Canty: Consistency key to Rebels’ football revival

FORMER All-Ireland winning Cork captain Graham Canty believes consistency will be key if new manager Keith Ricken is to be successful during his tenure.

Ricken’s goal is to get the Rebels back in the conversation for football’s big prizes and Canty knows what’s needed to be successful at the highest level.

‘I would like to see them (Cork) show a little bit of consistency,’ the Bantry Blues club stalwart commented at the launch of One Cork, a new initiative from Cork GAA.

‘With where we are at the moment because of the pandemic, it is much harder for a team to grow and develop as opposed to a team that is more established. I think it is much harder to bring a team, grow it and develop it. So, hopefully we will get out of the pandemic soon.

‘Hopefully, Keith and his team can get a decent bit of time with the group. Develop a little bit of consistency, get some wins under the belt and develop that little bit of confidence within the group. Maybe that has been lacking a bit over the last twelve months.

‘Developing a team in the pandemic is very, very hard whereas maintaining a team is that little bit easier.

‘You have to remember that there were key injuries to key players last year. Injuries can affect the group, can rob the heart out of a group. Not just maybe on match day but leading up to it as well. If you are missing two or three players in key positions the few weeks before championship, confidence can drop. Cork were hurt by that last year.’

Canty also spoke about the sacrifices needed to be an inter-county player and All-Ireland winner.

‘It is a lifestyle choice but something you wouldn’t swap for anything,’ Canty said.

‘It (playing senior football Cork) was part of your life for ten-plus years back then. You were lucky enough to be asked back to do it every year. That was the thing.

It was something you chose to do because you were asked back. You enjoyed it but you didn’t want to do anything else.

‘You wanted to be involved, you wanted to throw your life into it but that is because you got so much back from it.

‘You gave an awful lot but I always maintained I got a way more from it than I actually gave to it.’