O'Grady's future as Cork boss unclear

It seems a little strange to be quizzing an All-Ireland winning manager about his future. Don't they make that inevitable, a requisite - back by popular demand! And yet with Donal O'Grady the future is unclear. The Cork manager refuses to even speculate.

On the day after Cork rewrote history by winning their 29th All-Ireland title - one more than beaten finalists Kilkenny - the players and management are still stuck firmly in the moment. It's lunchtime in a Dublin hotel and the homecoming is soon to begin. The players are still mixing with the supporters and it's hard to tell who's coming or going or been there all night.

O'Grady knows the Cork job is his for another year if he wants it. Traditionally Cork offer any All-Ireland winning manager another year no matter how long they've been there. But he's finished his two-year term and it's possible his ambitions will die once they are satisfied. A decade ago he left the Youghal club as soon as he took it to the senior grade.

"There's always a future," was about as much as he'd say. "We were appointed for two years, and that ended at midnight on Sunday. But if Cork always ask the All-Ireland winning managers to stay on, well, then that's for the county board."

What is certain though is O'Grady will have the full backing of the players to stay on for another year. Cork captain Ben O'Connor made no secret of that end of the deal.

"In fairness, I'd say it's very important to us that he stays on for another year," said O'Connor. "Donal is after bringing us from way down the bottom rung of the ladder up to the top. And I'm sure all the players would love Donal to stay on again next year.

"But that's going to be a decision he'll have to make himself. And whatever decision he does make, all the players will stand by him because he's brought them all on for the last two years."

In a way O'Grady has traded himself on being a perfectionist, and that could make it hard to find fresh ambitions. When he reflects on the past year it's clear much of it was about making amends for the shortcomings of 2003, epitomised by losing the All-Ireland to Kilkenny. There is no way to make amends for perfection.

"I did feel we could have done things a little differently last year. Not during the match, and I'd dispute that with anyone. But pre-match, little things went wrong. And it was nice to get the second chance to make sure that wouldn't happen again.

"Like one of the things that happened in Croke Park last year. We were to come out at a certain time, and because they were late with a presentation the tunnel was blocked, and we couldn't get out on time. That affected players, because when they're ready to go out, you want everything to go right. We rectified that this year, and made sure everything was spot on."

With regards to perfection, O'Grady disagrees that correcting the mistakes of last year and winning an All-Ireland by eight points means there is no room for improvement.

"I don't think that any team that has won an All-Ireland or even won it again after has ever reached perfection. I believe that if the team as a whole reaches 85 per cent on a final day then they'll win, because the pressures are immense.

"The occasion and the whole build-up and especially the amount of media interest just wasn't there 20 or 30 years ago. All these things add huge pressure to the players. So if you get 85 per cent out of your players you've a great chance."

What should ultimately see O'Grady stay in the job for another year at least is the chance to work with a team of players he respects and admires in equal measure. Only when that thrill is gone is he likely to fall short on ambition.

"Well I do rate this Cork team very highly. We had enough of the play to win last year, but we didn't deserve to win because we didn't get the scores on the board. But Kilkenny did nothing last year that frightened us. We were up for this game, and we wanted to take the chance.

"And there is a certain satisfaction in preparing the team, getting them to play a certain way, and for those things to come to fruition. It's nice to have titles and memories, but the whole thing with me is to operate at the top level, and that's the personal satisfaction. It's lovely to work with a group of top-level players, and everything this team has been asked to do they done to the best of their ability."

Plus he can expect another season of total commitment from the players. Ben O'Connor more than anyone could feel entitled to a time-out having led club and county to All-Ireland titles, but his drive epitomises that of the team.

"Donal gave us (the Newtownshandrum players) four or five weeks off after the club championship, a good break. But I personally don't think tiredness is a factor, once you rest up right. Players that say they're tired or burnt out or whatever, well, I think a lot of that is in the head."

So Cork have it in their heads again they're good enough to win All-Irelands. No reason then for any of them not to carry on.