Cody calls it a day

Sunny Disposition

Surely the greatest manager so far. Amazing achievement to keep players so successful so grounded and consequently to win so much.

I think he is the hurling manager of the year for 2022, with the players he had coming so close to an All Ireland and winning a Leinster title was fantastic.

Curiously, he was the victim of a degree of ageism in hurling commentary in recent years. Bizarrely, he became somewhat underrated the longer he went on, but leaves as the greatest manager ever.

Billy Ocean

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058255736/cody-calls-it-a-day

Overrated....

In all seriousness we'll probably never see the like of him again.

supernova5

Jesus. the Kilkenny Gaa thread is gone into meltdown,

HBC08

I'm from a football county and my hurling knowledge is limited to watching the championship each year but he's the greatest manager in GAA history and its not even close.

farmerval

One of his many features was that his teams went out to compete, no matter what the game, challenge, Leinster league, League or championship, Cody's teams were also always up for the fight.

He also simplified tactical approaches, his teams did tactics, without doubt, but he always simplified it.

We'll never see his like again in a role that's becoming more and more personality focussed.

Coillte_Bhoy

Great manager, legend of the GAA but i never warmed to him and the whole handshake thing leaves a bad taste imo

d22ontour

For sure the goat of hurling managers but he had flaws too. As above stuff like the handshake and his sideline tantrums and he probably should have went at least 5 years ago. Has handled some of the greatest players of all time and produced some amazing teams too, for such a small county even if they were a one sport only. Aside from the flaws he was a winner and consistently so, a true legend of the sport.

MacDanger

Greatest GAA manager of all time. The incident with Henry earlier in the year was disappointing but he's still the greatest

ceegee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119377582#Comment_119377582

The very slight differences between his win rate in Walsh Cup, League and championship is a testament to this.

His playing career alone is up there with the best. Won schools, club, minor, u21 and senior all irelands, many of them as captain.

Probably the last great truly amateur manager

keeponhurling

Also won man of the match in the 2008 all-Ireland final, a massive achievement as he was already well into his 50s at that stage

megadodge

As a person who always cheers against Kilkenny in a hurling match, I nevertheless had a huge admiration for Cody.

He typified the term 'winner'.

He was only concerned with winning and didn't let anything get in the way of that.

Despite the dour reputation, there has to be more to him than the general public see. This is most evident in his consistency in getting the very best out of the players at his disposal. You don't get that return by being a tyrant or robot or whatever the latest term is. His people-managing skills must be immense, because all his players give absolutely everything, all the time. Fear simply doesn't work to that level.

I honestly believe he is as good a sports manager as I have ever seen. Utterly phenomenal consistency.

Anyway, I hope he enjoys his retirement and hopefully Kilkenny don't find anyone remotely as good as him again.

Sunny Disposition

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119377582#Comment_119377582

i think he has been kind of undervalued because of this, he was never once heard being pretentious when it comes to hurling.

There was a huge contrast between Cody and nearly all other managers, maybe a handful of exceptions, he just never boasted, never used any jargon, never sought to improve the public image of himself.

in a way it’s depressing, but it strikes me the management style of Cody (Alex Ferguson was similar), where he created a severe environment, with relatively little warmth towards players, is what’s most effective.