Kieran Donaghy says that Joe O'Connor, the man who will likely captain the Kerry footballers this season, is an "astute, intelligent guy".
Despite calls from within the Kingdom to change the system, Kerry have persisted with allowing the reigning county champions to nominate the captain.
This season, Kerry champions Austin Stacks have Dylan Casey, Greg Horan, and Jack O'Shea on the Kerry panel along with O'Connor. Though he is not club captain (that was Casey last season), O'Connor is the most experienced of the Stacks group, and is expected to be ratified at a county board meeting on Monday.
Kieran Donaghy on expected Kerry captain
"He's one of the best," Stacks teammate Kieran Donaghy told 2FM's Game On.
"A really, really strong character. We were blessed with the choices we had as a captain this year, with the likes of Greg Horan and Dylan Casey there as well.
"Joe's willingness to learn is hugely admirable. After every game he'd come to me with clips of what he could have done or what we could do as a team. He'd talk through them and he's a very astute, intelligent guy. He's incredibly fit and strong.
30 May 2021; Joe O'Connor of Kerry celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Allianz Football League Division 1 South Round 3 against at Dr Hyde Park. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Donaghy continued: "So Kerry have got a good one to lead them this year. He was there too last year, so he knows the group. The group like him.
"When he got the goal against Roscommon in the last league game up there, you could see the amount of players that ran towards him, particularly Tommy Walsh who would be from the rival club in the town but sees the huge qualities that Joe has as a player and a leader.
"Through his work this year for the club, and how good he was for us in the club championship, he's now getting a huge honour in captaining Kerry."
Picture credits: Sportsfile
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