Brian Flanagan has been ratified as Kildare's new senior football manager on a four-year term.
Flanagan's ratification until the end of the 2028 season was sealed at last night's county board meeting.
The Johnstownbridge clubman will spearhead the new Kildare management along with Aidan O'Rourke - who led his native Armagh to this year's All-Ireland MFC final - and former Lilywhite players Damien Hendy and Daryl Flynn who are all key members of his backroom.
As coach and manager, Flanagan has a reputation for quietly going about his business - with much success.
His impressive CV includes managing Kildare to the 2022 All-Ireland U20 final which they lost against Tyrone.
A year later, he again brought Kildare to the All-Ireland U20 final, this time beating Sligo on the big day.
Flanagan realised the importance of a winning culture in Kildare underage football, and they had some massive days in his two years at the helm of the U20 side.
That included back to back provincial wins in 2022 and 2023 when they defeated Dublin in respective Leinster finals.
Not since the 1966 and '67 had a Kildare team at that level or grade (Under-20 replaced Under 21 in 2018) retained a provincial title.
Flanagan will now call upon his in-depth knowledge of every club in the county and his experience of being heavily involved across underage, junior and senior Lilywhite teams.
He was Kildare junior manager before joining Cian O’Neill’s senior management in 2016.
At club level, he was also involved with Conor Gillespie and Summerhill when they finally made a breakthrough and claimed the Meath SFC title last year. Summerhill had lost Meath finals in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022.
As a player, Flanagan was an ever-present during Kieran McGeeney's six-year reign with Kildare.
He was only 29 when he had to retire, rupturing his cruciate ligament two days after Kildare's 13-point League defeat to Dublin in Croke Park in March 2013.
He underwent two operations, including a complete posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in February, but was advised that his football career was over.
At last night’s county board meeting, Kildare GAA chairman Mick Gorman told delegates that Flanagan "ticks a lot of the boxes" for taking on the role.
After relegation to Division 3 of the NFL and a Leinster semi-final loss which resulted in Tailteann Cup football, time and patience would appear to be the key words now as Flanagan sets about implementing his own structures.
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