BY JOHNNY CAROLAN
PAT Ryan is a true leader in the sense of allowing others to have their say – but, when it comes to it, he knows that the man with the bainisteoir’s bib must be the one to make the big calls.
In terms of picking the Cork team, he and his selectors discuss matters and there is usually consensus but occasionally the decision has to be made.
‘They'd probably say it isn't [democratic], but I would say it is!’ he laughs.
‘In fairness to the lads, if I'm really, really strong on something, they'll back me to the hilt and that's the way it is.
‘To be honest, when you're the manager at the end of the day, it is your name on the ticket and if there's a decision that I think is wrong, you know, it'll be my decision then, do you know what I mean?
‘But look I think that's very rarely happened over the time we've been involved over the last kind of between the U20s and here, maybe probably happened maybe once or twice max.
‘It is democratic, but look I think it organically happens what you're doing, it only comes down to maybe one or two decisions, do you know what I mean?
‘Look, there's tough decisions to be made, like obviously we're hoping that Cormac [O’Brien] and Séamus [Harnedy] come back. That makes it really, really hard.
‘We have fellas that are outside the 26 playing really well, and then you'll have two really good fellas that have been brilliant all year for us, looking to get back into the panel and get back into the team. They're decisions that are really hard.
Another key part of the Cork backroom is Gary Keegan, who, even though he is limited in terms of how often he can be around the group – he is currently with the Lions squad – still plays an important role.
‘Gary's been really involved,’ Ryan says, ‘he does a lot of one-to-ones with our players. He's been unbelievable for us over the last couple of years.
‘It was Kieran [Kingston] first got him involved, and then he kind of was away for a year and he came back again with Kieran, and when I went back, I met Gary in 2023, I'd worked with him in 2017 and he's got a great affinity for these group of players, do you know what I mean?
‘He was adamant he wanted to stay involved. Look, obviously his work schedule had gotten busier, but he was adamant that he could do it. He's probably down to us maybe five or six times a year, he does an awful lot of one to ones with the lads, does one to ones with myself.
‘We do an awful lot of Zoom calls, actually. He's done one or two of them since he's been away in Australia with the lads, and he'll do one or two more before the All-Ireland, and in fairness to him, he makes the effort.’
Sunday’s game will be Cork and Tipperary’s fourth meeting of the year, with Tipp winning in the league against an under-strength Cork in Thurles before the Rebels won the league final at home and then triumphed in the Munster SHC after Darragh McCarthy’s sending-off before throw-in. Ryan doesn’t expect what has gone before to count for much.
‘Absolutely not, no,’ he says.
‘Look, I think, if you look at it, we beat them in the league final. The championship game really was a non-event once Darragh was sent off, and they've had fantastic performances since. If you look at their championship record during the year, draw with Limerick, beat the All-Ireland champions Clare to make sure they're out. They're in a good spot, but we're also in a good spot as well. So look it's 50-50, all to play for.’
