It's tough sharing a border with so many hurling counties. Despite being third in the historical roll of honour, Tipperary has a long-standing reputation of being the one county that everyone loves to hate.
Even in an era of oppressive Kilkenny dominance, Tipp's new manager believes this 'anti-Tipp' mentality still holds.
Anyone who remembers Ger Loughnane and the Clare team of the late 90s and their frenzied rhetoric may have some sense of what he's talking out.
The Galway team of the late 80s were of a similar mindset. Indeed, Tony Keady - perhaps, mythologising his own rationale - contended that he was only persuaded to play for 'Laois' in that fateful game in New York because he saw the Tipperary jerseys lining out on the other side.
Kilkenny, meanwhile, appear to get more satisfaction from beating Tipp than any other county. John Mulhall did after all coin the line 'Tipperary, póg ma thoin' following the 2011 All-Ireland hurling final.
In an interview with Jackie Cahill for the Irish Examiner, Ryan, while dismissing claims of arrogance, asserted that the rest of the country still relished beating Tipp more than an
I look at the record sheet and we’re coming in third in terms of overall success and yet I’d say we are probably the biggest target.
There’s an accusation that Tipp are arrogant. Being honest, I think it’s barstool stuff and I certainly hope nothing about me has ever come across as arrogant or any team we represent comes across arrogantly because I can tell you for sure, none of these guys are arrogant or think anything beyond that they’re blessed to have an opportunity to play.
Since 2011, Tipp's dainty, swaggering, and exceptionally stylish team has often been pipped in tight finishes. At a press conference in Croke Park last month, Seamus Callanan suggested that Ryan was attempting to inject more physicality into their make-up. Perhaps, as part of this hardening effort, a Tyrone style 'no one likes us, we don't care' siege mentality could be an added asset.
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