SCHOOL SPORTS DEBATE: A selection of responses to last week's question
Eimear Walsh (fifth year) from Loreto, Kilkenny, says Cody's credentials are clear
BOTH MICKEY HARTE and Brian Cody's 2008 achievements are worthy of the GAA Manager of the year award, but there can only be one winner - and it's a tight match, with only one puck of the ball between them.
Mickey Harte has led his county for the last five years and has become Tyrone's most successful manager of all time. Under his leadership they have won three All-Ireland football finals, with this year being possibly his greatest achievement of all.
Many believed that when Peter 'The Great' Canavan retired in 2005 it signalled the end of an era for Tyrone football. However, while results in the past two years haven't been good, against all the odds they overcame an exceptional Kerry team in the 2008 decider.
When Brian Cody took over management of the Kilkenny hurling squad in 1999, the expectations were very high but there were many in Kilkenny who thought he wasn't up to the task. Ten years on and Kilkenny have featured in eight All-Ireland finals, winning six since the new millennium.
One of Cody's distinguishing features, which sets him apart from other managers, is his sheer determination to win EVERY game. Many counties see the National League as a chance to stretch their legs, but not Cody. Every game is worth winning, with no exceptions.
Kilkenny are blessed with exceptional individual players such as Henry Shefflin, who is widely regarded as the greatest hurler of this era. However, during Cody's reign as manager individual reputations have counted for little, as the emphasis has always been on teamwork. Training in the Kilkenny squad is brutal as each player, regardless of how many All-Stars he may have, must fight and prove himself worthy of a place in the starting 15. Cody's uncompromising attitude towards team selection is the reason why the hunger for success is retained in a county that has achieved everything.
The crowning achievement of Brian Cody's spell as manager of Kilkenny has been winning the elusive three-in-a-row in 2008. In the past many of the great Kilkenny teams have fallen at the last fence when it came to this achievement, one that had eluded the Cats since 1913. Indeed Cork were previously the last team to achieve it in 1978.
Not only has Cody led his men to achieve this three-in-a-row but his team's spectacular demolition of Waterford in the final, by a record score of 3-30 to 1-13, set them apart as one of the greatest Kilkenny teams of all time. The Kilkenny performance on the day is regarded by many to have been one of the greatest displays of hurling ever seen in Croke Park.
Brian Cody should be awarded this prestigious title as he has led his charges to a three-in-a-row. It is this achievement which sets him apart and, indeed, makes him the best manager this year.
Martin Lilly, from Omagh CBS says: Harte has proved himself as a great manager
IT PROVED to be another successful year for for Tyrone football and Mickey Harte in 2008. Before Harte took the reins, Tyrone struggled to capture their elusive first All-Ireland title. Some commentators even began to name them the "best team to never win an All-Ireland." Harte's club-mate Peter Canavan or "Peter the Great" as he is affectionately known in Tyrone, was even dubbed the greatest player never to win the game's top prize. Yet, all was to change radically when Harte took the reigns.
Born in Ballygawley in 1952, Harte represented his school, college, club and indeed county at all levels and was a key member of the county side who were unlucky to lose one of the best Ulster finals, in 1980, when they were defeated 4-10 to 4-7 by Armagh.
Yet it is his achievements as a manager make him a man apart. Harte guided Tyrone to unprecedented success at minor level. This made the county board sit up and take notice and Harte assumed control at senior level. In 2008 Harte led Tyrone to a third senior All-Ireland win since 2003 - a remarkable achievement for any inter-county manager.
And expectations were low about Tyrone's prospects this year. They were said to be a team in transition. Between injuries and retirements, it looked destined to be a second quiet year for them. When Tyrone drew against Down in the Ulster Championship opener and then lost the replay some were adamant it should be Harte's last year in charge. However Harte was able to turn around Tyrone's fortune in the back door system.
Mickey referred to that loss as their "sweetest defeat" as it allowed them to regroup and build up confidence and momentum with victories over Louth, Westmeath and Mayo in the qualifiers to qualify for the All Ireland quarter-finals.
The victory over Dublin showed Harte's management at its best. Going into the game as underdogs Harte inspired confidence with a key game plan as his charges defeated Dublin by a very convincing12 points. They went on to reach the All-Ireland final and end Kerry's hopes of a three-in-a-row.
Tactically Harte is very astute. He masterminded the use of the "blanket defence". This year was no different as Tyrone harassed and harried every team they came up against in the All-Ireland campaign.
Harte is also supremely loyal to his players and has fostered a club-like atmosphere around the county team. This has helped the team get over tragedies such as the deaths of Paul McGirr and Cormac McAnallen. That loyalty to a core bunch of players was repaid handsomely in 2008.
Winning the All-Ireland in 2008, a third title in five years, after being written off so many times makes Harte a great candidate for 'manager of the year' and indeed 'manager of the decade'.
'One of Cody's distinguishing features, which sets him apart from other managers, is his sheer determination to win EVERY game. Many counties see the National League as a chance to stretch their legs, but not Cody.
Eliza Walsh (10), from Urlingford National School in Co Kilkenny says:
Brian Cody began as manager of Kilkenny in l999. He was made manager after being a player himself for Kilkenny. He played in both the forwards and backs, was also captain of the team and even got the great honour of lifting the Liam McCarthy cup as captain of the Kilkenny All-Ireland winning side.
In l999 he took over the managerial position of Kilkenny from Kevin Fennelly. In his first year as manager his team won the Leinster final but was narrowly beaten in the All-Ireland final by a great comeback from the Cork side. The following year, however, he was not to be denied and won both Leinster and All-Ireland titles, defeating Offaly well in the final.
The year 2001 was a disappointing year for Kilkenny hurling, with the team failing to reach the All Ireland final even though they did win a Leinster title. The disappointment was short-lived, however, with Cody getting his troops to win his second All-Ireland title and a third Leinster title in four years as manager. The following year produced the same result, winning both Leinster and All-Ireland titles yet again and showing Brian Cody as a great manager.
The year 2004 was definitely Brian Cody's worst year as manager with his team not winning either Leinster or All-Ireland titles. They improved the following, but not by much, with them winning the Leinster title but failing for the second year to win the Liam McCarthy cup.
This was probably the time when Brian Cody's management was questioned the most. However, the following year he showed his quality by leading Kilkenny to both Leinster and All-Ireland success. With this victory, Brian Cody was now definitely guaranteed the job as manager for a few more years at least. In 2007, Kilkenny won their fifth All-Ireland title under his leadership with a brilliant victory over Limerick in the final.
The 2008 All-Ireland performance by Kilkenny will probably be hailed as one of the greatest performances by any team on All-Ireland final day. The team gave such a display of skill, speed and strength that it showed how good a manager Brian Cody really is to get his team to that level.
Why should Brian Cody be named manager of the year? It is simple. He has shown throughout the years that he is able to get a big performance from his team, under pressure, on a big day and is able to bounce back from defeat and use that to his advantage in the future. This year, perhaps more than others, he showed his true brilliance when he got the best ever performance from his team to win the All-Ireland title for three years in a row.
This is why I think Brian Cody should be named manager of the year.
Tréise Gleeson (11), from Urlingford National School in Co Kilkenny says:
Who would be the best manager? Micky Harte versus Brian Cody. Mickey Harte has led his football team to three All-Ireland titles, two Ulster titles, one National League title and four Dr McKenna cups. He also had All-Ireland success at minor and Under-21 level with Tyrone.
Brian Cody has managed Kilkenny to six All-Irelands, four National League titles, nine Leinster championships, two Walsh Cups, was Manager of the Year three times - the most successful manager of all time. Wasn't he brilliant now!
Two great managers, well one great manager anyway - of course Brian Cody. One football, one hurling. Two completely different games. I don't think a football manager could manage a hurling team.
One is played with a small ball and one is played with a big ball. The small ball game of hurling is much faster than the big ball game of football. In hurling the ball is passed to players all over the field but in football it is passed to the nearest player. Hurling is a bit like hockey in that the ball goes up in the air most of the time and you can catch the ball. Hurling is built up to a score and is very quick, not like football which is slow and deliberate. So they are two different games. Both men are great motivators but Brian Cody has a longer track record.
Why would a football manager want to become a hurling manager anyway?
Brian Cody should definitely stay manager because he has been doing it for 10 years now. He is the best manager ever. How could anyone disagree? Why would Mickey Harte want to be a hurling manager? If he knew later on in his life that he wanted to be a hurling manager, why would he become a football manager in the first place? If you were a football manager like Mickey Harte, you would have to know everything about football and hurling and Mickey Harte knows nothing about hurling and I do not think Mickey Harte would be able to see that little small ball anyway!
They are both managers for the senior teams but different sports.
Brian Cody is from Bennettsbridge Road but his club is James Stephens. He has a son on the James Stephens Under-14 hurling team. He has one wife, I think he has one more son and no daughters. I'm not sure about Mickey Harte. Brian Cody has trained his team so well, no wonder with Henry Shefflin, Tommy Walsh, Derek Lyng and Aidan Fogarty.
Asking Mickey Harte to manage the Kilkenny hurling team would be like asking a swimming coach to manage a hurling team. I do not think the Kilkenny team would like Micky Harte to be their manager.
So I think Brian Cody should stay manager not Micky Harte. I know you will all agree with me when I say this (except the people not from Kilkenny).
NEXT WEEK'S SUBJECT
Cristiano Ronaldo - Golden boot or golden boob?Send us your thoughts in about 500 words with your name, age, school and a photo of yourself to schoolofsport@irish-times.ie and we will publish the best two responses. Entries must reach us by 6.0pm next Sunday, December 7th.
