Speculation is mounting that Brian Cody is to stand down as Kilkenny senior hurling manager.
Cody completed 24 seasons in the job with last Sunday’s All-Ireland final defeat to Limerick but rumours have spread like wildfire in the county over the last 24 hours or so that he is on the brink of calling it quits.
A well-placed Kilkenny source indicated that a statement could be issued in the coming days, bringing down the curtain on the most successful managerial reign in GAA history.
Cody turned 68 last week and though last Sunday represented the third All-Ireland final defeat since he won his 11th and most recent title in 2015, the nature of their performance leaves the team well placed to kick on from here and so would be a reasonably positive note for him to bow out on.
Former Kilkenny goalkeeper David Herity commented earlier this week that he had learned that Cody initially intended to depart after last year’s Championship only to decide to stay on for the 2022 season.
Departing in the immediate aftermath of an All-Ireland final loss would seem a very un-Cody like manoeuvre, however, with the James Stephens man usually waiting until October or November to confirm his intentions for the following year, regardless of whether the Liam MacCarthy Cup had been secured or not.
Speaking to the crowd at the Kilkenny team’s homecoming in Nowlan Park on Monday evening, Cody said: “The real story is that Kilkenny haven’t gone away and Kilkenny never will go away. Winning the Liam MacCarthy will happen for this great team soon and in the meantime Kilkenny is still the capital of hurling.”
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