LIAM KEARNS FEELS the situation he’s inheriting in Offaly is similar to the ones he took over in Limerick and Tipperary in his previous inter-county managerial roles.
Speaking to Midlands 103 yesterday, Kearns said he applied for the Galway job before Padraic Joyce was appointed. Having been overlooked for that position, he spent a couple of years in charge of Roscommon club Clann na Gael.
Kearns had no issue with the fact that Tomás Ó Sé appeared to be Offaly’s first choice before he pulled out of the running.
Explaining what led to him taking the Offaly job, he said: “I finished with Tipperary in 2019. It was my decision. The players and football board wanted me to stay on but I just felt my voice went as far as it could go after four years. Then Covid hit. I went for the Galway job alright two years ago and Padraic Joyce got it.
“I wasn’t sure about whether I would or wouldn’t go back into inter-county after that. I talked to Michael Duignan, Paul Rouse and I met with the full committee. I was very impressed with them. There were a lot of things about Offaly that I could identify with.
“If you look at Limerick and Tipperary, which were the two counties I was involved in, I started with Limerick in Division 4 and ended up playing Kerry in a Division 1 league semi-final, and taking them on in Munster. We drew with them and they beat us in a replay after four or five years of my involvement there.
“With Tipperary I started with them in Division 3 and ended up in an All-Ireland semi-final and within the kick of a ball of Division 1 football as well. They ultimately won a Munster final.
“In Limerick I brought an U21 team to an All-Ireland final against Tyrone and we built a team around that. In Tipperary they had a few good underage teams previous to my taking over and we built the senior team around them.”
He was impressed with Offaly’s ambitions and the set-up at the Faithful Fields.
In terms of his ambitions for the team, he said: “I’m going to put no ceiling on where these players or this group can go. I didn’t put a ceiling on Tipperary or Limerick. I’m going in with an open mind. If they’re good enough to get out of Division 3 next year then that’s what we’re going to have to do.
“If they need a year in Division 3 and it’ll be the following year, then so be it. If they’re good enough to have a go at the Tailteann Cup then that’s what we’ll do.
“I want them to be ambitions and to be as good as they can be. What I really want to do is get all the potential and ability they have. You’ve got to get all the best playing and everybody committed to it. If we run a good enough show I’d hope all the players will come in and be involved with the Offaly senior set-up.
“If we’re all pushing in the same direction then hopefully that will lead to results and lead to competing for Division 3. I’ve a three year term and that will be an aim overall.”
Kearns said he’ll talk to veteran Niall McNamee as regards his future, while he hopes to have Peter Cunningham, Eoin Carroll involved after their travels, plus John Furlong, Cormac Egan, Cian Farrell and Eoin Rigney back from injury.
He plans on getting his backroom team finalised over the next couple of weeks.
Listen to the full interview below
https://soundcloud.com/midlandssport/liam-kearns-on-becoming-offalys-new-football-manager?si=07469263640446ef99bc2d1945ef26c2&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
