AFTER A SPATE of recent retirements, the Kerry football squad is set for further changes with four established players reportedly not in Peter Keane’s plans for next season.
Two-time All-Ireland minor winning manager Keane is preparing for his first year in charge of the Kingdom, having replaced Eamonn Fitzmaurice in October.
Radio Kerry is reporting that Fionn Fitzgerald, Daithi Casey, Barry John Keane and Ronan Shanahan have not been called into initial team meetings ahead of the 2019 campaign.
Fitzgerald, Kerry’s 2014 All-Ireland winning co-captain, and Casey (both 28) are key members of the Dr Crokes side who face Miltown-Malbay in the Munster club SFC final on Sunday.
Barry John Keane (also 28) has been a regular scorer off the bench for Kerry this decade while 26-year-old defender Shanahan only made his debut against Mayo in the 2017 league.
Since their 2018 season ended at the Super 8s stage, Darran O’Sullivan, Kieran Donaghy, Donnchadh Walsh and Anthony Maher have all stepped away from the inter-county scene.
Radio Kerry also reports that a number of players eligible for the U20 grade in 2019 could be involved with the seniors instead, which suggests the Munster champions will be looking to build for the future next season.
Keane is currently putting together a new-look squad for the upcoming campaign, while his backroom team will feature Donie Buckley, Maurice Fitzgerald, Tommy Griffin and James Foley.
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Some very strange picks in there….. Roy Hodgson, first manager to leave? Has done a great job at Palace and every Premier League club he’s been at apart from Liverpool.
Also, bottled it with the worst signing pick!
@Colm O’Donnell: Bruce for sure
Is that the Fintan O’Toole from d’Irish Times, or another scribe with an unfortunate name?
Wouldn’t it be great if “our” national league got such in depth coverage
@james burke: Plenty of LOI coverage out there.
@Alan McDonald: not compared to epl
@Luke Willis: it’s almost like the epl is arguably the biggest league in the world , where as the loi isn’t even within the top 20 leagues in Europe and has a part time league format . Go figure. Anyway for what it’s worth , loi gets lots of coverage on here. From europa league live treads, to after match reports , to ones to watch , etc etc. Can’t have it all lad
@james burke: it’s hard to take LOI seriously when teams don’t even play their home Champions’ League / Europa League games at their own ground
There’s biased predictions and then there’s claiming united will get top four this season
@Tom49: lol spot on
VAR is going to play a big part this season, so it might be closer the what everyone is predicting.The top clubs for years an years always got the decisions or the benefit of the doubt.
@Sean Seanie O Shaughnessy: not so sure on that. Top sides will have more possession, territory and chances, ergo they are more likely to be involved in decisions going their way but also not going their way. I reckon it’ll balance out.
Media are also more likely to hype up the time the underdogs were denied a decision.
United depending on rashford and Martial…..tell you now it could be a car crash for them….they are as consistent as my bowel movements.
@Peter Hughes: I hear ya, pal. Oh to be regular and consistent.
Was quite depressed reading this article until Ben Blake did *not* pick Sheffield United as one of his relegation picks. I really hope The Blades stay up this season. It’ll also be good for Irish international hopes if Sheffield United can hold their heads above water in the Premier League and John Egan (who has the strongest Cork accent imaginable) is very entertaining! Here he is celebrating the club’s promotion to the Premier League back in April:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UclIJTZKSJ8
Can’t get over how it’s almost unanimous that Sheffield will be relegated , they have invested and they play attractive football with an already solid looking squad
Norwich haven’t invested, Newcastle have let better players go than they’ve brought in and Brighton were saved by Hughton last year and I expect them to go down this time around
@Jason Oliver: good chance they will but I admire them for trying to change their style and play a more attractive style of football which is what people want to see. Let’s face it Brighton were pretty awful to watch for the last few years.
How can Danny Welbeck be classed as the worst signing of the summer when he didn’t actually cost anything?
Dread having to listen to the nauseating pro Liverpool pundits – Spitty, Pinnochio and a Redknob.
Think Everton will do well ( totally blinkered) . Lean could be s great signing.
Feel Ole G S could be the first casualty.
@Enda Layng: I’d say your a painful c u next Tuesday. Absolute flute .
@Enda Layng: Enda Laynger
Best & Worst signing and a ball hasn’t even been kicked yet, this app just keeps giving
Strange a lot of agreement on Arsenal for top 4. Can’t see it.