Most managers would be lamenting the retirement of five of their most prolific All-Ireland winners in the one go. Or at least feel a little uneasy about entering into an Allianz League title defence without another eight players through injury or club commitments.

But not Brian Cody. No fear, no obstacle, no romance. The more things change, the more he stays the same.

“I would always have huge confidence in our panel, in our ability to take on the challenge,” says Cody, looking lean and refreshed as he begins season number 17 as Kilkenny hurling manager.

“We are going to be down an awful lot of players when we play Cork on Saturday night. That’s fine and not something I would ever complain about. Because I’m never confident about the season. I would always say the challenge is there.”

Yet that challenge, Cody later admits, is unlike anything he’s faced before: speaking in Nowlan Park, it is impossible to avoid some sense of loss, if not sadness, at the retirement of JJ Delaney, Tommy Walsh, Brian Hogan, David Herity and Aidan Fogarty.

“Obviously it’s going to be very different dressing room this year. We’ve lost a huge amount of experience, great players. There’s an inevitability to that, the reality of sport, and naturally a sadness as well.

“People can say we only lost JJ, of the starters for the All-Ireland replay, but it only takes one or two injuries and suddenly all those players are crucially important. I’ve said many times before that to me Tommy was the game of hurling. Nobody epitomises it to me more than Tommy Walsh ever did. He was just outstanding, in every aspect. Brian Hogan also gave massive service as a centre back. Aidan Fogarty was man of the match in the 2006 All-Ireland final, and David Herity as a goalkeeper as well gave terrific service.

Wisdom and leadership “Even in the dressing room, their experience, wisdom, leadership, all of that is massive. But that’s the way it works, and we have seen in previous years as well, great players come and great players go, and the challenge is still there.

”

Kilkenny will also face Cork without the Ballyhale Shamrocks contingent (Colin and Michael Fennelly, TJ Reid, Henry Shefflin, and 2015 captain Joey Holden), while the injury list includes Richie Power, plus John Power and Eoin Larkin.

There was also the tragic death last month, in a farming accident, of Johnny Ryan, father of their All-Ireland winning captain Lester, which meant Kilkenny withdrew from the Walsh Cup. Saturday's game, therefore, will be their first outing since the All-Ireland replay win over Tipperary last September.

Not that any of this has left Cody questioning his decision to continue for another season. Nothing about the player retirements influenced his decision, or indeed any sentiment that after winning a 10th All-Ireland he might walk away on a high.

“Some careers end naturally and some end through injury, but all the lads were very fortunate that they were able to decide themselves, that they weren’t forced out of the game. But I don’t ponder over whether it it’s going to happen or not. Every career lasts a certain length of time and for some, it lasts longer than others.

Bow out

“And I’m not looking for a perfect time to bow out. If that was in my head or my motivation, I probably had a few opportunities to do that. I’m just doing the job, a responsible job as the Kilkenny hurling manager, and I have decided I will take on the challenge again. I won’t look upon the winning or losing of anything as a reason to stop.”

In some ways then Cody is almost starting all over again, after experiencing the largest shift in personnel in his previous 16 seasons as manager. The challenge will always be about finding the right players for the challenge.

“Well, we’re going down to Cork and it will certainly be a team that won’t look very familiar to a lot of people. I’m not even sure what it’s going to be yet. Any player within the panel needs to feel that an opportunity needs to be given there and that’s what’s going to happen.

Conveyor belt

“But I never felt the conveyor belt existed. It’s a thing that was thrown out there. We’ve always spoken about our panel and players came in there over the years that in many people’s eyes were not destined to become serious players, but they turned out to be serious players.

“He doesn’t have to be the absolute full package but he can develop as a team player, and he can find out exactly what he has to offer. The fundamentals that we require are there with all the players.”