THREE OF THE four managers left in the All-Ireland SHC were in Croke Park yesterday.
Here’s what Limerick boss John Allen, Clare’s Davy Fitzgerald and Anthony Daly, Dublin chief said when asked if they thought their Kilkenny counterpart Brian Cody and Cats icon Henry Shefflin would return next season:
John Allen
“I probably would think they will be to be honest. We all know how much they love it and live for it. How they’ve been the face for Kilkenny hurling since 1999. I’d say they probably will be.
Davy Fitz
“Yeah, definitely. Like, do you know, I am finding this absolutely crazy. Above, when Kilkenny played Dublin and I was talking to lads at the game and they said the abuse some Kilkenny guys gave Brian Cody. I said, ‘are these guys of their head.’
“You know, if he lose the next four or five years. Trust me, that man is the man, like, so he is. Kilkenny should thank their lucky stars they had a manager like Brian Cody. He is a ruthless individual, he is a great manager without a shadow of a doubt.
“And don’t be pushing Brian Cody out the door, that’s my opinion. Does he still have the fight and desire, he has. And that should be up to him, when he wants to go. People in Kilkenny should remember the years they are after having. You don’t win as many All-Irelands as that.
Anthony Daly
“I wouldn’t second guess Brian for a second. It’s up to himself whether he wants to come back anyway. Sure he’s been the best GAA manager of all time.
“They talk about Mick O’Dwyer but Cody has nine All-Irelands and that’s just incredible. I think this is the furthest out from September that they’ve gone out in so long. But it’s up to himself. You just have to ask yourself every year, do I have the hunger there, do I want to be in the thick of this again and giving it everything. Obviously it’s a big part of his life and he enjoys it. He’d find it hard to walk away as well.”
