Former Clare hurler Niall Gilligan believes Michael Ryan made 'a couple of mistakes' this season which could possibly have led to his decision to step down as Tipperary manager.
Ryan, along with his management team of hurling coach Declan Fanning, and selectors John Madden and Conor Stakelum, have all decided to step away following a three-year term.
In a statement released earlier on Thursday, they said that 'the time is now right for a change of direction at management level' after previously leading Tipperary to All-Ireland glory in 2016.
But this was a disappointing championship campaign which yielded a shock exit in the inaugural Munster round-robin series following defeats to Limerick and Clare along with draws against Cork and Waterford.
There were also some controversies along the way including a media ban following their opening defeat to Limerick, which Ryan lifted in the days that followed. That game was preceded by Ryan omitting some of his main players from the starting line-up before introducing them as substitutes on the way to a six-point loss.
"I'd say he's very frustrated [with] the way the year has gone," Gilligan told 2fm's Game On on Thursday.
"I know Michael Ryan and the Tipp fans would have great respect for him. He's had good success in management but I think he made a couple of mistakes this year.
"I would have been fancying Tipp at the very start of the year to go places but I think the day of the first round against Limerick, he left off definite starters in Séamus Callanan, Brendan Maher, and Bonner Maher to name but three.
"I think he was trying to create a hunger that if they left off those three and got over that there was going to be savage competition for places and I think that backfired."
"And then the day against Clare, Clare were four points down. Tipperary hit the post to put them clear, it was nearly over and Clare came up the other end of the field and got a goal so it's was small margins in this and when the thing starts going against you maybe... he's a full-time employee with Bank of Ireland, he's farming as well so it's a massive commitment and I think he did the right thing.
"When things go wrong for you in a year like that, it's time to move on."
1996 All-Ireland Wexford star Larry O'Gorman was also speaking on the show. He admitted that he was 'a little surprised' at Ryan's decision to step down but also suggested that perhaps the Tipperary public wanted a new voice to lead their hurlers.
"Once it goes stale with a manager, it's not only you who's making the decision, a lot of the public around you are also trying to make that decision for you," he said.
"I find it a little bit strange but if you're not successful with a team that has been successful in the past, people want change.
"Maybe Michael felt it was time for him to move on and let a fresh head come in and take the flak if there's any flak to go with it.
"He's done a remarkable job with the team and we're all aware of that, Tipperary are a very passionate county. When you don't see results within that, people want change and Michael felt that in his own head."
