The strategic planning for All-Ireland success begins a long time before May, writes John Allen
Before Christmas 2005 Brian Corcoran came to me to say that there was a possibility that he wouldn't be playing with Cork in 2006. His work situation was changing and he would be commuting to Cahir or Cashel every working day. He would also be expected to travel abroad on occasion. Allied to that he has a young family and was building a house at the time. With the chance of making history by being part of a three-in-a-row-winning team I knew that Brian definitely wanted to play. The reality as he saw it then was that there was no way he could physically manage it. I appreciated his honesty.
Thinking on my feet my first reaction was, "Brian don't say anything about retiring for now. Just let's see how things pan out in the New Year". We know there's often a slip between cup and lip. Being realistic I thought we really didn't need a fit Brian Corcoran until the end of July. But Brian managed to juggle all those balls, as it turned out, right up to Christmas
Whatever happened in Munster we knew it was pretty sure that we would be in the quarter-final of the All Ireland. It was then the knockout began. It was then we needed our strongest team out. That is the reality of the hurling championship since 2002.
However for all the managers the preparation begins once the draws are made. In Munster the provincial championship is still worth winning. Leinster is a little too one-sided. (OK a lot).
We were pitted against Clare in the first game. This was the Banner's chance to prove they were better than us. We had robbed them at the death in the previous year's semi-final. No doubt this would be a sell-out. Was it a fluke that we beat them or were we actually a better team overall? So in the short term everything would be geared towards that game. All the challenge games, all the league games, all the training would be geared towards that battle.
When the group training began after the team holiday to South Africa the plan was to have as good a team as possible, as fit as possible and as enthusiastic as possible by that Sunday in late May. I didn't say the best team available because that team probably wouldn't be needed until late July.
For us, early in the year Ben O'Connor was struggling with a serious injury that threatened to put him out of contention for the season. Brian Corcoran's career was very much in the balance. There's always the balancing act that has to be done with under-21 players, with college matches and exams, with club matches and of course with planning the training programme so that players are ready to peak on (for us ) five Sundays in the intercounty hurling year.
The importance of having a training programme that's scientifically planned by the best available experts in this field is a must. The hit-and-miss approach isn't good enough any more. We were very fortunate in having one of the best in Seanie McGrath from Bantry (like Fermanagh and Fiji not a hotbed of hurling either).
For any manager there's a huge security in knowing that the physical training is in such expert hands and that it's his responsibility to ensure that the team are properly fit and fit enough to be able to, hopefully, up a gear and pull away in the last quarter of any game. Really there's not that much between the top eight teams in the country so most games are even enough right up to the final quarter.
Solitaire might be the only game in town but for any team playing in the Liam MacCarthy competition, Croke Park is the place to be on All-Ireland Sunday when your captain goes up the steps of the Hogan Stand to receive hurling's greatest prize. For the management it's when that same captain, in his acceptance speech, credits them with making it all happen.
So having all the best players available and fit for those knockout games was our absolute priority. The teams we picked in the league were mostly always chosen with the championship in mind
I see a lot written in the soccer press lately about having a 'happy dressing room'. I have to agree this is very important. The players have to see that the management are as professional as the players are trying to be. We had structures in place where the players could discuss any concerns they had with us. We always tried to ensure that we were moving forward together all the time.
Over the past number of years we have used the end of the league as a cut-off point where the championship panel is concerned. We then picked the championship panel which included most of the league panel and any other player who was doing well at club level. The players get new training gear and leisure wear. We also get new formal wear for the post-championship match receptions. Training is back in Páirc Uí Chaoimh or Rinn. The players' gear is hanging in their places in the dressing room each night before training. They just throw it in the laundry basket afterwards. Our logistics manager Jimmy McEvoy takes care of the rest.
Last year we had John Carey work with the players on preparing properly mentally for this, the most important part of the season. Our nutritionist Anne McKiernan designed a nutrition programme. It is important for the management to bring a freshness and enthusiasm at this time.
I hope I've painted a clear enough picture of the strategic planning that's needed to ensure that all is right for knockout time. The rewards are many for a team who win an All-Ireland. As well as the honour and glory there's that much-sought-after Celtic Cross medal. There's the high profile. There are the many party nights. There's the guarantee that you'll hold on to the sponsored car for at least another year. There's the team holiday which will be to somewhere exotic because you have a much larger budget as champions.
There's the very real chance of career advancement. There's the chance of a footwear or sportswear deal. There's the chance that up to half of the team will win an All Star award. There's the cutting the tape to open the latest business in town. Also in Cork you're guaranteed to get into Reardens nightclub free at any time of the night! (at season's end).
All these external rewards for the players make your job as manager a little easier. All the players know there are many pots of gold at the end of that particular hurling rainbow.
All the players who are serious about achieving at this level know that huge personal sacrifices in terms of training and lifestyle have to be made. Those who make those sacrifices have a chance of achieving. Those who don't get found out.
Every manager is trying to get the edge on the others all the time. We read books on other disciplines. We talk to coaches in other sports. We try and keep up with best practice in terms of nutrition, training methods, recovery methods, hurling drills, relaxation techniques, goal-setting, match-analysis, stats and anything else we feel will give us that edge.
So it's May. As championship time fast approaches managers know the groundwork is done or at least they hope it's done and properly done. But of course they won't really find out how well it's done until knockout time comes.
There's always uncertainty in every manager's mind before the big games. Are we fit enough? Are we rested enough? Are we hungry enough? Will that new player deliver? Can we hold their star player?
There is only one certainty though.
Only one team will be crowned All-Ireland senior hurling champions in 2007.