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"At the end of the day, I want guys to be happy" Ephie Fitzgerald on managing Waterford

"At the end of the day, I want guys to be happy" Ephie Fitzgerald on managing Waterford

Waterford football manager Ephie Fitzgerald looks out for his players on the field and off the field.

"I have 30 fellas coming into training at night, I don't know what's going on in their day. I would be in contact with them individually and finding out how things are going. If I think a fella is tired, I'd pull him aside and tell him to take the night off. That type of stuff. We have Denis Lordan in this year who is giving us a hand with that side of it, the mental side. It's just being aware of how things are going with fellas personally. The results are one thing but at the end of the day, I want guys to be happy, I want them to enjoy it. It shouldn't be a chore. It's a lifestyle choice to play football with Waterford. It is more difficult to play football than it is to play hurling. We're not kidding ourselves there. The amount of time and commitment that these guys give, it's phenomenal. For very little success. It's not just about the success, it's about building people. I'm there for them if there's an issue. Those things are as important to me as the football side of it."

Listen back to the full interview with Ephie Fitzgerald from Friday's Lár Na Páirce.

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