They Said It ....

November 2006

“When Colm Coyle asked me to go back I considered it and said I’d love to give it one more shot. I was thinking about it anyway after Trim got knocked out of the championship and I was glad to be asked.”
Meath’s Darren Fay admits that he was always considering making a return to intercounty football

“I never gave up hope of representing my country again and I’m glad to have this chance now. I’ve been honoured to captain my county in the past but to captain your country is a step up.”
Armagh’ Kieran McGeeney on his joy at being appointing Ireland’s International Rules captain after being left out of the previous two squads

“Having met with the GPA, I’m prepared to take their word that they are not looking for pay-for-play. Some individual players may talk about pay-for-play, but from what the GPA officers have told me, that’s not their stance.”
GAA President Nicky Brennan is confident that pay for play in not on the Gaelic Players’ Association agenda

“The way young Joe is feeling now, he may never play hurling again and who could blame him? He was butchered from start to finish. The message was sent out loud and clear on Sunday – the day of the sledger who can do what he likes is back.”
Portumna manager Sean Treacy is clearly furious at what he deemed the unfair treatment his forward Joe Canning suffered in the Galway SHC final

“We put in a very tough year. Kerry supporters are very demanding people and while I am not saying that there is anything wrong with that, it takes a toll on your family and all the rest of it, so it just wears you down eventually. You should not boo your own players – you are supposed to be a supporter and not a critic.”
While he understands that fans can get frustrated, recently retired Kerry manager Jack O’Connor was unhappy with the behaviour of some of his county’s supporters during the summer

“It is becoming a seven days a week commitment in that you are going to bed at night and you are waking up in the middle of the night and thinking what do I need to do the next evening that would benefit the panel. I felt it was a huge honour to be asked to manage the Cork hurling team and it was a successful time, but there is definitely a price to pay in terms of your own privacy and what you put into the whole thing mentally.”
John Allen explains some of the pressure which convinced him to stand down as Cork hurling boss after two years in the role