Jack O’Connor gives update on his future as Kerry boss

Will he, won't he...

Among the joy down in Kerry is a growing sense of worry that their five-time All-Ireland winning manager, Jack O'Connor, may step down from his role in the coming weeks.

He hinted at it earlier in the year, saying: “I’ve done 10 years over three different periods. I never overstay my welcome. I do think that players need a new voice after three or four years.

“That’s the cycle. If you stay beyond that you are pushing it a bit. We’ll throw whatever we can at it and see where it takes us.”

And while fans may have believed that this would go out the window if they won an All-Ireland, he reiterated his stance after Sunday' SFC final win over Donegal.

In an interview with RTÉ Radio One, O'Connor said: “I’m a long time at it, and we might be passing the baton on to somebody else.”

Speaking to media at the Clayton Hotel yesterday, the Kingdom boss gave a further update on his future.

He said: “It isn’t like I’m playing hard to get at all. I’m a long old time at this thing now. I found last year particularly tough, I have to say, and I’m not sure I can put myself through that stuff again because when you reach a certain age, your priorities change a bit. There’s a lot of other things I like doing. I like playing a bit of golf.

“I like spending time with my grandson, Jack, who’s mad for golf as well. He’d be around the lawn below at the golf club, learning to swing it. I live in a nice part of the country and I enjoy being out in nature and going out at my old homestead in Dromid, stuff like that.

“We’ll see. I’ll leave it settle for a couple of weeks. I won’t hang people out to dry or keep people hanging on. I’ll have a think about it. I had only one or two hours’ sleep last night, so now isn’t a great time to be making a decision.”