O'Dwyer feels Fitzmaurice 'is a wonderful selection'

MICK O’DWYER yesterday supported the appointment of Eamonn Fitzmaurice as Kerry football manager, while also confirming he never considered seeking a second stint in the position. “I gave 34 years to Kerry, that is long enough,” said O’Dwyer at the launch of the All-Ireland Kick Fada.

“I think Eamonn is a wonderful selection, outstanding because he has been involved in the last four or five years and he played with a lot of those players.

“His toughest job will be to drop some of those as the year goes on but I think a lot of those players are quite capable of going for another championship.”

O’Dwyer also welcomed the news that Tomás Ó Sé and Aidan O’Mahony intend to return in 2013. “Tomás had a wonderful year this year and Aidan played very well at fullback. I played until I was 38 for Kerry so there is no reason why them fellas can’t go on. There is at least another few good years in them and then we would be hoping we can bring on some young fellas too.

“Darragh (Ó Sé) will be working with the under-21s and feeding into that panel as well. It will make an interesting year for Kerry.”

O’Dwyer continues to train his local club Waterville and said: “Top of the Second Division at the moment. The big problem is we have about 19 players, average age 21, and the danger is some of them may emigrate and if they do in three or four years time we may not have a team there at all.

“We’ve lost about four now in the last two years so they are starting to go. If you are winning they stay because of football and no other reason in the world.”