Waterford manager Derek McGrath says his team's sense of spirit is more important than their much talked about system.

And he believes the key to fostering it was his at the time controversial decision to cut a number of experienced players from the panel at the end of 2014 and promote a new generation of Waterford hurlers.

“I think it changed with the changing of the guard in terms of panel," he said. "I don’t mean that with any disrespect to the players who were no longer there. I think there was a sense of apathy in Waterford in the sense that everyone just has to be relentless in their approach for what we are trying to do. Everyone has to just buy into it. That was certainly the case.

“Look, you listen to the aftermath of the Roy Hodgson resignation on every media feed, every programme they were talking about (English players) not being technically adept enough. Damien Duff made a point on the panel that it was about spirit, about old fashioned values that are evident in every team, that are more evident in Tipperary or Kilkenny. That hard resilience, that determination.

“No one else was talking about the sense of spirit that a team should have. To me those things out-weigh any talk of systems or sweepers. Sometimes that gets lost – the human element of what it takes for the
lads to put everything into something. Albeit you need some strategy to accompany that and people will point to formations and that.

"But for us it started with the changing of the panel and the lads deciding they were just going to give it everything for the period we were involved. There is a solace in being able to look back and see you gave it everything you have. It dissipates away if you have given everything you have. There is no real shame in that.”

McGrath's appetite for work and dedication to the cause is famous. He believes he has to set the example in order for the players to then emulate the same work ethic themselves.

“It manifests itself in the management working harder than the players initially to impart that drive, if you like," said McGrath. "Once the belief is there from the players it becomes a 50-50 situation or 60-40 from management to players. It’s not a case of the players implementing strategies, the management still retain control, the players have an input and that becomes more evident over the last two years. It’s about constantly challenging yourself to be better every time you go out.”