“I wouldn’t have any worries about them” | Billy Lee’s final interview as Limerick football manager hints at bright future

Earlier today, Billy Lee stepped down as manager of the Limerick Senior Football team.

For the first time since late 2016, Limerick are on the search for a new football manager. Back then, Billy Lee was chosen as the man to replace John Brudair.

Limerick had just been relegated to the bottom tier and things got off to a poor start as Limerick fell in their first three League games of 2017.

Just one victory followed in the league campaigns of 2018 and ’19 combined with Limerick at a low ebb.

In the midst of the run, Lee was turned down by 53 players with more issues in the background.

But a win followed in Semple Stadium against Tipperary in the Munster Championship quarter-final, Limerick’s first in seven years.

Since then it has been largely positive for Lee and co with a pair of promotions to go along with a McGrath Cup success and a Munster final place earlier this year.

With the announcement today that the Newcastle West man is stepping away after six seasons, his words in the aftermath of the loss to Cork, his final game in charge, ring louder than ever as he praised the work of his squad during some troublesome times.

“I think that we were 31st or 30th from Division 4 and what these lads did in the two summers, you’ve to have serious character to do that and we mightn’t ever win All-Ireland’s but I can tell you there isn’t a team in the country that could’ve done what these guys did.”

“It was easier to walk away maybe but these guys stuck at it and the fruits of their labour they’ve had a good year this year and we had a good year last year and maybe the year before but as an organisation we want to keep challenging ourselves and move upwards and stay upwards as we go along but we’ve a lot of work to do as a county.

“These lads will go at it again and I wouldn’t have any worries about them but we’ve to find a bit more improvement we’re gone from Division 4 to Division 3 we’re heading to Division 2 and you’re playing games against the calibre of Cork week in week out”

Please accept YouTube cookies to play this video. By accepting you will be accessing content from YouTube, a service provided by an external third party.

YouTube privacy policy

If you accept this notice, your choice will be saved and the page will refresh.

Accept YouTube Content

Despite defeat to Cork, the 2022 season was full of positives for the county with Division 2 football secured for the first time since 2007. The lengthy wait for a Munster final was also ended.

2023 will bring its own challenges and further improvement will be needed but speaking in the wake of the loss to Cork, Lee was hopeful in the squads ability to find more answers.

“There’s definitely depth in the squad in terms of competition but it’s trying to keep them happy is the problem. Look, historically the Limerick football jersey doesn’t hold fellas and everyone needs to realise that there’s serious effort being put in by county players up and down and into the country and everyone sees the team going well or not so well but there’s nineteen fellas behind the scenes that mightn’t be playing not given time and they can’t be forgotten in it, I’m always conscious of that.

“So look you’d be really happy with the squad, there’s no question about that. You’d be looking to add to it and bring it another step and challenge the lads to challenge themselves and all that kind of stuff so, we’ll see.”

Limerick won’t have Lee on the sideline when they begin life in the second division in January, but his mark will be keenly felt as he has transformed the fortunes of an entire county.