

Fantastic player. Responsible along with POC and DOC for making the Irish line out, the best in the world a few years back. His darts were top notch.

When he was at Connacht he use to come in once or twice a week in my old primary school to help promote rugby (albeit tag) with a bit of coach work. Worked too because look where I'm posting now! Always a nice guy too.

As much as Best has come on, I'll always be a Flannery man!

Best of luck to him.

vienne86

What a shame. He has been a great servant to club and country and a great character and lovely guy. I hope he has plenty of luck in this new phase of his career. He deserves some breaks.

Annabella1

Top player....had it all
Great darts....mobility around the park...and strong scrummager

Otacon

I wonder would he go into coaching. If he could get Sherry or Varley throwing like him... /swoons

bamboozle

dreadful news but to be honest its been expected. For sheer dedication and commitment there were few better professionals than Flannery.

chris85

Was hoping this wouldnt happen but it seemed like it was going to have to come soon due to his bad luck with injuries throughout his career. As mentioned the darts were brilliant and very mobile.

CiaranMT

Should be kept on by Munster until the season's end at least to coach the others on throwing. His technique is excellent.

thomond2006

Unfortunately this was coming.

Fantastic player for Munster, integral to our Heineken Cup wins with his pinpoint lineout throwing. Good player in the loose too.

Best of luck Fla with your future!

touts

Sad news but no surprise. Injury cut him down in his prime.

CatFromHue

CiaranMT wrote: »

Should be kept on by Munster until the season's end at least to coach the others on throwing. His technique is excellent.

A throwing coach is an excellent idea. It's a specialist area similar to goal kicking that when not performed correctly can really effect a team.

Still a shame for him to have to retire. He was on the Area 22 program a few weeks back and he was saying when he upped the intensity level to the team training he'd have problems. He did seem mentally prepared for retirement though as he was saying how happy he was to have achieved what he had. Which when you think about between Shannon, Munster, and Ireland was a lot.

Tox56

Fla first, Horgan might not be far behind.:(

Cpt_Blackbeard

Webbs

Hated seeing his name on the Irish team sheet so as a Welsh guy couldnt really pay him a higher compliment. One of 2 or 3 stand out hookers in 6N rugby in past decade. Shame he had to retire early and have last few seasons of injuries

PhatPiggins

Otacon wrote: »

I wonder would he go into coaching. If he could get Sherry or Varley throwing like him... /swoons

Plus one, I'm generally against jobs for the boys but I'd love to see Flannery as a lineout coach. He's is to hookers what Jonny Wilkinson is to fly halfs i.e. the epitome of dedication and perfection of technique.

Imagine what the likes of Fogarty could be if they had 'Horsebox' training them 3 hours a day.

Aidric

Ah balls, gutted for Fla. Dynamic was a word often attributed to him and I think it hits the mark. His accuracy from the lineout was key to a lot of what Munster did well.

Met him a couple of times in Limerick also and a genuinely top bloke in to the bargain.

irishbucsfan

They should have a testimonial. Except instead of playing he just throws the ball in at the lineout for both teams.

LuckyLloyd

Very sad to see this. Great player during an extremely strong spell for Munster and Irish rugby. Hopefully he will find success in whatever he moves onto next.

vetinari

Sad to hear. Great player for Ireland and Munster. Best overall though that he doesn't do further damage to himself.

Hazys

padraig.od wrote: »

Phenomenal player.

Called Steve Thompson a fat c.....t live on the BBC. If he'd retired there and then he'd still be a legend:D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_ixoDI7Lfk

buck65

Will never forget his performance in the 2008 HCup final, was everywhere, taking the hard yards, lunging for extra inches all over the field.
A great hooker pity that he couldn't have had one injury free season to top off a fantastic career.

wp_rathead

hopefully he gets to come out on Saturday in the Sportsground- I'm sure ourselves and Munster fans would love to give him a send off he deserves

Teferi

Throws better darts than Phil Taylor.

Gentleman, great professional and a bit of a ligind.

Good luck to him with his future, hopefully he still has a part to play in Munster rugby.

applehunter

I'll give him credit for making the most of his ability but he was never a "great player"

On a personal level he can go and ****.

Amazotheamazing

applehunter wrote: »

I'll give him credit for making the most of his ability but he was never a "great player"

On a personal level he can go and ****.

One of the best in the world, of course he was a great player. He's a lovely guy too, genuinely happy to be living his dream, shame how it ended.

Fishooks12

applehunter wrote: »

I'll give him credit for making the most of his ability but he was never a "great player"

On a personal level he can go and ****.

He was a nailed on Lions starter bar injury but don't let that get in the way of your ignorance

He's one of the most approachable players in Limerick too. All round nice guy

Cpt_Blackbeard

applehunter wrote: »

I'll give him credit for making the most of his ability but he was never a "great player"

On a personal level he can go and ****.

That's actually disgustingly wide of the mark. In his pomp he was a truly great, worldclass hooker who was unparalleled in the lineout.

On a lighter note, I think that everything that can be has been said about his ability and dedication to his craft. Forced retirement is always terrible to see and you'd much prefer a player to be able to make the decision to call it quits themselves. I wish him all the best with whatever he decides to do with himself and hope that he is at peace with the hand he was dealt.

A true Munchins, Shannon, Munster and Ireland great.

Quint2010

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

A true Munchins, Shannon, Munster and Ireland great.

Ah here now..

Fishooks12

Quint2010 wrote: »

Ah here now..

In what sense was he not an Ireland great?

He was one of the most consistent players in our grandslam team

garbanzo

Great player....and then there's the hair ! Sad to see him go. As tough as teak and will always be remembered by me for his compliment to England's Steve Thompson in Croke Pk one time. It is up on You Tube. Check it out.

Happy Trails Fla'

Quint2010

Fishooks12 wrote: »

In what sense was he not an Ireland great?

He was one of the most consistent players in our grandslam team

Don't get me wrong-he was a very good player. But I don't think he can be considered a "great".

CJhaughey

I remember him playing for Shannon and Munster the very next day.
Sad to see him go, he was integral tothe the Irish lineout dominance back a few years.

liammur

Writing has been on the wall for a long, long time. Certainly one of Ireland's better players over the last number of years.

Amazotheamazing

Quint2010 wrote: »

Don't get me wrong-he was a very good player. But I don't think he can be considered a "great".

Different context I think. He was a great player but when the books are written he'll be behind Wood etc in terms of "best ever" for Ireland.

sad to see in my opinion our best hooker since wood. its a testament to his ability that he was able to keep rory best out of the team. heres to a fantastic if unfortunately short and injury plagued career

dougieruggie

Really sorry to see him go. Before injury he was a good player for Ireland. Not world class by any stretch but utterly effecient and an excellent thrower.

Probably the only hooker in world rugby who was late on more than one occassion for training because he was styling his hair

rrpc

Haley Loose Sociopath wrote: »

sad to see in my opinion our best hooker since wood. its a testament to his ability that he was able to keep rory best out of the team. heres to a fantastic if unfortunately short and injury plagued career

Best was the better scrummager and possibly shaded it in the loose but Flannery had the best put in by a country mile. To be fair, they both pushed each other by their presence in the squad and that competition profited Ireland in the long run.

Flannery had quite a late start to his career by international standards, getting his first cap at 27. You'd wonder are there other players out there that have also been overlooked?

buck65

Quint2010 wrote: »

Don't get me wrong-he was a very good player. But I don't think he can be considered a "great".

Are you from Dublin ...? Oh i see you are ....

irishbucsfan

buck65 wrote: »

Quint2010 wrote: »

Don't get me wrong-he was a very good player. But I don't think he can be considered a "great".

Are you from Dublin ...? Oh i see you are ....

That's not fair. I don't think Flannery will ever go down as an Irish great. He got his first cap at 27 and was only first choice for a very short time, while the team was managed by Declan Kidney, before injury stunted his career. He'll be remembered as an important part of the 2009 team but I don't know about ireland great.

Tox56

buck65 wrote: »

Are you from Dublin ...? Oh i see you are ....

That renders his opinion invalid?

d-gal

applehunter wrote: »

I'll give him credit for making the most of his ability but he was never a "great player"

On a personal level he can go and ****.

Dumbest post of the year.

A great servant to Ireland and an integral part of the GS team.
It was actually Woods that helped him become the player he is. Helped him with his throws and use to talk after each game. But it was complete dedication that eventually got him there.
As a connacht man I would love to see him walk out onto the sportsground next week. He will def be there, he loves Galway and a good piss up

justsomebloke

buck65 wrote: »

Are you from Dublin ...? Oh i see you are ....

Everyone is entitled to there own opinion so if you want to troll please go somewhere else

Neil3030

http://media.newstalk.ie/podcast/61153/popup

Interview with Flannery there for the first 10 mins.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Saw in todays independent Flannery doesn't want to be one of those ex players that hang around the squad.

Also saw that he started a masters in sports performance in UL in January. You have to wonder if the decision was made then for him to retire and its only being announced now.

yimrsg

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Saw in todays independent Flannery doesn't want to be one of those ex players that hang around the squad.

Also saw that he started a masters in sports performance in UL in January. You have to wonder if the decision was made then for him to retire and its only being announced now.

In the interview in Neil3030's post, he says more or less he knew that he wasn't able to return to full fitness around December.