Kerry minor manager explodes at rumours he is not releasing players to clubs and schools

Wayne Quillinan was his usual eloquent self as he answered questions from the local media on how his preparations with the Kerry minor footballers were going, including injuries, panel strength, and prospects against Cork next Monday night.

It was the usual run of the mill presser before a championship begins. But then he was asked about complaints circulating in certain quarters alleging that he was not releasing players to clubs and schools for games since the squad began training.

It was like someone had tossed a verbal grenade into the meeting room in the Austin Stack Park Pavilion because it triggered an emotional outburst from the genial Austin Stacks clubman as journalists scurried for cover.

Obviously these wild accusations had touched a raw nerve and Wayne was not about to hold back.

“That word ‘release’ kills me, and it’s killed me for the last couple of years," began Quillinan.

"I have to make this clear – there’s never an issue with Kerry minors. They have to play with their clubs; they have to play with their schools, because, if they don’t, they won’t play Kerry minor.

“There might be stories out there and I’ve heard stories myself, and I’m scratching my head going, this is absolute rubbish. Every player that has been involved with us has to play with his club, has to play with his school, unless he’s injured.

“What comes in then is a duty of care to the player to get him back. You can’t put them on the field if there’s a risk of injury. Whatever stories are out there, this is from the horse’s mouth, and that’s the truth."

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Even the rumours that he had prevented a young basketball player from playing in a cup final, had reached his ear.

“I encourage other sports. My background is basketball. These stories, and I’m sure Tomás Ó Sé would say the same thing, and Jack would say the same thing, these things are just fabricated.

“I would prefer if people would just come to me, and pick up the phone and say, I’m after hearing this story, is it true? Just come to the horse’s mouth.

“Since I’ve been in charge of the Kerry minors, every Kerry minor that’s been under me, has needed to play with their club because, without their club, they wouldn’t be a Kerry minor.

“They needed to play with their schools, because they develop more with their schools, and the schools have played a huge part in them being in there.

“Why would I even think of saying no, you can’t play with your club, or you can’t play with your school? It would go against everything I have stood for in 20-odd years of coaching and managing teams.

“I constantly hear it, and it’s not the truth. Forget football, its life. If someone says something about you, or something that you are supposedly doing, and there’s no truth at all to it, would it annoy you? It would drive you bonkers, wouldn’t it?

“When you’re doing your best, and you know you’re doing the right things, in the job that you’re in, and your duty of care to the players is absolutely number one, and your understanding that the clubs and the schools are the ones that have brought these guys to this level, and you know you’re lucky to be in the position of having these guys at this level, why would you under-appreciate the people that have brought them to this level?“

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