Unanimous support for McGeeney among Kildare players

Outgoing Kildare captain Eamonn Callaghan says there is unanimous support for Kieran McGeeney and the backroom staff among the players, who are in favour of the existing management structure being retained.

McGeeney’s second three-year term as boss ended with the qualifier defeat by Tyrone last month and discussions are expected to take place shortly with county chiefs on whether he is to continue.

Callaghan says the players have been frustrated by negative reports about the set-up, concerning team strength and conditioning, fitness or tactics and rejects suggestions they are lobbying for change.

“I don’t know where that’s coming from” said Callaghan yesterday. “It’s not coming from us. There was a report that we would support Kieran staying on if he changed the back-room team. That’s 100 per cent wrong.”

The Naas man met with some players and spoke to the rest either in person or by phone before a meeting on Saturday, and states that there was not one dissenting voice about McGeeney. He insists that it is the manager’s choice to bring whoever he wants to work with him and that there was no issue with preparation.