As Brian Cody strives to win his 12th All-Ireland title as manager of Kilkenny, Tommy Walsh presented his understanding of a man who's exacted a significant hold over his life.
Five-years removed from inter-county hurling, if not for his work in the media, Tommy Walsh's civilian relationship with Brian Cody may have blossomed.
"He definitely won't talk to me now," joked Walsh on Friday's OTB AM.
After spending the entirety of his Kilkenny years under the management of Cody, Walsh, who won nine All-Ireland titles in that time, possesses an understandably positive outlook of the James Stephens club man.
In his 20th year and showing no signs of slowing up, Walsh speculated upon what it is that keeps Brian Cody going.
"Some guys like to go out on top, win the All-Ireland and go," he explained with a nod to Tipperary's Liam Sheedy, "but Brian Cody only has one ambition, and that's to be involved in the game first and foremost.
"He's there because he just loves being there.
"In 2015, he won an All-Ireland that no-one thought we would win. People thought that that was the time for Cody to go.
"I'd say he had a chat with himself and his wife Elsie and thought if I go now where do I get the buzz from next?"
Four-years on, a lesser fancied Kilkenny side than perhaps any in Cody's time are back in an All-Ireland final.
If a love of the game is sufficient justification for Cody's longevity, one may struggle to quantify the breadth of his obsession.
A former Kilkenny captain and three-time All-Ireland winner, it is in Brian Cody's playing career that Walsh identified a longing left unfulfilled, nevertheless.
"This guy had a very successful career as a hurler," explained Walsh.
"He had some bad injuries with his knees and finished up earlier than he would have wanted to. I'd say he'd loved to have stayed hurling into his 40s, but the injuries stopped that.
"He would have gotten great joy out of his own career, but once it's over it's over.
"Like, what joy do you get out of people saying you were a great hurler? There's no joy in that.
"The excitement you feel before a match is gone. I'd say when he became a manager he quickly realised this."
Constantly adapting to the demands of management at inter-county level across the past two decades, forging a personal relationship with Cody beyond hurling poses certain difficulties.
"I know he's a tough man and that, but he loves the craic, loves laughing and joking," admitted Walsh.
"You'll see that side of him from after the All-Ireland final until Christmas, but at the back of his mind though, he's got to have that authority."
If you want to listen to Tommy Walsh's interview in full, click here.
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