After a topsy-turvy 2015 Kildare's Paul Cribbin says that a change was needed in the county even though he is grateful to Jason Ryan, who stepped down as manager after the All-Ireland quarter-final seven-goal shellacking by Kerry.
“I think maybe a change was needed and that’s no disrespect for Jason and the lads he had in place. I have great respect for Jason and he has brought a lot of lads on. He was very good to me with my development but I think something needed to give and I think the right man is in place.”
Right man
The right man is former Kerry and
Mayo
trainer Cian O’Neill, who also worked with Tipperary’s All-Ireland winning hurlers. O’Neill is from Kildare and left Kerry to return to his native county.
Cribbin, whose dynamic centrefield performances were one of the big positives for Kildare in 2015, says that the appointment has been very well received and not just by the panel.
“Very impressed, very exciting times great buzz around the county. Cian walked in and got that initial respect from everyone, not only from the players but from people around Kildare, that’s great.”
He worked with O'Neill when the new manager was involved with the Kildare minors. "I played then, Cian and Brian Murphy [who was manager]. Cian has brought Brian Murphy as a selector this year. That was a great system in place back then, one of the most professional minor teams at that time. Cian really, he brought ideas that a lot of 17 to 18 year olds didn't know of. I'm delighted to get the chance to work with him again."
Sandwiched somewhere between the demoralising defeats by Dublin in Leinster and Kerry, Kildare pulled off one of the shocks of the summer by beating Cork convincingly in an All-Ireland qualifier in Thurles where Cribbin was man of the match.
“That game against Cork, it was brilliant for Kildare. I did a couple of interviews afterwards and I said it was great to give a bit of hope back to supporters and then a week later we go out and give that performance against Kerry.
“It was very disheartening, but that’s football.”
