Eddie Brennan was on OTBAM discussing hurling systems and what opposing sides can learn from Davy Fitzgerald and his squad.
While Davy Fitzgerald is seeing great success with Wexford and his system is seeing a lot of praise, Eddie Brennan feels that there are many other elements to their game that make them what they are.
“Much has been made of Davy’s system and so much so that he feels the need to defend it. We know what it is, it’s a hurling system but at the end of the day they execute the basics very well too.”
“Their touch, their ability to get their heads up and find a man in a better position is really good. Physically I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Wexford team as conditioned and as fit. I think that’s the one thing that's the condition of any Davy set up is that his teams will be fit.”
Brennan thinks that the fitness of Davy’s squad is something that other squads should be looking to emulate in the coming years if they want to be able to compete.
“In a way that’s something that you may hold up on a ledge for the boys to say to the Laois’ of this world ‘ye can if ye buy into it.’”
“You’d definitely say the strength of your squad is something you really need to flesh out over the next year or two if you’re going to be competitive.”
Laois do avail of a structured system as well but Brennan feels it’s a flexible system that can adapt to the game at hand.
“It’s pretty orthodox, it’s working for us and it’s based on being flexible. I think you have to adapt to whatever’s happening. Earlier this year we played Waterford in the league and by the very movements that Waterford made, they gave us an extra man at the back so we had to try and think of how best to utilise that.”
“I think it’s all about being adaptable. If it means that your midfielders have to push into the half-back line just a bit to help out then so be it and create the space up the field.”
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