Tomás Ó Sé warned Kerry's young guns need time and space to grow into senior football, but hopes a springtime bloom will ripen Eamonn Fitzmaurice's options come the summer.
Huge hype surrounded the appearance of David Clifford in Killarney for the Allianz Football League Division 1 opener against Donegal, which they edged 2-18 to 3-14.
The minor sensation scored a point and set up Stephen O'Brien's goal.
That, for an 18-year-old, would usually go down as a fine return but Clifford is no ordinary teen, and it feels like the eyes of the whole country have been on the Fossa man.
Ó Sé said that probably weighed on his shoulders, but expects him to be a big part of the Kingdom's Championship plans.
"In reality you'd be looking at four or five of them that you'd want to start in the Championship," he said on Allianz League Sunday.
"Shane Murphy was in goal, Jason Foley at full-back, Sean O'Shea and David Clifford. Now David Clifford, I knew the pressure on him at the moment to perform... I thought he did quite well.
"He's not going to give the same performances that he was giving for the minors. It's a different kettle of fish in senior football. I thought Sean O'Shea was outstanding.
"If Kerry can get four or five of these lads through for Championship it would be brilliant, absolutely brilliant."
