Tomás Ó Sé regrets retiring from Kerry in 2013
Thursday 18 October 2018 10:49, UK
Tomás Ó Sé has admitted his regret he did not remain with the Kerry footballers for 2014.
With four high-profile retirements in the last month from the Kerry panel, there will be a need for new leaders in the Kingdom next season.
The decision between hanging up your boots and giving it one more year can be a tricky one for players. Ó Sé called time on his career in the green and gold following the 2013 All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Dublin, and subsequently missed out on the Sam Maguire triumph in 2014. The Nemo Rangers club-man admits he regrets the decision not to continue one more year.
"Looking back, the way the game was going, I'd say if I had it back now I would have gone again," Ó Sé said. "But at the time I kind of had my fill of it. My back was giving in a small bit.
"I'm happy with the decision I made, I had a great career, but if had I it back now I probably would have gone on."
"The fact they won in 2014 as well, but at the time it didn't look like that. It didn't look like that at the end of April either when they were hockeyed by Cork, but that's the way it goes."
"I decided throughout that (2013) season that I'd have one last whack, like. We lost to Dublin in 2011, in 2012 we lost to Donegal and 2013, even though the Dubs were hot favourites, we knew we were going to rattle them.
"I knew straight after the game. It wasn't that my time was up, I suppose I felt I didn't want to do it anymore, like. I couldn't give the same that I was giving. I had been thinking about it for a while. I decided after 2012 I'd give it another go, gave it a great shot and finishing in one of the best games every played."
His former team-mate Kieran Donaghy was another who hung up his boots, but Ó Sé believes 'The Star' could have had more to offer.
Ó Sé said: "Maybe it's the fact the mark is coming in now - could have used him a good bit!
"He's a big man, a big unit, but he minds himself. He's been playing basketball during the off-season. It's the energy he brings to the dressing room. The younger lads would be looking at him and they'd be in awe of him I would say. It's a huge step up for these minors and U21s to enter a senior dressing room.
"Donaghy was the kind of guy you want inside in a dressing room. And from that aspect, as well as playing because nobody can say he didn't have an impact on the field of play this year. I think he could have gone on for another year."
There is an air of change around Kerry football for 2019, with Peter Keane coming in as manager. Ó Sé is optimistic about Keane's reign.
"I think Maurice Fitz's name was there, Jack O'Connor's name was there, Peter Keane's name was there," says the five-time All-Ireland winner. "But I think a lot of guys were eager to see Peter Keane getting a chance. The fact that he's been so successful at minor level, he's carried a lot of those players through.
"I'd be happy enough with it. I think nowadays it's also the fellas you surround yourself with. I think that's just as important. It's very important obviously to get the manager right, but you have to surround yourself with the right fellas and I think the package he's brought in there is as good as you can get. So I'd be happy enough with it.
"It's a huge job. I think it's a tough job because if you look at it this year, there's a lot of senior lads there that didn't put up their hand. You've a lot of younger lads. I think his biggest test now is to blend that and get them playing to a level capable of contesting. That's what his big test is.
"They might put out the story that there's no pressure on them, but there will always be pressure there. There'll be pressure on the fact that these younger lads who've performed so brilliantly this year are a year down the line. Will there be another couple of lads to come through? Will the senior lads step up again? So there'll always be pressure no matter what."
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