Not always possible to play the football you would like to says Glenn

When we sat down last year as a management team we felt we needed people of the same mind-set who had a similar philosophy as ourselves as to how the game should be played; a fresh light and experience and know-how to deliver what had to be delivered.

The words of Kildare manager, Glenn Ryan, as we met prior to the start of Allianz Football League 2024.

The manager added that the new lads on board the management team, Colm Nally and Roli Sweeney “have certainly not let us down in that regard and working with Johnny (Doyle) Anthony (Rainbow) and Brian (Lacey) has seen very much sharing of a lot of information among ourselves; decipher it down to the players and it certainly has been refreshing in terms of the approach.”

Ryan added that “Colm is an out-and-out coach he just loves the challenge of trying to get the best out of lads through coaching, and Roli the same, and from all our perspectives it has all been very positive and hopefully we will see the benefits of it all.”

While admitting that the way Kildare played against Carlow in the O'Byrne Cup opener, going forward at every opportunity, “is the way you like to try and play but that won't always be the case; this year will be no different; you go out knowing the way you would like to play but then you have to adapt; you can be forced to play somewhat different depends on the way the opposition set-up but all being equal you like to play open fast football but we would't be naive enough to believe that is always going to happen.”

Certainly with so many northern teams in Division 2 and the way they play football Glenn Ryan knows the challenges that lie ahead.

“But that's the challenge every team faces; we see it in club football, we see it in county football but I think the teams have to adapt and not confine themselves to one particular style of play; you adapt to the situations as they occur.”

With the new set-up in the All-Ireland series some are of the opinion that the season should actually begin with the provincial championships; followed by the League and then the All-Ireland series, however, not overly surprisingly, Glenn Ryan favours the present set-up. however he did admit that some counties finding themselves playing their opening championship the day after playing in a league final is certainly very unfair.

“A bit strange what came out of last year which was the first in the new set-up; very unfair for teams that got to the League final and then had to turn around and play in the championship the following week; there might have been only one but not fair” adding that it looks like all preliminary championships are fixed the week after the League finals.”

And just to emphasise the point he says to take the position, for instance, that Westmeath could find themselves this year.
Westmeath will be playing in Division 3 of the AFL and would be looked upon as one of the favourties to reach that final, at least, and if that happens they will be asked to play in the Leinster Championship preliminary round the following week and if they win that will be fixed to play Kildare the following week and remember they played their final two league games the two weeks prior to the league final which would have them playing five weeks in a row.
Now how fair is that.

“It is very condensed season now” says the manager, adding “previously you had probably six weeks or two months from the end of the League to the start of the championship; if you had a league you were not satisfied with you had time to try and get things right where as now one is just leading into the other so you have to try and work through the league to get yourself right for the championship.”

Asked if, at this stage, some two weeks out from the opening game in the League, would he have any idea of his starting XV for the Cavan game, the manager replied “The starting XV for the league, hard to know if that will be the same for the championship but I would hope we will be picking our team for the first league game based on what we have done for the past three months or so; who is going well; who has trained well; who has bits of injuries, the next week or so should sort out that.”

On the injury front Glenn said that Tony Archbold is making good progress; Conor McCarthy missed a bit due to injury but is now back and “apart from that a few lads with the odd knock here and there we will know exactly where we are in a few days time.”

The manager admitted that the senior development squad, which is being looked after by Brian Flanagan, should ensure that no one in the county should fall through the cracks; that is a great development for the county and the county board should be complimented for allowing it to happen.

The full fixture list for Division 2 is as follows:

Round 1 Kildare v Cavan, Saturday January 27; Netwatch Cullen Park; 5 pm;

Round 2 Fermanagh v Kildare, Saturday February 3, Brewster Park, 6 pm;

Round 3 Kildare v Armagh, Sunday February 18, Netwatch Cullen Park, 3.45 pm;

Round 4 Meath v Kildare, Sunday February 25, Pairc Tailteann, 2 pm;

Round 5 Cork v Kildare, Sunday March 3, Pairc Uí Chaoimh, 3.30;

Round 6 Kildare v Donegal, Saturday March 16; Netwatch Cullen Park, 5 pm;

Round 7 Kildare v Louth, Saturday March 23, Netwatch Cullen Park, 7pm.