The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Abusive letters to Kerry manager ‘an act of cowardice’
Diarmuid Murphy is bookies’ choice to replace Fitzmaurice
A FORMER team-mate of Eamonn Fitzmaurice has said that news of the former Kerry football team manager receiving anonymous letters of personal abuse to his home has made him sick to his stomach, and he has questioned just how much those supporters actually support the team.
Sean O’Sullivan, who played with and under Fitzmaurice, writes in today’s The Kerryman: “He revealed he had a box of anonymous letters from so-called Kerry fans, which I’m sure weren’t of a positive nature. That type of carry on makes me sick to my stomach. Eamonn and his family are strong enough mentally to not be bothered by that garbage but it still isn’t nice. Why someone would stoop so low to do that is beyond me.
“I have always envisioned myself getting into some form of coaching at county level in the future but, to be quite honest, that type of stuff would make me really question if it’s worth it. If any of those faceless cowards happen to read this piece I say shame on you. He is Kerry through and through. As supporters we need to ask ourselves, are we?”
County Committee Chairman Tim Murphy said the abuse was “unacceptable” as the search for a successor starts this week, with Peter Keane, Jack O’Connor and Diarmuid Murphy the front-runners.
PETER Keane and Jack O’Connor look to be the leading contenders to replace Eamonn Fitzmaurice as Kerry senior football team manager, with a County Board committee to be set up this week to start the process.
Fitzmaurice’s decision to step down from the position last Saturday night in the wake of a failure to reach the All-Ireland semi-finals, as well as the growing and poisonous personal criticism he received in recent week, caught everyone by surprise, not least County Board chairman Tim Murphy, who led the tributes to the All-Ireland winning player and manager.
“A huge thank you to Eamonn Fitzmaurice first and foremost,” Murphy said. “From a personal point of view I’m disappointed he has stepped down but I know for the reasons he has outlined that he probably had his mind made up in terms of the perception he saw was out there, and where the team was at. He put Kerry first, in his own words.
“I’m just really disappointed from my own point of view. I had a very close working relationship with the man for the past two years and with the rest of the management team, I’ve seen first hand what he puts into it, probably more than anyone else, and unfortunately tonight is the end of an era.
Speak- ing about the level of personal abuse Fitzmaurice received from some sections of the Kerry public Murphy said: “From our point of view it’s unacceptable but in terms of what you can do about it, all we can do is try to explain the process that was in place. We endeavoured last year to issue a statement when Eamonn was re-appointed with the additional two years to give him that level of space that he mentioned in order to develop players. But unfortunately because of the way results went this year that was being suffocated in terms of his ability to do that. It doesn’t happen overnight or waving a magic wand. It takes time to develop players.
“What I’d say to people is have patience. Eamonn asked for patience but unfortunately he didn’t get it, but the next person will need patience as well. The conveyor belt (of players) is there but it’s harnessing that and it’s making sure that once the county board give the resources to the manager, which we do, that they need time in order to develop the players and bring them to the required level.
A County Committee officers meeting tonight will establish a selection commitment, which will need to be ratified at a full county committee meeting next Tuesday night.
Peter Keane is the early favourite for the position, but he wouldn’t be drawn at all on the subject on Monday as he is preparing the Kerry minor team for their All-Ireland semi-final next Sunday.
O’Connor is also understood to be interested in coming back for a third term as manager, while former goalkeeper and selector Diarmuid Murphy has seen his odds tumble in from 5/1 to evens with one leading bookmaker.