WE’RE GETTING SET for a hurling summer without Henry Shefflin in action for the first time since 1998.
But his absence from the Kilkenny ranks does not mean that the 10-time All-Ireland winner won’t be playing a role in the 2015 championship.
Shefflin, who brought the curtain down on a glittering career last month, revealed yesterday that he’s been approached to do media work this summer and could be on our TV screens as a hurling pundit.
Analysis
“Basically the few weeks after (retiring) I was off in my own bubble. Now people are starting to think about the championship, do some media analysis.
“I’m looking at that at the moment. I’ve nothing pinned down but I’d imagine I’ll be doing some work on that during the summer. It’s been print and radio and television. It’s only happened in the last week or so, so I’m only in talks at the minute, just to see what the options are.
It’s commitment-wise again. I’d said to Deirdre (Henry’s wife) at home that my commitments were going to finish.
“If you’re involved with that it’s a commitment again. It’s just to weigh that up and see what best suits myself.”
Shefflin would enter the role of punditry with his eyes open and is aware of the potential conflict if he is asked to deliver a critique of Kilkenny’s hurling performances.
But he’s hopeful that some involvement on those big championship days will help ease the transition from playing to watching on.
Kilkenny
“Definitely, I would imagine the Kilkenny thing would be very difficult. It’s analysis for me, that’s what I would like to do.
“I’ve been critical myself of my own performances so, you know me, I’m not going to be critical. Lads have bad performances, that’s the way it goes. It would be a bit difficult obviously with Kilkenny, especially this year.
It (punditry) is not for everyone as we all well know. I just think I would enjoy it. Whether or not the public will enjoy it, that’s trial and error.
“I’m going to miss it so I’d like to be involved in it. Being part of the games, not just Kilkenny but the other games as well, will give me a good footprint into it.”
Henry Shefflin was speaking yesterday at the launch of Kellogg’s renewed sponsorship deal with GAA Cúl Camps. Details were also revealed about ‘Kellogg’s Powering Play’, a new fun game based nutritional workshop.
– First published 06.00
