There was nothing unexpected about Maurice Fitzgerald's decision not to rejoin the Kerry football panel this season, according to selector and trainer John O'Keeffe.

News of Fitzgerald's decision emerged on Wednesday, but O'Keeffe felt the writing was on the wall long before then.

"Well, we didn't expect to get any commitment from Maurice at this stage," he said. "When it had gone this far, we felt it was likely that he wouldn't be coming back this year."

The question still remains, though, whether Fitzgerald will ever return.

While that is a matter purely for the player, O'Keeffe admitted that the pace of the modern game has made it more difficult for any player to return to full fitness after periods away from the intercounty scene - and more so as they progress into the 30s.

"The thing, though, about Maurice is that he is unique in that his skill level is so high. For that reason I feel it is possible for him to come back next year, although I feel as well that everything would depend on his own desire and hunger.

"But the game has moved on, and especially the fitness levels required. While there would still be a place for his undoubted skill in the game, the bottom line is that any player would have to be training consistently from the start of January, and it wouldn't be as easy to come back in, say, the month of May."

While Kerry hadn't been planning to have his services this summer, the invitation has always remained open: "We had asked him on a few occasions, but we knew as well that he had good reason.

"Between the family and the business, it was clear he couldn't give it the full commitment this year."

At 32, Fitzgerald has stated that work and family responsibilities have taken on a new priority in his life.

Not only has he found it hard to put in the training with the panel, he also believes it would be unfair not to put in the same effort as the other panel members.

Fitzgerald will continue to play club football with St Mary's. In his absence, though, Kerry have called up last year's minor corner forward Colm Cooper for his first senior start in Sunday's Division Two final against Laois.

"Well, Colm has been showing fine form over the last few weeks," said O'Keeffe.

"He was particularly good against Clare in the Munster under-21 final and we felt it was time to give him a run.

"But we won't be holding back in any way on Sunday. We're playing now for the championship in that we want to get as close to our championship team as possible.

"And we'd be happy with things now, and everything is more or less going to plan.

"But we would be expecting a better performance than the Meath game (the semi-final), especially with the championship so close."