'Get rid of them lads' - multiple All-Ireland winner takes aim at Kilkenny selectors

Former All-Ireland winning captain, Andy Comerford has taken aim at the conduct of Kilkenny's selectors in the wake of the county's heavy loss to Galway in the Allianz Hurling League last Saturday night. - FULL INTERVIEW HERE

The 18 point defeat was the county's largest since losing to Wexford in the 1954 Leinster senior hurling semi-final.

Comerford, who captained Kilkenny to All-Ireland glory in 2002 said he was "disgusted" by the Cats' performance in Salthill, claiming the "leadership on the field is absolutely terrible."

Another aspect that angered the O'Loughlin Gaels clubman was the selectors' constant dialogue with Derek Lyng throughout the match.

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"These lads have to start earning their crust. There's four lads around Derek Lyng. Derek, take a bit of advice. Get rid of them lads away from you," he told Community Radio Kilkenny City's (CRKC) TC Tyres World of Gaelic Games.

"The great man (Brian Cody) had three lads sitting on the bench and he called them when he wanted to know something. They came with information. They collated the data sitting on the bench, not coming over and whispering in your ear and constantly in his ear.

"This management gig is f*****g hard enough for Derek Lyng without a lad in his ear the whole time saying, ‘Oh change this, change that, change this, change that’. Another lad coming down from the stand, another lad coming. I witnessed the whole thing," he continued.

The ex-midfielder went on to critique the underperforming forward line and question the input of the 'outside coaches' following the appointments of non-Kilkenny natives Niall Corcoran and Timmy Holohan at the beginning of the season.

"These coaches that are coming in from other counties. We have enough of lads. Derek Lyng, Eddie Brennan and young Rice. They're well able to get it. I'm surprised that Rice and Lyng are not reiterating how important it is to win the throw-in and get the game going and get the ball into the opposition as fast as possible.

"I'm surprised at Eddie Brennan that he's not saying that. First and foremost, the most important thing for a forward is tackling. Stop the man clearing the ball. That was not going on on Saturday.

"Second of all, if we need to bring in a defensive coach, there's loads of lads around the county that know how to defend properly and with aggression and teach these lads inside," he commented, adding, "we're a proud county but we cannot have performances like that and stand back and make it acceptable because if that creeps in we’re in a bad way.”

Listen to the full interview courtesy of CRKC Sport below: