TIPPERARY GREAT EOIN Kelly suspects that Michael Ryan may ‘regret’ his decision to refuse speaking to the media, following his side’s Munster SHC defeat to Limerick on Sunday.
Tipperary PRO Joe Bracken has indicated that Ryan won’t be engaging in press duties until after the round robin phase of the Munster championship is completed next month.
It’s unclear as to why Ryan has taken this decision and his boycott included print media and the Sunday Game, who broadcast the game against Limerick.
“Michael Ryan should have spoken to the media after yesterday’s game and not doing so added fuel to the fire of the defeat,” two-time All-Ireland winner Kelly told Paddy Power.
“Even if he sent out a selector it would have been something, I’ve often seen Brian Cody do that with Derek Lyng.
“I’d love to know when he made the decision not to talk to the media until after the first four rounds of Championship finishes. I’d say he was probably fuming after yesterday’s game.
“It’s very easy to talk to the media when you’ve won, but he might change his mind with interviews. I’d be hoping that he will say something next weekend, win, lose or draw.
Speaking to the media is one of your duties as a manager. I think he’ll regret not talking to them. It’s unprecedented. This Championship though is different for everyone now though, so we are seeing different reactions to stuff from all angles.
“He should have given a comment and then shut up shop for the week for the Cork game if he is trying to build a siege mentality.”
Tipperary must now refocus for the the next game of their round-robin campaign on Sunday, where they will face a Cork side who defeated Clare in their Munster opener at the weekend.
Kelly suggests that Ryan might rethink his decision to play five championship debutants in their six-point defeat to Limerick, and says that Tipperary will need to have players like Brendan Maher, Seamus Callanan and Bonnar Maher in the starting side to get back winning again.
He also called for Tipperary fans ‘to really get behind this team next Sunday.’
“It may be a small admission that he [Ryan] got it wrong with team selection last week if they do start, but that’s what Michael Ryan is going to be looking for against Cork. They need to get in Cork’s faces. If they don’t, then in the space of a week you could be looking at being out of the Championship.
“This isn’t the time to turn on our own. This is the time to issue a rally cry. The supporters need to come in their droves because this could be the start of something far bigger if there are a few changes made.”
Eoin Kelly is one of a select group of high profile sports personalities, who features as a regular contributor to Paddy Power News. For more, see news.paddypower.com
– Originally published 19.49, 21 May
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2 McIlroys. A and B and flips and flops to suit himself and the circumstances. Would prefer if he just said the big money and attention is still in the US rather than skirt around the obvious!
@David Gaffney: But that is what he is saying. He lives in the state’s cause that’s where the money is and he’s never made a secret of that. He’s saying as good as the changes to the European tour are, they aren’t enough to entice the top players to change what they are doing. It’s overtly implied it what he said. Just cause he doesn’t blatantly state it doesn’t mean he’s skirting the question
@Phil Redmond:
Married to an American, his family is in America… The bggest payouts are in America… Totally understandable…
Shane is in the same boat… To play in the top competitions you have to play in the highest ranking tournaments…
@Cowboy Paddy: Exactly and the European tour events need to get much closer to the PGA in terms of prize money and ranking points if they want to start attracting the top players away from it. I doubt that will ever happen though. The PGA want to protect their place as the no 1 tour like anyone in their position would so any sign that the European tour are going to make any significant inroads into that they’ll up the prize money and keep the top players coming back to them
@Phil Redmond: it absolutely does mean he is skirting around it! Why not just say it. Why talk like a politician that is evasive and won’t commit!?
@David Gaffney: Non committal choker and mercenary. #136daystillmoreRorycomedygold