“Do you really want me to answer that?“
The response to a daring question by our own Robbie Dowling after enquiring as to whether the Kilkenny job could tempt Brennan back to inter-county management. Eddie had a solid term as Laois manager, leading them to a Joe McDonagh final, and has been touted by some as a possible replacement for Brian Cody.
Brennan would have previously cut his teeth under a Cody regime having been manager of Kilkenny under-21s before the grade change. Obviously, as a player, he has experienced immeasurable success with him at the helm, so it is easy to see why the links are there. Speaking to Robbie on Scoreline the Graigue-Cullen man refused to be drawn into making a declaration of interest whilst paying tribute to Brian Cody;
“You are putting me on the spot and I’m not going to answer that.” Eddie said with a laugh before turning the attention back on his former manager “Brian Cody, it is all about him.”
See also: Who replaces Brian Cody as Kilkenny senior hurling manager?
Now it was a fair question, considering listeners were reacting live to the news and sending in their messages to the studio while the interview was happening. Also considering the fact that Brennan has also been linked with the vacant Dublin managerial position after Mattie Kenny’s reign ended. Brennan as ever though was cool, calm, and collected in his response, however, he did allude to the volume of work involved in taking an intercounty role;
“There are absolutely savage demands on an intercounty manager. There is no doubt it’s a full-time job.”
“It’s you eat it, sleep or drink it it’s that’s the reality that’s what it has to be. You wake up Monday morning and you are looking at what is ahead.”
“All your energies are focused on that, other aspects of your life go on the backburner.”
“You are all in or you are all out, there is no middle ground for an intercounty manager.”
Listen to the full interview on Scoreline Extra along with Brian Cody tributes from Eoin Larkin, Aidan Fogarty and more:
