Kilkenny GAA Thread

jaysus Realt I couldn’t see it that way. Loss of confidence, loss of revenue and another slip by KK. If we were starting to come strong then maybe but otherwise it would be a fiasco.

Typical CB gone to ground, no answers hoping it will all die down and it probably will,or there will be a distraction like the minor game at the weekend. I’d say they are down on there knees praying for a victory.

Looking ahead to next year - we need a manager who's not afraid to speak his mind, is local on the sideline, encourages leadership all over the pitch, thus stirring the supporters in the stands. He needs to come with a plan(s)/system to suit his players and practice it at every training session. Physicality is important but the skills are more so in order to get a better return from possession.

The manager should be allowed chose the captain. A captain who is a leader and who's own game isn't negatively affected by the role. This is no way a reflection on TJ but rather on what young guy might be saddled with that role in future.

The panel should be as small as can be, 30 and no more, with room left for additions where players are performing in various competitions. Players should have to burst a gut to be invited onto the panel and to wear the Kilkenny gear. We had way too many players sitting in the stands decked out throughout the year. They need to fight hard for a spot.

The new manager should be appointed asap, and certainly before the club championship starts. On his panel list of potential candidates should be ZERO, starting from scratch, with no certs. And every club player should be made aware of that ahead of the championship.

I'm sure other posters have suggestions that our County Board might just consider.

Perhaps use players from under 20 panel for training purposes in conjunction with Henry. Carrying 40 plus on a panel is just making lads too comfortable and complacent, and perhaps disillusioned. They need to fight hard to make the panel.

What I mean by starting at Zero, is that no player in this year's panel should automatically walk onto the new panel, he should be invited in due course. Of course a manager worth his salt would have a fairly clear idea of capable players. I don't exoect him to find 30 springers.

Good to see you back 👍

With the split season it is very hard for anyone to get onto the panel during the inter county season because of club form. There aren't any real club games. It was different when there were league/championship games in April/May.

Firstly, our present manager is still in situ. I think after 25+ years of unbroken service to his county on and off the field Derek deserves the respect, time and space to make his intentions known. Has nothing been learned from the unfair treatment meted out to Niall Bergin and Mark Dowling and their management teams for their contributions in recent years at minor and u20 which with hindsight were a lot better than some would have you believe? On that note serious good luck to everyone players and management involved with the minors saturday. A brilliant team to follow in victory or defeat. Next years Senior management all going well should have the benefit of a fully fit and refreshed group fully available as follows, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh, Jordan Molloy, Billy Ryan, Adrian Mullen and Harry Shine. That is one third plus of our team that exited at semi final stage last year. If that transpires to be the case relegation might appear a little less likely.?Also with home games v Galway, Offaly and Dublin in Leinster a return to a top 3 finish and progress in A1 series a realistic possibility. Glass half full.

Unfair treatment to Mark Dowling and Bergin!! I am not so sure about that? Harry Shine needs an awful lot of work. We are the 4th best team in Leinster and probably 9th in Ireland, we need an overhaul of some sort, Derek is surely gone stale of the whole thing now, the whole set up last 2 years did not sound like a good environment.

The only unfair treatment given to Niall Bergin was the county board (without any discussion or so it seems) giving him another year after presiding over a minor final loss to a 13 man Tipperary. If there was ever a match lost on the line that was It. It was unfair on the players that he was given another year.

welcome back Grats I agree with everything bar the captaincy that’s a Huge honour for the county champions, saying that it shouldn’t be a stumbling block and could easily be discussed.

Regarding a new manager- hasn’t Henry just started a new business? Leaving aside his relative merits I doubt he would take a senior county job on while trying to establish his own business.

So true about andy. Hes like one of those emotional fans who comes on talksport to rant about his football team.

Hi andy what's your point?

Pocchettino is a disaster mate hes gotta go.

Yeah but andy, he's only been there 2 weeks!!

1960's 3 AI

70's 4 AI

80's 2 AI

90's 2 AI

00's 7 AI

10's 4 AI

We will not win an AI in the 20's

22 AI won in a 53 year period. Tipp won 12 and Cork won 11 since 1960's. We were the best team by a distance.

Now we are the ninth best team, 11 years since our last AI. We have lost 4 AI since 2015 and lost the last 2 AI semi finals. We have won 1 U20 AI since 2008 when we beat a depleted LK team in 2022. We have lost the last 4 minor AI's we played in since the last final in 2014.

I now expect every KK team to lose. I expect us to lose rucks, be tactically poor, lump balls into forwards, to have a poor first touch, be poor in the air, lack speed, lack hunger.

Defeat is expected and accepted. No one aged under 20 will have a clear recollection of the KK senior team winning an AI. Our best player is 38. We are further away from an AI than at any time in the last 60 years.

If the above is not a crisis, I don't know what is. The first thing the County Board has to do is acknowledge the scale of the crisis. In the short term, they need to accept that Derek has tried his best and it hasn't worked.

No one is going to be able to produce a magic wand but we should be able to produce a team that wins 50% of rucks and has hunger. We should be able to produce a team that is tactically aware. We should have players with a good first touch and with equal conditioning to other teams. I hate to say it but we should be throwing every single ball. We need to learn about running off the shoulder

In the longer term, we need to look at how clubs and underage hurlers are playing as currently they are not producing senior hurlers of the required standard. We need better facilities, more floodlit pitches and a lot more money

I think Brian Dowling or Tom Mullally are the best options but as I have said before the most important thing and the first thing is for everyone to accept Kilkenny hurling is in a severe crisis

Well first sub,

Cold hard facts of reality.