As he approaches his 37th consecutive year involved in the inter-county game, Davy Fitzgerald is as opinionated, engaging and passionate about hurling as ever.
The Clare man believes there are "a number of issues" in the GAA that "could be really looked into".
These include the potential restrictions apparently being considered by the National Games Development Committee on 'outside' managers; he has been in Waterford (twice), Wexford and now Antrim.
"It's easy to throw that one around, that's around a long time, but there are a lot of things in the GAA that need to be fleshed out a bit," he tells RTÉ Sport.
"Clubs need to get in managers, counties sometimes need to try something different. There are managers gone in, be it county or club, to different places, and they've done massive things in those clubs and counties, and also people from within have done okay. So there's an argument for both in it.
"I certainly wouldn't be against debate in that aspect and other aspects. Whether it is right or wrong, I think that needs to be looked at."
And what about the suggestion of the GAA's amateur status review committee that inter-county managers, who are currently (officially at least) unpaid, receiving an annual stipend of €20,000?
"I actually think the whole thing needs to be looked at and have a good discussion on it," says Fitzgerald.
"Let's just look at it realistically and see what the story is. Let's see what can be done, what cannot be done.
"I know the hours [put in by managers] are massive. I can only speak from what I'm doing right now. I know hours-wise what it is. It's pretty crazy.
"Is the GAA generating more [money] than it's ever generated? Probably. It goes hand-in-hand, doesn't it? Just look at the overall picture of how that works.
"That is not the number one issue in my mind... there are other issues out there that need to be looked at as well. But I suppose every organisation, be it soccer, rugby, whatever sport, they all have in-depth looks at how things go the whole time. And I think we should do that."
As county teams gear up for the (official) 21 November return to collective training, he is broadly supportive of the GPA's call for a seven-month season, as long as it is effectively policed.
"I get exactly what the players are saying. [But] when you do something everyone has to do it. They can't have half us do something and half us not do something because what ends up then is you'll say 'Well, this county did this, this county did that, and I'm not going to do that next year'."
The three-time All-Ireland winner (twice as a player) has had his share of run-ins with the authorities, and claimed after the defeat to Galway in May that certain officials "despised" him. But he insists that he has the utmost respect for the often thankless task of refereeing, and says that "We could help them more. It's a lot of pressure that they're under. They have a lot of preparation, the same as players and management put into the games."
Some of his suggestions for improved relations with players and management teams would be to see referees and officials working in regular combinations - "kind of like the NFL" - managers confined to the stands, where he feels they can actually be more effective - "Are we only on the sideline because that's what we've been doing for the last 100 years?" - and the chance to get direct feedback on certain decisions from the ref involved, perhaps the day after a match.
"I talked to one after a game last year, and he said 'I got that call wrong'. And do you know what, it was actually grand because a referee can make a mistake in a split second. But is there communication between us and them? Not really.
"It's not me coming on the phone the next day and saying you did this or that. I want to be able to ask 'You blew [the whistle for] that, but these three examples here, can you just explain to me?' Whereas the day of the game, if I say that to a referee, probably I'm a bit more heated because I'm on the sideline and I'm saying 'Jesus, did you not see that?' And the minute you're that way, you're goosed".
Fitzgerald was unsure if he would be back for a second season with Antrim after their fifth consecutive defeat in Leinster, a relegation-decider against Offaly (above).
"There was a lot of thinking, a lot of soul-searching and that, but I believe it was the right thing to do," he says of his decision to stay on.
"I feel, to people I really know well up there, and to people in Antrim, to go in and out in one year would be a bit unfair. I think it's important that I, no matter what, give a second year and do my absolute best to be the best I can for them.
"We didn't want to get relegated out of Leinster, so from that point of view, I wouldn't be happy that that happened. I was happy enough we stayed in the league where we were [Division 1B]. But I learned a lot, and I have to say, worked with a very good, very honest bunch of players.
"It's year one, let's see can we do better in year two and see how it goes. I'm confident that the ability is there. You look at them club-wise, they're as good, hurling-wise, as anyone. I remember saying last year, which was probably picked up a bit wrong, that we had one or two issues or aspects of play that we needed to go back and start again. But I always said that the hurling was top-class.
"But I've enjoyed it. I enjoy working up there, the people are-top class. It is a bit different from me being in, say, Wexford, Waterford, Clare, where they were at a level already. You're trying to see can you get Antrim to that level."
"Success is, I'd like to be a lot more competitive with top teams that we come across. Big beatings aren't nice to get when you get them. So I need that to happen in order for us to make that progress.
"Joe McDonagh, we would like to think that we're going to be there or thereabouts, but it's going to be competitive. I know that, I'm not stupid. To get over that, it's actually tough. We'll be trying our best to go as far as we can in that. And the same in the league. I want to be as successful as I possibly can."
"If I managed the way I did ten years ago, I think I'd be f***ed"
Fitzgerald feels he has had to keep evolving his approach as a manager since his debut season in 2008, including over the last 12 months.
"There was a lot of learning in the first year [with Antrim]. A lot of things I found hard. In management, you've always got to adapt as well. If I managed the way I did ten years ago, I think I'd be f***ed.
"It's a lot different. How you dealt with players back then, how you deal with them now, what you can say and what you can't say, and how you'll come across. You nearly need to be so careful in what you say.
"I would be self-critical of myself in certain areas. Times change, people change, different approaches to play change.
"Would I say I was a brilliant manager for Antrim in 2025? No. I'd say I worked hard on certain things, achieved certain things I wanted to. I think there were things I could have been better on myself.
"You've got to change. You have to self-reflect on yourself as well in things that you do all the time. Before I can actually look at the boys, I think I've got to look at myself first.
Fitzgerald (54) has a three-year-old son with wife Sharon and admits: "I'd like to be around a small bit more. I try as hard as I can in that department now. How long more I'll go county-wise, I don't know.
"Antrim for 2026, I want to give every single thing I can.
"Is it [hurling] the most important thing now in my life? No. But I love it. I love it still."
