An intermediate coach is worried about the staying power of his team: "Once we go behind heads tend to drop. How can I encourage more of the lads to be leaders on the field and show more composure?

Jason Ryan's Wexford have been the footballing story of the summer for many. As well as coming back from the dead against Meath, they collapsed against Dublin in the Leinster final. That they returned from that routing to beat Down and Armagh and run Tyrone close is testament to their leadership and composure.

Ryan told us that the most important thing you must do when behind is stick to your task.

"Make sure you win primary possession from the next two kickouts. When you have the ball, don't surrender it until you've had a shot. Do the simple things well."
But how do encourage your senior players to take more responsibility? Ryan believes you must sit down with them one-to-one. "Give them targets. First though you must find out how they can be best used. Ask them: 'What's your ideal role?' If you can find this out, you'll often find they will do their best work in this role."

With regard to coaching more difficult players, the Dungarvan native reckons this is an area where you can kill two birds with one stone.

"Instead of the onus always being on the manager, get your senior players on board and give them one or two players each to look out for; get on the phone to them and make sure they are ok for a lift to training – little things like that.

"That is also good for the younger players: they are not always listening to the manager on the phone. This time it's a different voice, and it's one of their teammates. One of their teammates they will be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with when the heat rises."

And when eventually the championship season ends, as it has for Wexford, this is the time to evaluate what the management team can improve upon for next year.

"It depends what level of the game you are at. But you look at things like training sessions, training gear, nutrition, dealing with the media, psychologists, DVD men and all the other aspects of what went on during the season."

Doesn't leave much time for oneself then?

"It takes over your life," says the PE teacher, as his volleyball class echoes in the background. 

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