"It's multi-layered," current Laois manager and former Kilkenny hurler Eddie Brennan told RTÉ 2FM's Game On regarding Waterford's disastrous 2019 Munster Hurling Championship campaign.
The Deise have lost their three opening games on this year's championship under new manager Páraic Fanning, the most recent defeat being Sunday's 20-point capitulation to Limerick.
"There's a lot more than to this, I think, than meets the eye," continued Brennan, who suggested that perhaps there is a group of senior Waterford players who would have preferred someone other than Fanning in charge.
Once you put on the jersey, whether it's club or county, there has to be a sense of taking it to the max.
Sometimes the manager has to be a fit and the setup has to be a fit, I get that. But if you are genuinely interested in being the best that you can be while representing your parish, your family, your club, your county, you have a responsibility. I just think that for me the Waterford players were not at it yesterday. It's disappointing because there is massive potential.
Maybe not too many people are aware of this, I do know that some of the senior Waterford players were looking for Mattie Kenny.
I do know that there was conversations had and for whatever reason, it didn't happen. You just wonder, is that another thing to throw into the mix a little bit?
Pat Ryan of Cork was also in the mix and there were other issues there. The question is, was Paraic Fanning the No 1 guy?
"You do need some input from your senior guys, definitely, but he tail can never wag the dog," added Brennan.
"If a county board are doing their business, they have to consult a few of their senior players, get views. If there's a huge issue there, it has to be dealt with but a player's job is to play.
"It just looks like all is not well in the camp, as a whole, and maybe that's a reflection on the county board, management and players. I don't think you can park the blame at one person's door.
"It would be a catastrophe if a management team came in and were gone within a year. We've seen that doesn't work; starting from scratch, it's a year lost. When Derek McGrath moved on, it was going to have to be someone who thought along similar lines to him, maybe tweak it a little bit."
Picture credit: Sportsfile
