"Waterford need to forget about winning All-Irelands" - Ryan | WLRFM.com

Former Waterford senior hurling manager Michael Ryan says it's time for the county to forget about winning All-Irelands and revert the focus back to bringing the joy into the game.

Ryan was speaking on the appointment of former Passage, Roanmore and Abbeyside manager Michael Ryan as the new Waterford senior hurling manager.

Queally was ratified on a two-year-term on Friday last, with Dan Shanahan and Tipperary's Eoin Kelly forming part of the backroom team alongside Ballygunner's Shane O'Sullivan as a performance analyst.

Ryan says the focus for Queally and his management team should be relatively straightforward.

"I think we need to forget about winning All Irelands. I mean from the manager's point of view, that's kind of like a milestone around our necks since 1959. You need to forget about that. I think from the manager's point of view now, the test and the task will be to try and get the best out of the players. Pick the best players, obviously, and get the best out of the players - and above all, get them to enjoy the game because the enjoyment seems to be gone out of the game now. Everybody's so immersed in all the hard work that goes in and dietary stuff and all that. All that is important - don't get me wrong. I mean, it's almost a sin to have a cut of toast. The whole thing is gone almost out of proportion. So to get the best out of the players, pick the best team, find a system that suits them, and seriously involve Eoin Kelly and Dan."

Waterford failed to qualify out of Munster last season having beaten Cork and drawn with Tipperary - while they lost out to Clare and Limerick. They were also relegated to Division 2 of the Allianz National Hurling League, but former Fourmilewater boss Ryan says that may potentially be a positive thing for the new management team.

"I'm not worried about playing in Division 2 next year because that might give the management team a chance to try a few things that they couldn't really try in Division 1. Let's all go together and let the whole county go behind him and back him. I've noticed this myself as a Waterford manager, the Waterford guy coming into the job seems to get a lot of unnecessary flack. He doesn't seem to get the same backing as the outsiders. I hope that the county board and the clubs and the supporters, everybody will get behind this management team because I think it's a really good appointment."

Speaking on the appointment of Queally, Ryan welcomed the news and thinks it is a positive development for the future of the game in the Deise.

"I think he's a really good appointment. I mean he's served his time as a player and as a coach and a manager. I think he'd probably be a unifying force as well. I'd like to think that all the Waterford supporters would get behind him because that needs to happen now. The big thing about him is he'll be very familiar with the players coming in now because he's been there for the last two years. He'll know the pros and cons. I think he's an honest and good guy and he's got a very good management team with him. I'd be expecting good things from Eoin Kelly and Dan Shanahan as well. So overall, I think it's a really good package."

15 January 2023; Waterford selector Peter Queally before the Co-Op Superstores Munster Hurling League Group 1 match between Clare and Waterford at Cusack Park in Ennis, Clare. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

From a tactical point of view, Ryan believes Queally and his staff are the right men to bring Waterford forward - and going back to basics might not be a bad thing.

"There'll be no frills. There'll be no magic formulas. He'll recognise what it takes to win. He's a winner all his life, and as a player, he was a tough competitor. He's a fella who wouldn't take a step backwards - and I'd like to think he's learned a lot over the years, but there will be an honesty about his team. I think that's important that we go out and play a bit more Waterford hurling again. I think in a lot of cases right around the country, the game is being overcoached and there's a lot of people looking for a magic formula and there's a million tactics going around. I mean it isn't too long ago we had somebody behind the Waterford goal with an earpiece talking to the keeper and hand signals coming from the sideline. That just doesn't work.

"The manager and coaches' job is to do their work during the week and get the team ready. I think he'll bring that too. The players will respect him as well because he won't take any messing. He's a serious guy and even to speak to him, I know he's a fella who will be putting down markers and he's retired from his job now, so he'll probably have more time on his hands as well."

The addition of Dan Shanahan and Eoin Kelly to the backroom staff is also viewed as a positive development.

"Dan is a top coach, a really good coach. He's down at Bennettsbridge at the moment and speaking to a few fellas, they're mad about him. They realise what he brings to the place. Eoin Kelly has been involved with Waterford for a few years and I haven't seen him much around the place. I managed Eoin Kelly in 2009 with Mullinahone and I've never heard a better or more impressive speaker in the dressing room or a greater motivator. So surely he has a bigger role to play as well. Hopefully, that's going to happen now. Throw in Shane O'Sullivan as well and by enlarge, I think we have a really good package here and a lot to look forward to."