Galway's guide forward should come from within

Before we arrive at this weekend’s action, let's reflect on a week of departures.

Henry is gone from Galway and that's probably the best call for all involved. I was there for the game against Dublin this year and things just did not look or feel right.

I still strongly believe in the potential and class that lies in that Galway dressing room but I also believe that the man to guide them must be from the county.

Outside managers have not worked for Galway. Ger Loughnane, Shane O’Neill and now Henry - all brilliant managers at club or county level but they just could not get things to tick when it came to Galway.

Now look at their best success. It's been with born and bred Galway men at the helm: Cyril Farrell and Micheál Donoghue and, to be fair to him, Anthony Cunningham who nearly led them to the promised land in 2012 and 2015.

Whoever Galway appoint they will have to make sure he gets the culture, understands the clubs where these guys are coming from, how to get the best out of them, whether that’s an arm around the shoulder or a kick up the arse.

The man-management will be key and also to try and bring that steel and physicality we regularly see in the Galway club championship games into the inter-county setup.

For Galway to win they must choose Galway to guide them.

Down in the south east, Davy Fitzgerald has departed and I think the solution to this conundrum is similar in terms of Waterford being led by a Waterford man for them to maximise their potential in 2025 and beyond.

Austin Gleeson will be back and revitalised, the younger guns have shown great promise and after their best round-robin campaign ever this year the connect between team and supporters is strong once again.

So why did Davy leave? I find it hard to