Eamonn Fitzmaurice will stay on as Kerry manager for 2016, confirmed Kerry County Board chairman Patrick O’Sullivan this evening.
Fitzmaurice’s initial three-year term concluded with yesterday’s All-Ireland final defeat to Dublin, with the Lixnaw-native remaining coy about his future.
However O’Sullivan made the announcement that the 2014 All-Ireland-winning manager will remain on at the team’s homecoming in Tralee this evening.
His management team of Mikey Sheehy, Diarmuid Murphy and trainer Cian O’Neill will also stay in their current roles.
Fitzmaurice also hopes that most of his squad will delay any potential retirements and seek to regain Sam Maguire next year.
“Physically, there’s no reason that they can’t continue,” he told the Irish Examiner. “They’re all in tremendous shape. It’s whether, with regard to where they’re at in their lives and lifestyles, if they’re willing to make the sacrifices and if that hunger is there.
“Often times losing an All-Ireland final is the thing that gives that hunger a huge edge again. I would hope that most of them would stay on.”
Kerry GAA Chairman Patrick O'Sullivan confirms in Tralee tonight that Eamonn Fitzmaurice and his management team are staying on next year.
— Tony Leen (@tonyleen) September 21, 2015