We got the performance and the result says Kildare manager Brian Flanagan after Fermanagh win
Kildare put 2-24 on the board in Cedral St Conleth's Park against Fermanagh on Saturday
He had a long chat with his management team as the chat, the laughter, the feel-good factor filled the players dressing room on the opposite end of the hall.
Brian Flanagan, Kildare manager was a happy camper as he left his closest advisers and headed to the players' area; door closes and the chat began.
Some minutes later, a fair few minutes later and 'Flanno' re-emergers to talk to the local media.
“Happy enough, we wanted to start well; we had a big focus on this game on everything we have done over the last couple of months; the players wanted to win; wanted to start well and the first test was tonight and apart from the result we wanted a performance; we wanted to represent ourselves in the manner we wanted to do going forward in the weeks, months and years ahead and I think the players acquitted themselves very well in that regard.
"The Johnstownbridge man said he felt the 15 that started and the lads that came in off the bench, there was an unbelievable team effort in everything we did; the way we hassled, harried the way we won breaking ball; the we fought for kick-outs, the way we created scores that most pleasing.”
The manager said that in games you need to be challenged; you to get set-backs, the players need to pinned back at times and show that resilience and character; we conceded a goal we would be very disappointed with but our response with Colm Dalton driving on from a break, carries it forward and we get a goal from it; that is the kind of resilience and character we want in our team at all times.”
Commenting on the newer players who played the manager said “they were not just thrown-in, they have done months of hard work and got the jersey on merit; the lads are first-class, a dream to work with; we had three debutants tonight, in Ryan Sinkey, James McGrath and Colm Dalton but we have another ten lads like that in the squad; plus then the senior players, a lovely dynamic that's growing but very much in its infancy but it was very important we got the performance, the result and we now drive on into next week.
"On the new rules, Flanagan said that Kildare's first goal was a direct of a change in rule (the forward mark) so yes, overall very positive, fans want to see high scoring games; not every game will be as high scoring as tonight but there is more space and I think players are enjoying and when players are enjoying they are able to go and represent themselves they way they want and the fans will enjoy it.”
On the pace of the new game the manager said that players nowadays need to be athletes; look at the ground that is being covered particularly by the middle eight or half forward live, there is a really high threshold of fitness to play this and then you try to marry that with the skill-set, the composure, good decision making and the execution up top; we weren't perfect tonight by any means, there are two or three things jumping out at me that we need to improve on and get better at but is is good start and overall we are very happy; it was a big game for us and we got the performance and the result.