He would be a serious addition to Sky or RTE
It’s barely a month since Henry Shefflin retired and the 10-time All-Ireland winner is already itching to get back on our telly.
The hurling legend quit the inter-county game in March, but has admitted that he may be tempted by some media work to fill his summers now that he won’t be involved in the Kilkenny senior set up anymore.
The Ballyhale Shamrocks clubman is among the most high-profile hurlers in the country, and would be seen as ideal eye candy for hurling fans if he was to become a pundit on television for Sky Sports or RTE.
Speaking to GAA.ie at the launch of the renewal of a sponsorship agreement between Kellogg’s and the GAA’s Cúl Camps, the multiple All Star admitted that media work interests him and he is pursing a number of enquiries for his services.
‘It’s only happened in the last week or so, so I’m only in talks at the minute, just to see what the options are.’
‘I’ve spoken to companies but that’s been it. I’m my own person. I make my own decisions. You’d have a sense for it. I think it’s just what I want to do myself more than anything else.’
‘I have nothing pinned down, but I imagine I will be doing some work. I was asked would I like to do a bit of work and I would, but it’s only happened in the last few days and I am looking at one or two options and seeing what best suits me.’
Shefflin was among a number of high profile Kilkenny hurlers who decided that the time was right to quit the inter-country scene after helping the county to their 35th All-Ireland title last September.
But he admits that he might find it somewhat awkward to criticise his former colleagues in the public eye.
‘I imagine the Kilkenny thing would be very difficult. It’s analysis for me and that’s what I would like to, I am a big critic of myself and my own performances, but you know me if the lads have bad performances, that’s the way it goes. It would be a bit difficult obviously with Kilkenny, especially this year.’
Shefflin also admits that he has had no second thoughts about his retirement since announcing his decision to quit after a glorious inter county career on the 11th of March in a blaze of media publicity.
The former hurler of the year also added that he has no regrets about not being involved in Kilkenny’s preparations for this summer’s Championship.
‘I can answer that one straight off: no, not one moment. I’m sure during the summer I’ll think that when the big matches are on, ‘Jesus, I’d love to be there.’ But I don’t think ‘should I have stayed?’ That’s not in my mentality.’
‘Every so often we’d mention it at home and the conversation was ‘you were right to go, it was the right time’. That honestly has popped up in conversation every so often. It was the right time.’
