Wexford's new football manager John Hegarty says there can be better days ahead for the Model County

John Hegarty has played his part in helping Wexford football up through the ranks before.

Having starred for the county in a playing career spanning from 1995 to 1997, the Kilanerin man aided the Yellowbellies from Division 4 to Division 1 in the National League, and they reached the top tier final in 2005.

That trajectory culminated in the Model County reaching an All-Ireland semi-final in 2008, but since then they have regressed down the pecking order.

Hegarty now succeeds Shane Roche in the job, looking to get football in the south-east back on an upward trajectory. But he knows that any progress will take time.

"My starting point is I'd like to see Wexford football return to a place where there's a little bit more pride in it, and that kids aspire to play with the Wexford footballers," he tells Sky Sports.

"At times in the past, that has been the case and there have been very good days for Wexford football. But in recent times, lots of people don't consider it being an option and the hurling has been the primary draw.

"I'd like to see Wexford football back with a good following, kids looking forward and aspiring to play for the Wexford footballers, and if you get that, then I think results will come after that.

"The Tailteann Cup is an ideal competition for lots of teams. There's loads of teams that will aspire to higher levels, and that gives them something else tangible along the way to get there. But for me first of all, we need to get things right within Wexford football, and get it moving in the right direction. And then we can talk about what competitions we're targeting and so on."

And he is looking to pick up from where out-going boss Shan Roche left off:

"Shane took over in very difficult circumstances when Paul Galvin left mid-season, and he did a really good job with bringing on lots of young players, giving them experience and sticking with them. I think the players deserve credit because they bought into what he was saying, and the set-up that he had.

"While he had some great results in the Leinster Championship, and was very unlucky to be in the promotion shake-up, I think the work that he has done over the last couple of years certainly something I hope will pay dividends. And the experience that the lads have, something that certainly can be built on."

'It wasn't on my radar'

Having led Shelmaliers to a county title in 2021, Hegarty wasn't expecting to be launched into intercounty management. But he felt duty-bound to answer his county's call.

"I thought Shane had things moving in the right direction," he said. "I thought he had most of the players in the county buying into with him, and I thought he was going to stay on. So was it something that was on my radar? No, not really.

"I was happy I was involved in U11 training teams, and senior adult training teams. It wasn't on my radar. And then when Shane decided he was going to leave it, I was approached.

"I would have played with Wexford for 10 or 12 years...When you've committed that much of your time to something, you feel you'd still like to contribute something again."

If the players [buy in], I think there are better days ahead for Wexford football.

He has full belief that if there is commitment around the county, results will follow.

"I do [have faith] but the crucial part of that is the buy-in of the players, because ultimately while a management can set a culture and have the right people in place, ultimately it's players who dictate what happens," he outlined.

"I would certainly think that Shane had lots of players heading in the right direction, good age profile, ambitious and keen to progress. If the players continue in that vein, then absolutely, I think there are better days ahead for Wexford football."

Dublin defeat

Wexford have encountered Leinster's great oppressors Dublin over the past two years in the province, falling to a 1-24 to 0-4 defeat at the hands of the Delaney Cup holders in 2022.

But Hegarty is adamant that they are capable of giving a better account of themselves in the future.

"You can look at the Dublin result and it was really disappointing. Did it do anything for football in Wexford? Absolutely not," he said.

"But go back 12 months before that, when Dublin were in Wexford Park. They put in a really credible performance. They lost by eight points. But it was competitive the whole way through.

"You can look at this year's result and say 'that's shocking', but I think Dublin were coming down stung from the year before, where they had a win in Wexford Park, but it was anything but comfortable.

"So it's not as straightforward as saying 'Wexford were hammered by Dublin so they shouldn't be in the same competition'. Certainly not.

"In my playing days, I would have gone from a time when Wexford were bottom of Division 4 and over a period of probably a decade, they went from there to regularly being in Division 1 and getting to a Division 1 final where Armagh beat us. But they beat us after we had beaten them earlier in the year.

"I've seen both sides. I've seen what it's like playing in Division 4 and getting beaten, but I've also seen what it's like to play Division 1 football and be winning. I'm not saying it's a straightforward path. But with good buy-in, the right set-up and time - you do need to give it time as well - it is possible for teams to aspire to progress up the levels."

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And Hegarty, who remains manager of Shelmaliers as they bid to defend their county title this season, is eager to get down to work.

While re-iterating that Rome was not built in a day, he says that promotion out of Division 4 should be a short-term target.

"For any progress to be made, you need to be looking to get promoted from Division 4. Then you can re-assess and re-align what your targets are. But that's got to be the first one," he detailed.

"And it's very easy to say that, because you can speak to any other manager in Division 4 and they will tell you how important it is for them as well. And you can go back to the Wexford managers in the couple of years, and they'll tell you that as well. So it's not a straightforward job to get out of Division 4. There's a lot of competitive teams there at the same level, in tough conditions and it's small margins. But that has got to be the first step."