Fitz likely to commit to another two years
Possible change in back-room team
WITH a pronouncement expected towards the end of the week from the County Board on the make-up of the Kerry senior football team management for 2018, it is believed that Eamonn Fitzmaurice will commit to two more years in the role as manager.
Fitzmaurice still has one year left on the two-year term he agreed to at the end of 2016 season, but there’s strong speculation in GAA circles that the Finuge man is prepared to take a longer view to rebuilding the team and will commit to two more years in charge, which would bring him up to the end of the 2019 Championship.
With Dublin seeking a fourth consecutive All-Ireland title next year there’s a school of thought in this county that Kerry simply might not have the team to stop Jim Gavin’s team from achieving that. However, with players ready to emerge from four All-Ireland winning teams and stake a claim as senior footballers, the thinking is that Kerry will be ready to challenge for the All-Ireland title in 2019.
County Board chairman Tim Murphy declined to comment on the management situation when contacted on Tuesday, other than to say he expects a statement will be made in the near future. Stating that he hasn’t spoken to Fitzmaurice about the situation, Murphy wouldn’t even commit to a date for any announcement. It’s expected, nevertheless, that there will be white smoke regarding the appointment by the end of this week or over the weekend.
It’s also believed that there will be a change to the management team with regard to the selectors, with speculation that one if the incumbents might not be making themselves available for the season ahead.
Meanwhile, there is also the business of appointing a minor team manager now that Peter Keane’s two-year term has concluded.
Keane, of course, led the minors to back-to-back All-Ireland titles in his two years as manager, but it remains to be seen if the St Marys club man decides to continue for a third year, with the Minor grade changing from under-18 to under-17 players.
Sources close to Keane have indicated that he won’t stay on as Minor manager and that he could be approached to get involved with the senior management team in some capacity.
In the event that Keane doesn’t stay with the minors, out-going selector Tommy Griffin could be a prime candidate to replace him, although The Kerryman understands that there is at least one other person interested in taking up the position.