JOE CANNING HAS expressed his frustration and disappointment at the continuing impasse in Galway GAA as their search for a senior hurling boss drags on.
Galway’s All-Ireland winning manager Micheál Donoghue stepped down almost two months ago and efforts to find a replacement have to date been fruitless with his selectors Francis Forde and Noel Larkin recently turning down the opportunity to take the reins.
“It’s kind of gone beyond worried now at this stage. To be straight up about it, I don’t really know what’s happening. It’s very frustrating on a player’s part. If you think about it we won the All-Ireland two years ago, we’ve lost two of our last 20 championship games, we’re the most consistent probably senior team in championship over the last three years.
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“We contested an All-Ireland against Limerick last year, probably not great this year but a bit unlucky as well and to not have anybody that wants to take you over, it seems strange enough.
“Hopefully it gets sorted. I don’t know how and I don’t know who’s going to sort it. Hopefully from our players perspective it gets sorted sooner rather than later for the good of Galway hurling and football, because if it’s not (sorted), it’s going to set us back years.”
Canning revealed how he was taken aback when Donoghue departed from his position.
Joe Canning celebrates with manager Micheál Donoghue after the 2017 All-Ireland final victory. Cathal Noonan / INPHO
Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO
“Surprised. I couldn’t really believe it to be straight up about it. None of the players could. He said family reasons and stuff like that. You have to believe him what he told us.
“I think they all have something left to offer. We were very happy with all the management team and we still wanted them, we still probably do but I don’t think they see, like they’ve all declared themselves that they don’t want to go back so that’s disappointing from a players perspective because we were very happy with them.
“It’s just very disappointing really. It’s not a good place to be as a player. It’s just very frustrating. As any player, they want the best people available over them, when that’s not available to you, it’s very hard and that’s probably me being a bit selfish because there’s not too many years left in me.”
For months, the Galway county board has been in turmoil, and their search for a senior hurling manager is going nowhere. Joe Canning talks to us today about how this could set the entire county back years https://t.co/G6EeUD64D3pic.twitter.com/PVmQ6Lz3M0
Five-time All-Star winner Canning stated that he hadn’t been consulted on yet on the search for the new boss. He isn’t aware of anyone in the frame for the post and is of the view that while playing there isn’t a need to know what is going on between management and county board.
In a wide-ranging interview, he also discussed the impact of that 2017 All-Ireland win, his recovery from a difficult injury this season, Galway’s 2019 campaign and his brother Ollie’s longevity in starring for their club Portumna.
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'If it's not (sorted), it's going to set us back years' - Canning frustrated as Galway manager hunt goes on
JOE CANNING HAS expressed his frustration and disappointment at the continuing impasse in Galway GAA as their search for a senior hurling boss drags on.
Galway’s All-Ireland winning manager Micheál Donoghue stepped down almost two months ago and efforts to find a replacement have to date been fruitless with his selectors Francis Forde and Noel Larkin recently turning down the opportunity to take the reins.
2017 Hurler of the Year Canning was speaking today on The Second Captains World Service podcast and warned the current situation could set Galway GAA ‘back years’.
“It’s kind of gone beyond worried now at this stage. To be straight up about it, I don’t really know what’s happening. It’s very frustrating on a player’s part. If you think about it we won the All-Ireland two years ago, we’ve lost two of our last 20 championship games, we’re the most consistent probably senior team in championship over the last three years.
“We contested an All-Ireland against Limerick last year, probably not great this year but a bit unlucky as well and to not have anybody that wants to take you over, it seems strange enough.
“Hopefully it gets sorted. I don’t know how and I don’t know who’s going to sort it. Hopefully from our players perspective it gets sorted sooner rather than later for the good of Galway hurling and football, because if it’s not (sorted), it’s going to set us back years.”
Canning revealed how he was taken aback when Donoghue departed from his position.
“Surprised. I couldn’t really believe it to be straight up about it. None of the players could. He said family reasons and stuff like that. You have to believe him what he told us.
“I think they all have something left to offer. We were very happy with all the management team and we still wanted them, we still probably do but I don’t think they see, like they’ve all declared themselves that they don’t want to go back so that’s disappointing from a players perspective because we were very happy with them.
“It’s just very disappointing really. It’s not a good place to be as a player. It’s just very frustrating. As any player, they want the best people available over them, when that’s not available to you, it’s very hard and that’s probably me being a bit selfish because there’s not too many years left in me.”
Five-time All-Star winner Canning stated that he hadn’t been consulted on yet on the search for the new boss. He isn’t aware of anyone in the frame for the post and is of the view that while playing there isn’t a need to know what is going on between management and county board.
In a wide-ranging interview, he also discussed the impact of that 2017 All-Ireland win, his recovery from a difficult injury this season, Galway’s 2019 campaign and his brother Ollie’s longevity in starring for their club Portumna.
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The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud
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GAA Hurling into the west Joe Canning Galway Tribesmen