Tuesday evening’s meeting of the Kerry county board is expected to ratify football manager Jack O’Connor’s appointment for a further two years, formally confirming that the five-times All-Ireland winner will extend his tenure until 2027.
In the immediate aftermath of the All-Ireland win over Donegal, O’Connor appeared to be hinting that he would call it a day as his term was up but he was evidently sufficiently buoyed by official and player support to reconsider.
Only last week, Player of the Year favourite David Clifford said: “I haven’t actually really been talking to him much in the last few weeks. It’s just been kind of busy, but look, we’d love for him to stay on.”
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A year ago, O’Connor had to empanel a largely new backroom team of Cian O’Neill, Aodán Mac Gearailt, James Costello, and Pa McCarthy and it is believed that they will remain with him.
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For the fifth time, O’Connor achieved a league and All-Ireland double despite a midseason wobble that saw Kerry beaten by nine points by Meath in the group stages. The team’s form surged from the quarter-finals on, defeating champions Armagh, Tyrone and Ulster title winners Donegal.
His previous terms in charge lasted three years, 2003-06, and four years, 2009-12. Assuming he serves out the full appointment, he will have been in charge for six years.
O’Connor is currently fourth on the all-time managers’ All-Ireland roll of honour, behind two fellow Kerry men, Mick O’Dwyer and Eamonn O’Sullivan, both with eight, and Dublin’s Jim Gavin on six.
