Brian Cody gave no indication of his future plans with Kilkenny in the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s dramatic All-Ireland final defeat by Tipperary - but a former Cats legend is urging Cody to remain on.
Cody is the most successful manager in GAA history, leading the Cats to 11 All-Irelands since taking over in 1999, but this year he saw his team beaten 2-29 to 2-20 by a rampant Tipp side.
With any manager that has been in the job as long as he has there will be inevitable speculation about his future at the end of a season - particularly after an All-Ireland final defeat.
But when he was asked about potential retirements from the Kilkenny camp, Cody batted the question away with a simple ‘no idea’.
Of the starting 15, only captain Seamus Prendergast and Eoin Larkin are over 30, so there aren’t likely to be wholesale changes in the playing staff.
Veteran defender Jackie Tyrrell is 34 and he was unable to force his way into the team or off the bench for most of the season and it would be no surprise if the multi All-Star called it a day.
No arguments, the better team won, says Brian Cody https://t.co/uY4ycF623R
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) September 4, 2016
However, the spotlight will fall on Cody, the longest serving and most decorated manager in the game.
Famously, he only decides on a year-by-year basis - most other bosses are given deals lasting two or more seasons.
Annually he makes the call in November, with his name going before the county board for formal ratification - something that is never been in question and won’t be if he decides to go again in 2017.
So it’s likely to be a couple of months yet before we know just what he intends to do, though speculation is likely to mount as the clock ticks towards the November meeting of the Kilkenny County Board.
However, speaking on the Sunday Game, former Cats legend Henry Shefflin believes that Cody should remain at the helm.
"I have no doubt Brian will go away and think about things but he is critical for our success and our future," he said.
It's important that he remains there. Whenever Brian goes, the question is who's going to fill his shoes? They are massive shoes to fill. He creates that culture of never giving up, keep going to the end."
