Laois senior hurling manager and eight time All-Ireland winner Eddie Brennan says that work ethic was the secret to success under Brian Cody in Kilkenny.
Brennan had a successful 2019 with Laois, guiding the O'Moore men to the Joe McDonagh Cup and a shock win over Dublin in the qualifiers.
Those victories guaranteed a place for Laois in the Leinster Championship, but the nature of the competition when it resumes will not become clear until the GAA can get a handle on the inter-county calendar once the coronavirus pandemic subsides.
Graigue-Ballycallan clubman Brennan won his Celtic Crosses with Kilkenny between 2000 and 2011, and he told John Duggan on Off the Ball Saturday that hard graft was the secret to success with the Cats.
"It was the work ethic really and that probably started before that with my parents at home as well. The mother would have always been very much that way that anything worth doing is worth doing well.
"It's a term that's probably bandied around a lot, but Brian Cody puts an absolutely massive value on work ethic and applying yourself. It was the key thing for him with us. A lot of people are very curious to know what his approach is and it couldn't more simple and basic, what he puts a huge value on is the spirit of the group. As he said himself, if somebody is dragging their heels, you just can't have that in a group because everyone is trying to achieve a common goal."
2 September 2007; Eddie Brennan, Kilkenny, celebrates at the final whistle. Guinness All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, Kilkenny v Limerick, Croke Park, Dublin. Picture credit; Matt Browne / SPORTSFILEBrennan says that these are the values he wants his Laois players to sign up to.
"In terms of that, those would be the big learnings I would have brought from Brian's dressing room. He never questioned any of our hurling ability or our hurling at all. Instead it's how just you approach it, it's your attitude and how you apply yourself.
"For me, two words which I always find key in sharing with guys are attitude and application. They will take you a long way in sport and in life as much as anything else really."
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