JACK O’CONNOR WILL be back as Kerry manager in 2014 after tonight being ratified as the county’s new minor football boss.
O’Connor, who stepped down as senior manager in August 2012, has been handed a three-year term with the Kingdom’s underage team.
His appointment was rubberstamped at a county committee meeting tonight at Austin Stack Park in Tralee.
And the move ends speculation that O’Connor could become the new Kildare manager after being linked with that position following the departure of Kieran McGeeney.
O’Connor takes over the Kerry minor managerial reins from Mickey Ned O’Sullivan as the county enters the 2014 season without an All-Ireland minor football crown since 1994.
O’Connor brings huge experience to the role having been in charge of the county senior side for two stints, 2004-2006 and 2009-2012.
In his first spell in charge he won All-Ireland senior titles in 2004 and 2006 while in his second tenure he also lifted Sam Maguire in 2009.
In between O’Connor coached Kerins O’Rahilly’s to reach the 2008 Kerry and Munster senior club football finals but defeated was their lot on both occasions.
This year he took on the role of selector/coach with the South Kerry-based club St Michael’s-Foilmore.
