Brian Hogan has admitted retiring from Kilkenny was like leaving a band of brothers, but is confident that the next generation of Cats will be “there or thereabouts” come the first Sunday of next September.
Hogan, along with fellow Cats star Aidan Fogarty, announced his retirement on Wednesday after a remarkable period on the Kilkenny panel, during which he won seven All-Ireland medals – including captaining the winning side in 2011 – eight Leinster titles, two All Stars and six national league titles.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport about his retirement, Hogan said it was always going to be a difficult decision, particularly given he had been part of a core group of players who had been on the panel for most of a decade.
“It was always going to be a difficult decision, whenever it came,” Hogan said. “The lads would be like brothers.
“The group is a very tight group, but there would be some of us that would have been there the guts of a decade. They are essentially like brothers, to a certain degree.
“It’s strange not to be looking into spending the next year, five nights a week with them, going in training.”
"There would be some of us that wold have been there the guts of a decade. They are essentially like brothers"
Hogan’s was not the only departure from the Kilkenny panel in recent times. As well as Fogarty, goalkeeper David Herity and Tommy Walsh have left the Cats’ panel. Hogan felt that this was part of a natural process of change for Kilkenny.
“It’s an evolution,” he said. “Down the years, I would have felt every year there was a slight change.
"Okay, I suppose the fact the four have announced retirement within a short space of time, it seems like there’s a mass exodus.
"But all you have to do is look at the team photo – I suppose of any team, really – of this year compared to maybe two-three years ago. There are always a number of changes in it.
“There are younger guys who have stepped up and they will look to establish themselves as main players within the squad. And there’ll be the next generation coming through, please god, after that.”
He said that it was a coincidence that he and Fogarty had both announced their retirement on the same time, saying that he had received Fogarty’s text as he composed his own.
“He beat me to it by about three minutes. I was just talking to one of two of the lads: they heard the phone going off and there was ‘Taggy’s’ announcement, and next thing a text came in afterwards from myself [and they were thinking it would be me saying] ‘Commiserations, Taggy. Unfortunately, it was my news coming through. So they were afraid to look at the phone after that, they said!”
There has been speculation that the departing quartet might be joined by other Kilkenny players, including talisman Henry Shefflin. Manager Brian Cody recently confirmed he would be staying on for 2015.
However, Hogan stressed the importance of Cody sticking about, and said that Shefflin would be concentrating on his club, Ballyhale Shamrock’s progress in the club championship.
Hogan said that Shefflin should be given time to concentrate on his club hurling and that after that would be the appropriate time for a decision on his inter-county future.
“Henry in the consummate professional in an amateur sport,” he said. “He looks after himself so well. There is no reason why Henry can’t go on and play for another couple of years. That’s his own personal decision. IT’s a personal decision for each and every player.”
Hogan paid rich tribute to Fogarty, saying “’Taggy and myself go way back, since the days of minors,” and that he was a character who would be missed from the Kilkenny dressing-room.
“You only have to listen to any of the backs, normally he’s up there as one of the most difficult forwards we’ve had to mark in training.”
Hogan sounded a confident note about the Cats’ prospects for 2015 despite the retirements, saying: “Look, there are going to be plenty of other sides there that are going to be champing at the bit to get a crack at Kilkenny now that we’re back on top, but absolutely I have no doubt at all that the guys are going to be there or thereabouts next year
“And please god, hopefully, we’ll have another day out in September, albeit, I’ll be at the other side of the fence this time.”
