Paudie Clifford weighs in on whether Jack O'Connor will return as Kerry manager after All-Ireland run

The Irish Sun

10 hours ago

Two county icons have tipped O'Connor to stay on
STILL KING? Paudie Clifford weighs in on whether Jack O'Connor will return as Kerry manager after All-Ireland run
PAUDIE Clifford has supplied a breadcrumb of information around the mystery of whether Jack O'Connor will remain as Kerry boss.
In the immediate aftermath of the Kingdom reclaiming Sam Maguire, O'Connor had virtually stated that their final success over Donegal would serve as his swansong.
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Clifford bossed proceedings as Donegal gave him the freedom of Croke Park
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O'Connor is now only behind Mick O'Dwyer and Jim Gavin with five All-Ireland football titles to his name as manager
The 64-year-old laid out: 'I think I was on record earlier in the year that it would probably be my last hurrah, do you know, so. I don't want to be telling ye lads before I tell anyone else.
'There's a lot more people down the corridor. Look, we'll do that in due course. There's no hurry.
'I was going out the door Thursday evening with the bag and my mrs took a picture of me going out the gate.
'I have a fair idea that will be up on the wall as my last hurrah. I'd say now she'll be firm on that one.'
He repeated that line about his wife being insistent on him finally blowing the full-time whistle on his managerial career at that evening's victory banquet.
However, other high-profile figures in the county such as Tomás Ó Sé and Pat Spillane have suggested it's more likely than not that O'Connor will be back on the sideline next year.
When quizzed on The Sunday Game if he'd be keen on potentially replacing the Dromid Pearses clubman, Ó Sé remarked: "Jack said it there, Jack writes the script now.
"He's in there with a fresh group. Why would you leave? As far as I know there's no vacancy in Kerry to be discussing."
Now the elder Clifford brother has given his say on the matter - albeit he kept his cards close to his chest.
He was asked on The Square Ball podcast about whether he expects O'Connor to row back on his previous public comments that indicated he was leaning towards walking away.
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The Fossa playmaker concurred with the question's premise, adding: "I think so. I haven't been talking to him or anything about it, but I think he should.
"Our squad depth was under-rated, but it's going to be very important for all those lads to keep pushing on.
"It's no good doing it for one year. Winning two All-Irelands isn't enough for this team. We need to keep going.
"There is nothing wrong with two All-Irelands but there wouldn't be much point resting on our laurels in our peak years."
SULLY'S SAY
The show is hosted by Dave McIntyre and All-Ireland winning captain Darran O'Sullivan who was happy to be far more free-wheeling with his choice of wording.
The ex-Kerry speedster went so far as to argue: "Jack would be crazy to leave. This team is not even at the peak of its powers, it's only moving into that stage."
It's easy to see why that view is so widely held when you consider the age profile of their core players.
Paudie will turn 28 next month while brother David is 26. Sean O'Shea is 27 and breakout force Joe O'Connor is 25.
Even captain Gavin White has plenty of prime years left at 28 - an age shared by Tom O'Sullivan - with established goalkeeper Shane Ryan just a year older.
Realistically, Paul Geaney, Paul Murphy and Tadhg Morley are the only names from their panel that spring to mind as potential retirees over the off-season with the first two 34 while the latter's 32.