O Se's statement mends Kerry rift

Crisis has been averted in Kerry football. Peace broke out yesterday at a media conference in Stack Park, Tralee when county chairman Seán Walsh read out two carefully orchestrated statements on behalf of manager Páidí Ó Sé and coach John O'Keeffe.

Neither man was present and both ended their statements by saying that they didn't intend to make any further comment on the matter.

Walsh opened the meeting by saying that it had been the most traumatic two weeks off the field in the history of Kerry football.

"A lot of hurt has been caused to an awful lot of people and it was allowed to fester because the parties were 6,000 miles apart."

Ó Sé's statement was read first and it included an unequivocal apology to O'Keeffe.

"I regard John O'Keeffe as a man of the highest integrity and I confirm that I have total confidence in him as physical trainer-selector of the Kerry senior football team. At all times, John O'Keeffe has acted from the best possible motives. I specifically confirm that the physical training programmes he has prepared and implemented are consistently appropriate and effective.

"I apologise to John and his family for the distress I have caused them by my remarks in recent weeks. I have the greatest respect for John's professionalism; his continuing contribution to the Kerry senior football team is a further demonstration of his loyalty and commitment to Kerry football.

"I am very happy that John O'Keeffe has confirmed to me that he will continue to act as physical trainer-selector."

This laid to rest the lingering controversy over remarks by Ó Sé that implied he intended to take a greater role in the physical preparation of the team.

O'Keeffe's response to this was magnanimous. "I am pleased to confirm that I will continue to act as physical trainer-selector to the Kerry senior football team.

"I welcome the unequivocal statement from Páidí Ó Sé confirming his total confidence in me. I am gratified to note his remarks concerning the physical training programmes I have prepared and implemented as being 'consistently appropriate and effective'.

"This has been a difficult time for me and for my family and I wish to record my appreciation for the constant support of the officers of the Kerry County Board and my fellow selectors."

This exchange of statements will undoubtedly have pleased O'Keeffe and has strengthened his position by emphasising both his control of physical preparation and the value of his contribution to the team.

It effectively brings to an end weeks of controversy that sprang from a series of interviews with Ó Sé during which he appeared to distance himself from the All-Ireland final defeat by Armagh last September and the retirement of Maurice Fitzgerald.

On the latter point, Walsh made the point that whereas Fitzgerald had been included in a preliminary training panel it would be up to the player himself if he wished to join. So far there has been no indication.

The county chairman initiated an exhaustive series of meetings on his return from South Africa and this culminated over the weekend with the selectors, including Ó Sé and O'Keeffe, clearing the air in face-to-face meetings.

In this, he was armed with the express wishes of the players.

"The message from the players was clear. They want Páidí Ó Sé as manager and John O'Keeffe as trainer for the coming campaign."

He also revealed that he had been opposed to Ó Sé's decision to grant an interview to RTÉ in Cape Town last week - a performance which triggered the crisis by precipitating O'Keeffe's refusal to take the first training session of the year last Saturday.

"I was aware Páidí was going to give the interview to Marty Morrissey and I advised him not to. He went ahead, but it was against my best wishes."

On the issue of general media relations, Walsh did say that the matter would be looked at but added that the usual system of press days would continue. He denied that players were in any way gagged, as stated by 1997 All-Ireland winner Pa Laide in an interview on Radio Kerry last week.

Walsh was also at pains to distance any Kerry players from reports of disturbances in their hotel in Cape Town. He said that no player from the county had been involved and that he had made a point of telling the Irish embassy on a visit that the Kerry party had provided "60 more ambassadors" for Ireland.

In a separate statement, Ó Sé again apologised "unreservedly for the hurt that I have caused Kerry people" in respect of the newspaper interview in which he referred to them as rough "f***ing animals".

At yesterday's conference, Walsh was joined by county PRO Willie O'Connor and county secretary Eamonn O'Sullivan.

The matter was further discussed at last night's county executive meeting and will be on the agenda for tonight's county board meeting, which it was confirmed will be open to the public.