BRIAN CODY HAS stepped down from his role as Kilkenny senior hurling manager after glittering career.
Cody guided his team to the All-Ireland final this summer but they lost out to Limerick by two points in a thrilling encounter.
The James Stephens clubman first took charge in November 1998 and has been at the helm for a staggering 24 senior inter-county seasons.
In that time he achieved phenomenal success in winning the Liam MacCarthy Cup 11 times as Kilkenny boss.
Statement from Kilkenny County Board: Brian Cody - Kilkenny GAA https://t.co/L0zjb490DO
— Kilkenny GAA (@KilkennyCLG) July 23, 2022
Cody also won 18 Leinster senior championships and 10 National Leagues, working with some of the greatest players the game has seen and constructing brilliant teams.
In a statement confirming the much speculated news that Cody will be relinquishing the reins after more than two decades in charge, Kilkenny GAA said: “On behalf of Kilkenny people everywhere, Kilkenny County Board extends sincere gratitude to Brian for his life time of contribution to the county and the commitment and passion he brought as a player and as manager, working tirelessly with a single aim, to do what was best for Kilkenny hurling.
“The Board would also like to acknowledge the bond Brian helped create between team management, players, County Board, clubs and supporters clubs as all worked seamlessly together in preparing our teams while organising and promoting our games.
We are aware of the huge debt we owe Brian for the wonderful successes and occasions we have enjoyed as we watched the teams he created play and succeed. Wherever and whenever our games are discussed in the future, Brian Cody’s achievements will be the benchmark managers will be measured by.
“We wish Brian all the best in the future.
“Brian, Go raibh míle maith agat, guimis gach rath ort as seo amach.”
Thank you Brian for everything. The GOAT. Nothing left to say.
@Jason Flynn-Wall: He’ll never be equalled
@Gregson from the Block: Don’t be too sure. The legend that is John Kiely already has 4 All Irelands to his name. And he’s in the job at least 6 seasons!
Wont be a manager to ever match the record of Cody, longevity and success, cream of the crop so he was. Best of luck filling them boots!
@Now or Never: One of the greatest ever to coach a hurling team. Best of luck Brian in your retirement and enjoy good health.
@Now or Never: ye are going well, don’t rule Kiely out . He’s going well. Best of luck in retirement to Cody
@Finnster: be doing well to come close to Cody’s records, wouldn’t mind it tho!!;)
@Finnster: Kiely feels more like just the face and heart of that operation. Kinnerk is the brains. Not really comparable to Cody imo
As a Wexford man I often prayed that he’d emigrate to Mongolia or somewhere else but as an example to all coaches on how to get the best out of players while never being derogatory to anybody else he’s a first class human being and I wish him all the best.An incredible servant of the game
@Oliver Neville:
Wow. The world is ending folks. What a man and certainly one of if not the best to manage in the sport’s history.
Thank you Brian Cody for 24 wonderful years. Many doubted he could have any success when he was named manager in Novemver 1998 but he proved them wrong again and again. I hope he enjoys his retirement.
absolute legend. went down fighting against the only team who matched or might surpass us. Happy retirement Mr Cody.
Greatest hurling manager of all time, phenomenal record, no manager will ever come close, that comes from a rebel from cork, enjoy your retirement
@mark o donovan: tipperary beat kilkenny in the last 2 all ireland finals they played them in…. i wud call that matching them yes granted Kilkenny beat Tipp more often but Tipperary got to the Kilkenny level and matched them so its not just Limerick
@Sean Bourke: Will you g’way. Cody has more All Irelands won in the last 24 years than Tipperary do in the last 60.
11 all Ireland’s only Kilkenny cork and Tipperary have more all Ireland’s . Brian Cody the greatest of all time best of luck in the future
Hope he enjoys his retirement, doubt his like will be seen again. Incredible achievements by an iconic man. Best of luck Mr Cody.
Legend
Thanks for everything Brian, the greatest ever.
Some career but has lot of mine and others respect with handshake gate, Henry deserved better.
@Oliverpool: Brian will be very upset that he has lost your respect Oliver.
@Liam Higgins: im sure he wont sleep alright!
@Oliverpool: . Shefflin went out to beat every fan that adored him for years.
@Kevin Shortall: Oh would you be well,it’s sport,and Cody really let himself down,and will be remembered for his classless disrespect of a man who won him those 11 all irelands.He wasn’t playing in any of them you know
@Kevin Shortall: oh god that’s the saddest statement ever
@Gerry campbell: yeah that’s what he’ll be remembered for. A handshake
@Oliverpool: what a load of shite, Henry gate. Cody is a legend and the most successful player manager in history.
@Kevin Shortall: Yup,and all his own doing.
@Kevin Shortall: Clown comment.
The Greatest there ever was, and will ever be.
Ní bheidh a leithéad ann arís .
Not just a loss to Kilkenny , but to the hurling game in general.
@Pat Maher: Probably stayed on a few years too long IMO .
Davy Fitz for manager
@John Lynch: Thanks but no thanks. We get within. Not like other counties
@John Lynch: of a Centra Shop at best
@John Lynch: of a Centra
@Simon Dwyer: ah Simon, that’s a bit defensive.
@ciaran kennedy: get away out of it imposter
@LiamMac2018: why. Only 3 counties applies there own. Kilkenny would never go down that path.
@John Lynch: absolutely no way. Kilkenny are a hurling county Davy is for starting counties, bring them on and give them belief. He has no clue how to build high a level performance team
@John Lynch: Hello Henry. Come in here and Shake Everyone’s Hand.
The Alex Ferguson of Hurling without making a penny from the game just a love of it like all people involved in the GAA its a passion but he does put some other big counties to shame as well and I say that as a Cork person who’s fortunes have disintegrated ( also due to awful in fighting no spirit of unity ) due to Cody’s absolute resolve to make KK the dominant force in Hurling and then comes along JP McManus to back Limerick to the hilt , thats the new era now the rest have to try to match , enjoy your time off now as a spectator Mr Cody .
@DMC: I wonder will he be like Ferguson,hanging around,putting untold pressure on the new guy….?
@DMC: Suppose it was JP who caused Cork’s no show in last years All Ireland. Not to mention Cork have the largest number of GAA clubs in the Country.
@DMC: Cork are receiving €3m over 5 years from Mike Ashley. No need to to be bitter over Limerick having their house in order. Limerick are getting no more money from JP than other top counties are from their own sponsors, they’re just using it better. Keep sucking on those lemons though.
@DMC: Don’t forget the fact JP gave a 100000 euro to every county board after the 2018 all Ireland championship. This money was to be devided between all the clubs in the counties,
So the fact you throw in that comment is quite disingenuous.
As this article is about Brian Cody, the most successful coach in hurling who’s record in my opinion will never be beaten. Cody was blessed with some of the greatest hurlers that ever played. Limerick is at this time in that position
With some of the greatest players of the modern game, so saying its jps money that has made limerick what it is, is total codswallop and deflects from the fact they have a great coach and background team and a group of seriously talented players who only come around once a generation like kilkenny had.
@DMC: Keep whining about JP all you want but no amount of money will make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Cork haven’t won the All Ireland since 2005 and look what Kilkenny, Tipperary Clare and Galway did in that time.
@Collitov: Everyone knows Limerick players are all getting huge monetary incentives by JP to win and good luck to them also his investment in his cities GAA has paid dividends over the years well done !!
@Sean Clohessy: He’s a billionaire small potatoes to him , he doesn’t even pay taxes here ,,
@Colm: If you read my comment I said that about Cork !!!
@Johnny Barry: If you read my comment I am critical of Cork as a huge GAA county and the lack of return but no one can mention JP and the correlation of Limericks rise as oh no don’t point that out incase you offend ,,
An incredible man.
I’ll be the first to say it so, and I’ll say it as a Kilkenny man.
Thanks for all the service and achievements but you should have gone a few years back, before you somewhat sullied your legacy. Many people will find it hard to look past the definitely unsporting conduct displayed to Henry Shefflin twice in a row.
Success is only part of sport and only then for the elite. Respectful conduct is far more important for the rest of the 99% to learn and bring with them.
@Lee King Buckett: Yes, the “handshake” was an issue at the end of one match but, to say that he has sullied all his past achievements because of that incident, is somewhat bizarre. Look at the positive things he’s done for your county and not the limp handshake.
@Sean O’Toole: Two matches in a row actually. That gruff unsportsmanly conduct only started surfacing in the latter few years of his career, my point was that he should have gone graciously a few years ago and not had that side surface.
I never said it sullied his whole career, I said it somewhat sullied his legacy, it’s just a bit of a pity is all.
Honoured to see him there in my lifetime. Absolutely brilliant manager for so many. Best of luck in your retirement Brian.
Cody was pushed.. There was voices against his ratifications last year, and he was told last year that no matter what happened, this year was his last. Be careful what you wish for.
@Dermot Foley: and what would u know
@Kevin Shortall: Waterford could learn a thing or two from Kilkenny on choreography of managerial changes.
@Dermot Foley: I presume that’s a Ukraine flag. not too many waving Tipp ones these days!!
@Kevin Shortall: enough to make the comment in the first place. It is well known at county board level that he was told it was to be his last year .Brilliant exit strategy to allow Cody the dignity to allow him to say he was stepping down… even though he would love to continue.
The Best ever no arguments !!!
Thanks Brian
An absolute legend
Best of luck in retirement Mr Cody. Wasn’t the biggest fan of his personality but no doubting his success on the field . A real change of an era . Kilkenny must be reeling . Hands of Henry lads
@Finnster: a legend. plenty of good hurling men in this county. Won’t have to pay a fortune to bring a winner in.
@Kevin Shortall: yawn
I admire Mr Cody for staying with the same county, his home county for so long. I always hoped that Waterford could have poached him but his loyalty couldn’t be tested.
King Henry will surely be the next manager assuming he isn’t too loyal to Galway.
@Carm(Orange Vampire): We’d prefer to keep Henry a season or two more. Maybe Eddie Brennan. HUGE shoes to fill no matter who gets the job.
@Carm(Orange Vampire): no will be Lyng
The Greatest managerof all time – well done Brian
- please ignore the ‘manager sledging’ after matches
Dublin job vacant??
@Robert Johnson Fagan: no thanks
@Moya Power-kelly: a dublin hurling fan saying no to Brian Cody? Lol!
Brian
Would you consider managing Newcastle United for a couple of years.
Best of luck Brian. A genius who has left Kilkenny in a good place. His boots won’t be easily filled and, as a Galway man, please leave our manager alone.
Amazing manager definitely the greatest manager to get that Kilkenny team to the final this year after seeing them in Leinster round robin tells you the calibre of man. No one questioned or challenged him, he alway was the master of his own team and gets the final say. Kept things simple and drove Kilkenny teams on for as long as he could. Will be missed by all gaa fans.
Come to Dublin, Brian ..please
@Mike Kelly: no thanks we’ll find our own not a Cody fan
@Mike Kelly: no thanks
Gteat manger one of a kind
Great manager but should have tested himself during his winning streak to manage a Waterford, Wexford team to see if he could wi the Al Ireland
@Sean: Braindead comment
@Darren: the truth, they far better than any other team then, always be ready to challenge yourself and don’t be afraid of failure.
@Sean: So rather than go for history and win 4 or 5 in a row, he should have completely jumped ship and headed down to Wexford or Waterford? Do you honestly think winning an All Ireland there would have meant more to him than making history with his own county?
@Sean: that would need Jesus and one of his miracles
@Darren: he ever did the 5 in a row, so that was a chance after the 4 in a row when KK did not do the 5 in a row, was time to challenge himself with a weaker team. He chose the easy route and i can understand.
@Anne Nevin: not sure about that
@Sean: your cute Anne
Assume Davy Fitz is a shoe in for that job. Job needs a Munster man.
Greatest ever..not a shadow of a doubt… Hopefully Galway will hold on to Henry for another couple of seasons..Get Mr Mc Donagh to put his hand in his pocket and do for Galway what JP has done for Limerick
@Rory Murphy: Pat McDonagh has been putting his hand in his pocket for Galway hurlers for many a year now. What a strange comment.
Wishing all the best to Brian,but knowing kk you never know,even in Britain they they are trying to reinstate Boris,but having said that he has earned his retirement,good luck Brian
The hat is gone, repeat the hat is gone, this is not a drill
He couldn’t have waited til after the football final tomorrow.
Davy Fitzgerald as kk manager,gee whizźźz give me a break
Job on Henry
Always had a great pool of Players to pick from
Made the job a whole lot easier.
Can’t fault his commitment to the game
Well done
The Waterford job was too good to turn down
As a Wexford man I’m glad to see him go! Took hurling to another level, serious record there some man and a great servant to Kilkenny