MARC Ó SÉ has expressed his disappointment that a role was not found to keep his former team-mate Kieran Donaghy involved in Kerry football.
It was confirmed last week that Donaghy is joining Armagh’s coaching team for the 2021 season.
Ó Sé spoke on The42′s GAA Weekly podcast about how he is happy to see All-Ireland winning attacker Donaghy get involved at the elite level of the game but feels it was ‘a mistake’ by Kerry GAA chiefs not to retain his expertise within the county.
“A small bit disappointed to be quite honest. Not for Kieran because I think Kieran’s going to get great exposure, I think he’s going to get great experience for this. I know he’s a top class guy. I’m just a bit disappointed that our own county allow Donaghy, you would hope there would have been a position for him in some area with Kerry.
“As Páidí used to always say, he did it himself and Mick O’Dwyer did it, we used to call it spreading the gospel. You’re basically spreading your tactics, your know-how to other counties and Donaghy’s obviously doing that with Armagh.
“And I just think that maybe it’s just a mistake by Kerry allowing somebody of that pedigree out of the county and I think we need to be doing more ourselves to try and hold onto him to be quite honest.”
Ó Sé agreed with co-presenter Shane Dowling’s view that given the volume of former Kerry playing greats, it is inevitable that some may end up moving outside the county to get relevant coaching experience.
“I totally agree and from Kieran’s point of view, he’s going to want to get more experience. Can you imagine working with (McGeeney)? One of the greatest legends of all time is Kieran McGeeney, I’ve so much time for that man. I think what he achieved on the field, even off the field, he’s just a top class guy and I think that it’s a huge opportunity for Kieran (Donaghy) to gain huge experience working with Kieran (McGeeney).
“From our point of view, I’d just like to think you’ve one of the top players that played with us in the last few years, you’d like to think that the county board would be trying to get him in, in some capacity. I’m not talking about minors or U20s or seniors, even at development squads level. Just get these former players on board and I think it’s an area where we’re slipping a small bit.”
- Check out this week’s The42 GAA Weekly podcast for full analysis of Dublin’s All-Ireland final win over Mayo.
