Miscellaneous

Kerry's ability to evolve set them apart from rest

September 6th, 2011
by Weeshie Fogarty

AS is the natural order of things here in Kerry, when the team reaches the final the names of legendary players, great games, great scores and a host of memories from days of yore will surface and be the cause of great debate and argument. And no better place to meet up with the highly knowledgeable supporters than at one of the team's training sessions in Fitzgerald stadium. If you are fortunate enough to fall into company with one of these men or women who really are the experts on Kerry football then you will come away with many golden nuggets of information and more than likely a greatly improved knowledge of the history of Kerry football.

The long time Kerry supporter and highly dedicated follower will congregate together in some area of the stand or terrace. All eyes will be focused on the players as they begin to go through their paces with Jack O'Connor calling the shots and instructing the trainers as to what he expects from them. The three selectors will stand back studying the players and I presume discussing the form being shown by the various members of the squad, but it is the man in the stand who will spot even the slightest little difference in a player's usual make up.

Body shape and weight will be discussed as will running style and any sign of an injury will be the subject to huge debate. And horror of horrors if a player goes down injured during one of the practice games. They will know full well that injury is the one great fear, which could upset the best laid plans. Attending training sessions is and always has been one of the great pleasures many supporters indulge in during the run up to All-Ireland finals.

Of course, it was a totally different system of training back in the 50s and 60s. The preparation of teams back then was the best available at that time, but it has come on so much in the intervening years that it is unbelievable. Back then it was customary to begin the training session by doing laps of the field, the whole group of players staying together in a close contact. It was expected that all players would keep outside the corner flags and not cut corners. Following maybe five laps of the field the squad would divide up into separate groups of about ten. They would form a circle and while standing in that circle simply punch the ball from player to player first with the right hand and then with the left hand. However, the golden rule was, when you receive the ball clutch it tightly to your chest, every time. After say ten minutes of circle punching the squad would then stand spread out across the field in a straight line on the end line and on the first whistle you broke into a fast walk, on the second whistle you sprinted as fast as you could and on the third blast you slowed to the fast walk and this routine continued up and back down the entire length of the field. These sprints were designed to have players lightning fast from a standing position thus getting to the ball ahead of an opponent.

Next might come piggy back jumping. Ten players would line up one behind the other, say five yards apart, bending down hands placed on knees. The man from the rear would then run, place his two hands on the back of the crouching player and leap right over him, on the to next and so on until he has completed the line. He then would crouch down and the line of jumpers would continue around the field. The idea was to greatly strengthen all areas of the legs thus giving the player the ability to out jump his opponent for the high ball.

Huge emphasis was put into the art of high fielding. The squad of players would spread out to all corners of the field and using a number of footballs players would then just kick the ball as high as possible to another team mate and the cry from the trainer would ring continuously around the pitch "rise for it and field it over your head". It is worth remembering that the football then was the old pig skin which would double in weight when wet and also the near adhesive gloves now worn by all players had yet to be developed.

A few more laps of the field would be added and these would often turn into a flat out race between the squad and it was usually the same players who finished ahead of the pack with the few obvious smokers and pint men bringing up the rear. A session of backs and forwards would bring the session to a close. This was the big sorting out football exercise for many years. It was the basis of great Kerry victories and it served to coach the different players in relation to his particular position on the field of play.

It served the county well. The regular goalie, six backs and six forwards all marking each other. The subs would be outside driving in ball after ball, high one and then a low one as faults were ironed out and team work and accurate hand passing was polished up. Then came the closing exercise of the evening. A jog, all together around the field for a few more laps. To conclude all players would line up on the fifty yard line straight across the field. You waited like an Olympic sprinter for the trainer's whistle; the word manager had not yet been introduced. On the whistle it was flat out for the end line where the selectors would call out the finishers, first, second and third.

So there you have it a little journey back in time to the days of Kerry trainers Con Brosnan, Dr Eamon O'Sullivan, Dr Jim Brosnan, Jackie Lyne and Johnny Culloty. You may well say it was fairly primitive, but examine the records and in its day these training routines were every bit as successful as todays. One of the secrets of Kerry is its ability to change and evolve to the different styles and methods more so than many of the other counties.



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