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Kerry GAA county board set to make decision on next football manager with Jack O'Connor's term ending
Two Kerry stars were particularly adamant that Jack O'Connor should remain as the manager
JACK TO THE FUTURE Kerry GAA county board set to make decision on next football manager with Jack O'Connor's term ending
THE KERRY GAA county board are close to making a decision over their senior football manager for 2026.
Jack O'Connor's four-year term ended following the completion of the 2025 season.
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O'Connor may be eyeing up Mick O'Dwyer's record of 15 seasons as Kerry manager
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Kerry won their 39th senior football All-Ireland this year after defeating Donegal
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O'Connor's third stint at the helm was a successful one, winning two All-Irelands and narrowly missing out on a third.
Per the Irish Examiner, Kerry GAA decision-makers are confident that he will remain in charge of the Kingdom for a 12th and possibly 13th year.
A county board meeting is set to take place next Tuesday and it is expected that a two-year term for O'Connor will be announced.
The 64-year-old's backroom team of Cian O'Neill, Aodán Mac Gearailt, James Costello and Pa McCarthy are also expected to stay on.
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Following this season's Sam Maguire Cup glory, O'Connor had hinted it may have been the "last hurrah" for him as Kerry boss.
The Dromid man had said: 'It isn't like I'm playing hard to get. It's not like that. I'm a long time at this now.
'I found last year particularly tough, I have to say, and I'm not sure I can put myself through that stuff again because when you reach a certain age, your priorities change a bit.
'We'll see. I'll leave it settle for a couple of weeks. I won't hang people out to dry or keep people hanging on.
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'I'll have a think about it. I had only one or two hours' sleep last night, so now isn't a great time to be making a decision.'
A month later and O'Connor seems to have changed his mind as he is set to extend his term.
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The five-time All-Ireland winning boss is a well-liked figurehead in Kerry Gaelic football.
Many Kerry players, past and present, came out in support of O'Connor and hoped he would stay for another term.
One of those being Kerry superstar David Clifford. The Fossa man has really enjoyed working under O'Connor over the last four years.
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The five-time All-Star supported: 'I haven't really been talking to him that much in the last few weeks, it's just been busy.
"But it would be great if we could keep it the same way as it was for last year.
'I thought we had a brilliant set-up, so hopefully they'll figure things out.'
Clifford's brother Paudie is another who had hoped to keep the current Kerry manager.
Paudie had said: "I think so (O'Connor will remain in charge). I haven't been talking to him or anything about it, but I think he should."
