Brian Cody has been ratified as the Kilkenny senior hurling manager for a 19th year.
The deal was announced on Monday night by the Kilkenny County Board. Cody will be joined in his backroom team by selectors Michael Dempsey, James McGarry and Derek Lyng.
Cody will look to 2017 as an opportunity to regain the Liam McCarthy Cup. Earlier this year, his team lost by nine points to Tipperary in the final.
Since taking charge of the team, Cody has won 11 All-Ireland titles, and 15 Leinster Senior Championships. In 2003, he was named the Phillips Sports Manager of the Year. Five years later, the primary school Principal was given the Freedom of Kilkenny City.
Brian Cody and Management Team ratified again for 2017 at County Board Meeting this evening. pic.twitter.com/1rKcxqYwik
— Kilkenny GAA (@KilkennyCLG) November 14, 2016
Five-time All-Ireland winning goalkeeper David Herity has worked with Cody, and told Newstalk Breakfast that the news has gone down well with Kilkenny's fans.
"The main thing that the Kilkenny supporters would have wanted was Cody and the backroom team staying on board."
Herity feels that Cody is already planning to bring players into the squad ahead of next season, from watching club games.
"Since the defeat [to Tipperary], he will have spent the four months identifying ways and means or how they lost that final... He will have gone out during the club championship and identify one position... and try and find his man."
The Dunnamaggin shot-stopper expects to see plenty of changes ahead of next year's league campaign, as Cody looks to rebuild another Kilkenny team.
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