MIKEY SHEEHY BELIEVES Kerry mishandled the return of Tommy Walsh from the AFL to the county set-up in 2015.
Walsh tore his hamstring off the bone near the end of his five-year stint in Australia and struggled to make an impact after rejoining the Kerry panel four years ago.
In 2016, he opted off the panel prior to the start of the championship, citing a lack of game-time. But after enjoying a strong club campaign with Kerins O’Rahillys, Walsh was recalled to the squad by new Kerry boss Peter Keane.
The forward, who turns 31 later this month, kicked a point off the bench against Dublin after arriving onto the field as a half-time substitute on Saturday night.
“Tommy just walked off the panel himself in fairness to him and I think we made a major mistake with Tommy as a management (team) in 2015 when he came back,” says former selector Sheehy.
We probably should have let him go and play with his club for maybe six months, but we kind of threw him in at the deep end at the start of the league.
“I don’t think he started the first game, but he came on in games and you could see he was struggling a bit. He was outstanding playing club football last year and he’s a plus as well.
“He’s a big man, particularly with Donaghy gone now he’s either a plan A or a plan B, depending on who you play.”
Another player to return to the green and gold was Jack Sherwood, who has become a surprise choice at full-back. Sherwood opened the scoring for Kerry with a cracking point in Tralee and has looked sharp the opening three games of the league.
“People were surprised he was played at full-back but that’s Peter Keane. To be fair to him, he’s innovative. He played centre-back with us, stroke wing back. Actually the last time we played Dublin in a league game in Killarney in 2015, he was centre-back and he got man of the match.
He drifted out of it, yeah. With East Kerry he was very good. He’s a fine athlete, he’s young, he’s 27 or 28 and he’s probably only peaking now. He is a plus as well at present.”
Sheehy won eight All-Ireland medals during his legendary playing career and was part of the Kerry side that came desperately close to completing the five-in-a-row in 1982.
“Our losing five in a row, stuck in our craw and probably still does – well, it doesn’t so much now but it did for a long, long time. But I would have always made the point that we lost the Munster final in 1983 to a last minute goal.
“Then we came back and won three more, most of that team. I don’t think we’d have won that three-in-a-row if we’d won the five-in-a-row.
I take my hat off to Dublin. They’ve been the best there’s been for the last number of years. I admire them.
“I am only talking about me again personally, but it does get into your psyche.
“I would probably said that before that (1982 final) – I missed a penalty at a crucial point in the game – I would have said that day that I just didn’t feel right myself.
“And I kind of felt it was tension thing that I felt drained.I felt after about 10 minutes in the game, ‘Jesus Christ, have I done any training for this game, do you know.’
“I was stuck, stuck to the floor, it was just a tension, drained. It was a mental thing. Different players. I think the players nowadays are totally different tuned to the way we were.”
He hasn’t seen any sign of this Dublin side weakening, despite them suffering two defeats in their opening three games of the Division 1 campaign.
“No. Not yet. Not even last Saturday night. They had a good few of their All-Ireland team but they brought on Jack McCaffrey, Michael Darragh Macauley, Paul Flynn but you were missing the two – Ciaran Kilkenny and Stephen Cluxton.
“To me, their key men would be, number one Cluxton obviously. Ciaran Kilkenny. Brian Fenton. Jonny Cooper. And James McCarthy. There’s your spine. Every one of those guys, you’d put them up with the best players that ever played the game.
“Outside of Dublin, I think Kerry have the best forwards in the game. Even last year, I thought we had a very good forwards, just didn’t perform. I think they have serious, serious talent up front.
“The one thing I’d say about Peter Keane, Donie Buckley is involved but a lot of people forget Tommy Griffin is there as well who was involved with Peter at minor. Tommy is a very good defensive coach as well. It would have been an area we were slated for, particularly in the league that we conceded 10 goals.
“But I noticed, particularly in the Tyrone game, very solid at the back. Played quite defensively. Whereas last Saturday night they took the handbrake off a bit more and drove on. Peter is obviously working on systems, looking down the road. Even though he wouldn’t admit it, he is looking down the road. Big time.”
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One of the greatest players ever to come these shores and he was right to do what he did, McCarthy was wrong.
He’s a bum for walking out on his team and country.
He is a legend, up there with McGrath, Brady and Giles. Dragged us almost single handedly to Korea and Japan and ended up playing the villain for demanding (as team captain) a bit of professionalism. Will the Players fly to the Euro’s in Economy class this summer while the FAI suits sit in Business or First Class? Will the training camps be played on Sunday Pub Team standard uneven pitches with dangerous divets? Keane has achieved a lot more than just honours and medals, and that is from a Liverpool fan!
Paul he just said it wasn’t anything to do with the professionalism of the setup. Suppose it depends which of his personalities is talking
He didn’t walk out, he was sent home by McCarthy…
Still a bum.
Then he is a bum who has achieved more than you ever will Ken and if someone accused me of faking injury after dragging their sorry arse to a tournament and a reputation then I’d blow up and leave just the same!!
He has achieved stuff but you don’t know me and what I’ve achieved. So I’d keep that to your self.
No offence Ken but if you’d won a european cup, a world club cup, 7 premier leagues, 4 FA cups, a Scottish league tittle and a Scottish league cup I think I may have possibly heard of you!! As this is a thread about football, your point is?
It is about football but because I’m no celebrity doesn’t mean I haven’t achieved stuff. He won medals? So what. Bottom line in all of this is he walked out. Ireland could’ve done really well that year but his ignorance and ego got in the way. Probably from years of listening to brandy nose alex ferguson.
Yes, I’m sure you have Ken but in context? This is a debate on football which is an arena where if you are successful and have achieved you are known!! He did walk out, but so would I as a proud professional if I was accused of feigning injury! Yes they could have done well with him there, but without him would never have made it, try to remember his performances away in Holland and Portugal in particular,they were right up there with the one away against Juve in the European cup semi for United
Great player but not as good as Mick McCarthy at management.
Ya stuck to your guns but you let your country down, for what?? Great player but too head strong, god knows what would have happened if you had stayed that year
Indeed. They’re far better ways to stick to your guns than walking out on your country in the world cup.
Imagine the Impact his voice could have had for change in the shambolic FAI had he stayed to be captain of an Irish team that got to the semi-final of the world cup. Instead he devided the country and lost a lot of credibility with his team mates by throwing a teenage girl style hissy fit about the pitch etc
Today the FAI are still the comedy outfit they’ve always been and his way of managing teams has proven to be a failure.
Hoho.. Keane advising us to “respect” a manager’s decision. Ah the sweet irony of it. (….and we’re off….!!)
10 years? Nice one for making me feel old
One of the last true footballers, now a days there are too many footballers that consider themselves part of the entertainment industry. Gave up watching football shortly after Roy quit and stitched to Rugby where you can see true passion and a game that weeds out cheats.
Like Leo Cullen on Sunday? Oh no wait… Boring game!!
Do you mean rugby is a boring game in general or Sundays game was boring ?
Whichever, Keane wouldn’t have lasted a season playing rugby with his thuggery, foul play, sledging and backchat to referees.
Dublin naas, u really are an idiot.. Do you have any idea what you are talking about?? Empty vessels spring to mind!!
They’ve censored part of my ‘empty vessels’ rant which was directed at Dublin Naas… Suffice to say I’d happily put money on the fact he’s never played either sport and thinks by jumping on the anti football bandwagon makes him sound intelligent and hard… Your comments say otherwise but then I’ve read quite a few of them and they all say the same thing about you Dublin naas.. I bet you are neither of the above, intelligent or hard that is!! Go back to you PS2!!
Joey,
-don’t bet, just keep your money in your pocket or you will lose it.
-I think football is a great game, its RK I have the issue with.
-I am very intelligent if you use the standard measures
-A hard man ?? Thats for others to decide.
Stick to the argument Joey, and to use a football analogy, play the ball not the player.
@DubinNass I mean rugby in general, it has promise when they start running and chucking the ball about but they spend far too long pilling up on top of each other on it, no wonder the ball got warped into an egg ;).
And as for rugby being cleaner than clean that argument always got on my tits, it’s posh boys judging the proles from their castles of sand! Cullen on Sunday got away with alot more than Keane was sent off for against Shearer all those years back, remember players such as Danny Grewcock and Dylan Hartley who are basically just animals and that’s not to mention the noteriety of the rugby boys on tour!
Ten years later, who gives a shit what Roy thinks. He failed as a manager. Enough said
Sorry, don’t really give a shit what you think…
Irregardless of his managerial career his status as the most successful Irish player of all time allows his opinion on football to be deserve much more attention than anything you will ever say!
And he’s from Cork!
He’still an opinionated clown, who let his country down thinking he was more important than the team
But if he was from dublin……….
He’d still be an opinionated clown who let his country down thinking he was more importand than the team
A bit like you and most of your posts it seems.
When I read a whole article one the rte sites devoted to how good the facilities are for une Irish team now, including hotel, training ground, extra activities I could not help but think that such good treatment of the players, not to mention reporting about it is a direct result of keane standing up to the FAI. Some of his mouthing off annoys me as much as anyone but you cant take that away from him.
We needed more people at the top in this country to say enough is enough like Roy did instead of just sticking our heads in the sand, because the people who cause and create the system of corruption, cronyism and some truly shameful essential services to our citizens in this country deserve our disdain a hell of a lot more than a young Cork man who has always been honest both on and off the pitch.
Aw ya didnt just drag politics into it too…
Brian! That’s the first sensible statement I’ve read on this Roy Keane issue! He had the guts to stand up for what the other players in that squad were complaining about. and not one of them was prepared to stand by him when he needed them. It’s at this time Ireland, more than ever could do with a few more Roy Keane’s!
Brilliantly put Brian. Only one who had balls, something we are devoid of in this country. Shame he was from cork is the only thing. A legend tho, and dead right
I’d say it’s because he was from Cork that he had the balls to do it!
Great player, crap manager, wooden football pundit. Abandoned his country in Saipan. Arrogant and devoid of conscience.
Roy has high standards. The FAI didn’t meet his standards…. (no surprise). What’s the problem? As far as I’m concerned he’s the best ever player to don the Irish shirt. Pity the fools in the FAI.
Great player. But let us all down.
A gentleman and a scholar ..
What was wrong with economy class anyway? I use it all the time. Nothing a twenty minute jog and some stretches wouldn’t sort. These guys are supposed to be in peak physical condition.
Unless of course you happen to have a big ego!
It wasn’t the team being in economy per say that he was annoyed with, it was that they were there, whilst Delany and his mates were up front sipping the champers, and they had to play in the match.
Slow news day….move on from Saipan
Lot of people talking about Keane abandoning his country or walking away. Whether you like him or not, the facts are straight forward: he was sent home. I don’t know why this has gotten lost over the years. The argument over whether he’s a hero or not should at least be informed by the facts.
Sent home after throwing a tantrum. If you remember, there was an olive branch extended.
fact he walked out came back then was sent home HE DID WALK OUT
McCarthy accused Keane of faking an injury infront of the whole squad at the team meeting, would you blame Keane of throwing a fit, what good is an olive branch then?? Keane has done wonders for Irish sport, his self belief has rubbed off on countless Irish athletes, not to just accept second best and mediocrity, plus he got the players bumped up business class on all flights
Keane has always had too much to say for himself. He was a good footballer but was never great because his mouth and his temper always got the better of him.
George Best was the best player to come from this island of ours. Keane isn’t even fit to shine his boots.
What would no
Empty vessels
Rot in hell keane we could of won that world cup if u hadn’t deserted us or at least made it to the final
Rot in hell, what planet are you on
Some people!! Who got us to that world cup single handedly? Where we over achieved in a band of brothers kind of way. We had no more chance of winning it than you do of making an intelligent comment.
the word egomaniac was invented for roy k yesterdays man fu%& off.as for his pundit skills alan partridge.
Not sure about the rest of the country, but he let me down big time.
Ditto
To this day I don’t think people fully appreciate just how good a player Roy Keane was for Ireland. If you look back and examine it, he was the man who dragged us to WC2002 by the scruff of the neck. We had a joke perpetration, poor facilities and no footballs (!!) so he spoke out against the FAI. For me, instead of having a team meeting in front of all staff and players to single out your best player in front of the lads, McCarthy should’ve had the sense to deal with him 1 v 1. McCarthy was no fool so I suspect that was somewhat calculated on his part. Nobody benefitted when Keane left, but I doubt we’ll ever see preparation for a major tournament by the FAI that bad again so I suppose at least that came out of it all. Can’t believe it’s 10 years!!! The debate goes on….. :-)
Jack charlton ,,,,, Leim Brady jack never played him over something the same ,,,we are never talking about that one …. Roy was a great player ,,,but had to much to say it’s just a pitty he will always be remembered for this
An olive branch was extended to roy though. Even after he disrupted the camp. Shows some resolve on mccarthys part.
Na na nananananaaaaaaaaaaa Keano!
I heard on local radio this morning poor old triggs passed away
‘one of the last true footballers’..he admitted to trying to break a fellow professionals leg!
star newspaper today roys words I DID WALK OUT