ASIWYFA Cody

And So I Watch You From Afar Cody. I thought I'd solve that puzzle for my many, many readers right away. ASIWYFA are a four-piece instrumental rock band from Belfast. Rory Friers, Tony Wright, Johnny Adger and Chris Wee make the sound. Not a Cody (Christian name or surname) in sight. So who is this Cody fella?

A groupie? Former band member? No. None of those. Cody, Brian Cody, is the most successful hurling manager of all time. He's not in the band because he doesn't have the time. Kilkenny don't afford him the time.

He's too busy plotting the downfall of the likes of Tipperary, Waterford, Cork, Dublin, Limerick and Galway to be in a studio mixing a new album, travelling in the back of a van to festivals or doing inane interviews on local radio stations. Way too busy!

Cody may be from 'The Village' but that only furthered his desire to see towns and cities all over Ireland. The bigger picture is always what it's about with Cody. Wanting more and knowing how to get it. Never being satisfied. Striving for greatness.

The former-full back is in his 12th season in charge of the stickmen from the Marble City and in that time he has delivered eight All-Ireland senior hurling titles, nearly too many provincial titles to count and a handful of National League titles - not bad for a man who was initially appointed for a two-year term.

Just a couple of days ago Cody referred to hurling as the 'game of all games' and urged the powers that be to stop tinkering with the sport he loves. If anyone in the GAA deserved his voice to be heard its the James Stephens clubman. Under Cody's guidance Kilkenny have made hurling the 'game of all games', a game for men, played by 'savages'. If you're not a 'savage' forget about it. Just ask Tipperary.

The bainisteoir to beat all bainisteoirs! 

The Premier County went into last Sunday's hurling showdown as favourites but they were eaten alive in the first 15 minutes. Eaten alive by savages. Cody's savages. God knows what is said in the Kilkenny dressing room before a game, at half-time, full-time and at training sessions throughout the year. I'd venture it's not for the fainthearted.

I've watched Cody from afar for many years now and I watched him again on Sunday. I watched him and I could only admire him and envy him. Cody pucked every ball last Sunday, his rosy red cheeks like two beacons at a dangerous crossing. You don't cross Cody. Do and you'll get hurt.

This time last year Tipperary sat at hurling's top table. They took great joy out of ending Kilkenny's 'drive for five' and in the process brought Liam McCarthy back to the Premier County for the first time in a decade.

Liam Sheedy was the mastermind behind it all. Sheedy, of pale (ish) Portroe complexion, was exciteable on the sideline. Jumping around like a randy bull in an empty field, running as if something in his vicinity was on fire and gesturing wildly were all part of his make-up. Players see these things and know you care. They know you are with them. That you would love to be out there if your time hadn't passed.

Both bosses were involved in a bit of jostling on the sideline during a National League game in March of last year. They laughed it off at the time but it showed that, even then, no quarter was going to be asked or given if the two sides met later on in the year. It came to pass.

Declan Ryan, a man who gave great service to Tipperary as a player, succeeded Sheedy as top dog. Not prone to flambuoyance on the field, Ryan is a measured chief. I watched him on Sunday too - most of the time through my fingers. A rookie manager at senior level, that's a given, but he and his selectors looked like they wanted to be anywhere but on the Hogan Stand sideline last Sunday as the Cats put the suggestion that they are not the greatest team of all-time well and truly to bed.

Cody. That's where he was born to be. He loves it. He lives it. He wants it. Still wants it after all these years. Kilkenny still want it too. Is it greed? No, it's more than that.

I can understand how Kilkenny people have such respect and admiration for Cody, who is an absolute gentleman and a consummate professional. Marty Morrissey, the runt of a poor litter of GAA commentators in RTE at present, found this out the hard way following the 2009 hurling decider when he attempted to take the gloss off Kilkenny's famous win by trying to draw Cody on whether or not Diarmuid Kirwan's decision to award a penalty late on in what was a classic final was dodgy. Marty, Marty, Marty....!

In that same interview Cody said the team was built on 'spirit'... Cody is that 'spirit' and lets hope he and his legendary 30-piece group haunt teams up and down the country for some time to come.

WYFAWDMF Cody. Watching You From Afar Will Do Me Fine.

Thanks Brian.