Great expectations are justified this time

Damian Stack argues that instead of being cautious about Kerry’s status as pre-championship favourites, the Kingdom should embrace favouritism

IS it a burden or is it not? We go back and forth on this very question in our mind again and again and again. As much of us is tempted to say it is as it isn’t.

The great expectations of this Kerry team are surely at least as much a positive as a negative. It’s an Irish thing we suppose to want to play things down, to be modest, self-effacing.

Confronted with the knowledge that Kerry are raging hot favourites for this championship – Kerry were rated earlier this week by one online bookies at 10/11 favourites with Dublin second favourites a long way adrift at 5/1 – it’s a perfectly natural instinct to pause, suck the air and worry just a little bit.

Nothing is more prized in Irish sport than the underdogs’ tag. You’re more than familiar by now of the rather odd spectacle of opposing managers practically falling over each other to claim that their opposing numbers, and not they, are favourites.

What difference all this faux modesty and reticence makes to what happens on the pitch when the ball is thrown in is very much open to question of course. Is anybody fooled? Does anybody really care?

We suppose it’s more about internal squad management when managers do this than an attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of their opponents. Keeping feet on the ground, minds focussed and all that. There’s method to the seeming madness.

Still is it not an equally valid thing to embrace favouritism? To embrace the expectation? To accept that there’s a reason for it? How can having the most talented bunch of footballers in the country at this age bracket ever be considered a burden?

And that’s exactly what Jack O’Connor and his management team have at their disposal this season – the most gifted set of footballers in this age bracket in the land.

That doesn’t, of course, guarantee success. It’s merely the starting point, but as starting points go it’s not a bad one.

Last week on these pages Jack O’Connor expressed cogently and vividly the difficulties of preparing a team for the Under 21 championship. It’s largely a question of logistics with players away from home in college from September to May.

All the same any manager worth his salt would prefer to be in Jack O’Connor’s shoes this year than not. The Under 21 boss has a golden opportunity to claim a long awaited All Ireland title in the grade for the Kingdom.

It’s now coming up on nine years since Kerry last triumphed. That’s too long a wait for a county such as Kerry and this year represents the best – as well as the last – chance for Kerry to make up for lost time.

Three All Ireland minor titles in succession means that this year’s Kerry squad have the best credentials from a standing start of any team since Cork in 1970. Cork won minor titles in ‘67, ‘68 and ‘69 and followed that up with Under 21 success in ‘70 and ‘71.

Precedent, then, does exist. As we say there’s a reason why there’s a huge amount of expectation on this Kerry side. Looking at the team named and the squad available – the squad for tonight’s match doesn’t include three Dr Crokes player who would likely start if available – and the reasons for Kerry’s favouritism becomes obvious.

Fourteen out of the fifteen starting players – full-forward Matthew O’Sullivan is the exception – have won All Ireland minor titles. The bench includes a similarly healthy percentage of All Ireland medal holders.

Remember too that the bulk of this side – including captain Brian Sugure – won an All Ireland title in 2014 and got a year of Under 21 football under their belt last term. This year’s Kerry side are in a much better position to push on at the higher grade than last year’s were.

Not that the management team have been rigid in their thinking. The old line that if you’re good enough you’re old enough certainly holds and has benefited Séan O’Shea, last year’s Kerry captain, and Daniel O’Brien. Indeed, both are real prospects and will be central to Kerry’s chances in this competition.

The ambition must be and is an All Ireland title. There’s no ducking that nor would the Kerry management team or players seek to. If expectation is a burden it’s one they gladly shoulder.

That doesn’t guarantee success. It’s merely the starting point, but as starting points go it’s not bad