‘No contact’ about Tipp job but Cahill is not ruling it out
THERE has been no contact from the Tipperary County Board as of yet about potentially being the Premier’s next senior hurling boss, but Liam Cahill is happy to have his name in the conversation.
Michael Ryan guided Tipp to All-Ireland glor y in 2016 – the same day Cahill managed the minors to victory – but stepped down earlier this month after a disappointing season which saw them exit at the round-robin stages in Munster.
Many names have been linked with the job in the past three weeks including Ballingarr y clubmate William Maher and former Tipp goalkeeper Brendan Cummins, but Cahill is said to be one of the frontrunners and has a chance to advance his claims this weekend
It’s not something he has given too much thought to, however, as the former All-Star attacker is completing the final preparations as he looks to lead the Premier to Bord Gáis Energy U-21 All-Ireland final victor y over Cork on Sunday.
“No, I’ve had no contact from anybody in the county board,” Cahill (right) said when asked if his interest in the job had been gauged. “To be honest, I’m appointed as Tipp U-21/U-20 manager for a three-year term.
“This is my first year and that’s what I have in my head as of now. After Sunday, if there’s a conversation to be had, we’ll see and if not, I’ll continue with the role I’m doing and I enjoy and as long as I enjoy it, I’ll keep doing it.
“It’s something that I haven’t honestly sat down and really thought about. I’m more or less looking at it as a supporter over the last number of years and I’m looking back on it as a supporter.
“I would say maybe that the appointment of the manager is one thing, but as a Tipperar y supporter, I would be fairly conscious that whoever’s on that manager’s ticket is equally if not more important.
“Whether I’ll be in the picking list or not, I don’t know, we’ll just wait and see. I’m sure there’s a lot of people out there that would be anxious for the job and maybe there’s more qualified and more experienced people than me and if there are I’ll have no issue with that. Whatever will be best for Tipperar y hurling, I don’t mind.”
Cahill, an All-Ireland winner with Tipp in 2001, makes no bones about the fact the development of underage talent is his passion while he outlined the numerous “stakeholders” like family and work which must come into the equation to be considered for such positions.
“There’s nothing as fulfilling to see a player that you think has potential going on to f ulfil that potential. Some people maybe take managers’ roles or managers’ jobs to be successful or to increase their own personal profile and stuff like that,” Cahill said.
“That doesn’t really bother me. I mean this sincerely, but I’m as happy to train U-10s as I would be to be involved in a Tipperar y set-up.
“Underage, that’s all I know and that’s what I enjoy and, as I said, these are conversations for af ter Sunday if they do happen and if they don’t, we’ll just continue with what we’re at and enjoy it.”