Big Joe in line for the Galway job

[Maigheo Abu]

Best of luck to Joe. See ya in Johhny McHales for a medium next summer.

[muppet]

does minors count?

Don't know but their grammar is pretty good.

[Logan]

does minors count?

Don't know but their grammar is pretty good.

Do minors count?

[the Deel Rover]

sorry lads should have phrased that better at the moment the managers involved in managing the senior teams in connacht
2 have won the Ai a senior championship as managers
1 has won the Ai  senior championship twice as a player
1 has Coached an Ai winning senior team
1 has managed an Ai winning minor team

[GalwayBayBoy]

More on Joe's travels.

By Colm Keys

Friday September 11 2009

Joe Kernan will take to the skies at least twice a week to fulfill his commitment as the new Galway football manager.

Kernan's position was confirmed on Wednesday night and by yesterday morning, from his base on Spain's Costa Blanca where he is holidaying, he was beginning to put his backroom team together.

Aer Arann, Galway's team sponsors, will play the central role in getting Kernan across the country for training and matches.

The regional airline carrier operates four daily return flights from Dublin to Galway which will provide Kernan with easy access.

Kernan's Crossmaglen base is little more than 45 minutes from Dublin airport, the flight time across the country is just 25 minutes and Loughgeorge -- where most of the training will take place -- is only 15 minutes by road from Galway airport.

"Padraig O Ceidigh and Aer Arann have been really helpful in that regard," said Kernan.

"I'll travel down on the afternoon of training and come back the following morning. There's a 7.45am flight from Galway and that will get back to Dublin by 8.30. From there, if I have business in Dublin, it will suit me anyway."

Kernan added: "I had a 'dry run' when I went down to meet the interview committee last week and it worked out very well."

Kernan said he envisaged training on Tuesday and Friday nights and would expect to spend a lot of weekends in Galway.

"If flight schedules don't suit then I'll certainly take to the road. It's not great from Ardee to Mullingar but after that it improves," he said.

"I'll have plenty of time down there to speak with the board and players before and after training. And at weekends we'll get through plenty."

Kernan said it took him a weekend to make up his mind about declaring an interest after the Galway football board chairman, John Joe Holleran, made contact with him.

"John Joe sold it to me. He's a Galway man true and true. I wasn't expecting a call but when I got it, I said I would think about it. The family encouraged me to think hard about it too. I had said I wouldn't manage any other county when the lads were playing, but they urged not to think that way. The more I thought about it the more I felt I should let my name go forward. It's a great challenge."

Several names have been linked with his backroom team and Alan Mulholland, the former minor manager, would appear to be a front runner.

Kernan will appoint physical trainers but his old side-kick from Armagh, John McCloskey, is tied up with English Premiership rugby side Wasps until next April. After that, however, it is speculated that he could play a role over the summer months.

Kernan said he has been astounded by the quality of the facilities at Loughgeorge where Galway train.

"I don't think I've ever seen a gym as good as it. There is a capacity for 60 players to be training there at one time. There's a 40-metre indoor running track. It's an incredible facility for a county to have."

Kernan said one of the advantages with Galway is that all the players are within an hour to an hour-and-a-half of the training ground.

"It's not as if a number of them are based in Dublin. Everyone is around and can be together all the time. That's a huge help," he said.

Observing Galway earlier this year, Kernan felt they were a team that could reach the last four in this year's championship.

"Obviously it didn't come to pass but that's the potential and more we're talking about in Galway. They have great players, they have great forwards and getting the most out of those forwards will be a priority obviously," he said.

Kernan got the job ahead of Tomas O Flatharta, the former Westmeath manager, who was interviewed on Monday night.

The appointment of Kernan is sure to enthuse the Galway players and the football public and Kernan himself appears driven towards the challenge.

"I'm going down for the (Galway senior football) semi-finals in Tuam on Sunday and looking forward to it. Three All-Ireland champions in recent times in action -- I know what having All-Ireland club champions can do for a county."

Kernan and the 2009 Galway squad are off to New York next month for the FBD League final and he will use that opportunity to put plans in motion.

"We'll be pinpointing a good league campaign. Galway have been competitive in the league over the last few years and we'll try to build on that," he said.

[Rossfan]

sorry lads should have phrased that better at the moment the managers involved in managing the senior teams in connacht

Only ONE of them lives in the County they manage 

[muppet]

sorry lads should have phrased that better at the moment the managers involved in managing the senior teams in connacht

Only ONE of them lives in the County they manage 

Does Flossy like that joke?

[Duine Eile]

I doubt Big Joe was very impressed by the talent on show yesterday, two of our best forwards, Meehan and Armstrong were very quiet, both matches were of a very average standard. Selectors are to be named in the coming weeks, apparently nobody has been spoken to yet, rumours still going around about Alan Mulholland being nearly a cert for one position though.

On different note, the county final is to be played in Tuam this year from what I've heard, first time in about 7 years. Fantastic crowd there yesterday, about 8,000. John Joe and the lads must have finally conceded that neutrals don't travel to Pearse Stadium.

[SLIGONIAN]

I doubt Big Joe was very impressed by the talent on show yesterday, two of our best forwards, Meehan and Armstrong were very quiet, both matches were of a very average standard. Selectors are to be named in the coming weeks, apparently nobody has been spoken to yet, rumours still going around about Alan Mulholland being nearly a cert for one position though.

On different note, the county final is to be played in Tuam this year from what I've heard, first time in about 7 years. Fantastic crowd there yesterday, about 8,000. John Joe and the lads must have finally conceded that neutrals don't travel to Pearse Stadium.

8000 , why dont they go to county games anymore? Its the opposite with us.

[thebackbar]

I doubt Big Joe was very impressed by the talent on show yesterday, two of our best forwards, Meehan and Armstrong were very quiet, both matches were of a very average standard. Selectors are to be named in the coming weeks, apparently nobody has been spoken to yet, rumours still going around about Alan Mulholland being nearly a cert for one position though.

On different note, the county final is to be played in Tuam this year from what I've heard, first time in about 7 years. Fantastic crowd there yesterday, about 8,000. John Joe and the lads must have finally conceded that neutrals don't travel to Pearse Stadium.

I'm surprised to hear that there was 8,000 at it, Galway Bay FM had the attendance at half that, with the general consensus being that the crowd was boasted by the attendance of big Joe.  I don't think Pearse Stadium has hosted a county semi-final double header in recent times so we don't have any numbers to compare against. I'm yet to be convinced that Galway has a huge football following that will only come to matches in Tuam Stadium.

However it will be interesting to see how many people attend the county final in Tuam, we will be able to do a genuine comparison on last years figures. Having being at Tuam stadium over the past week its fair to say that a lot of work has gone into improving the grounds, however the toilets there are a disgrace. I had the misfortune to enter them, never again

[Qwerty28]

What are Joes business interests he refers to in the Indo article? Sounds as if he'll be spending most weekend in Galway

[seafoid]

sorry lads should have phrased that better at the moment the managers involved in managing the senior teams in connacht
2 have won the Ai a senior championship as managers
1 has won the Ai  senior championship twice as a player
1 has Coached an Ai winning senior team
1 has managed an Ai winning minor team

I remember a very patronising Sunday tribune article from Ross Kyarr in 1996 the day Mayo beat Kerry predicting that a Connacht team might make the all-Ireland final within 10 years. It was more like 10 hours. And the following 10 years had a good few all-Irelands at various grades.