TJ Reid believes Henry Shefflin has "the whole package" to be a successful inter-county manager.
Reid admitted that it is a "savage loss" to Ballyhale Shamrocks to lose Shefflin as manager after he guided the club to back to back All-Ireland titles last January.
"A small shock," Reid quipped.
"Henry is very ambitious himself, I’m sure he had other things on his mind - take a year out and see what other opportunities arise."
Including inter-county management?
"He has the whole package for it," acknowledged Reid, who will be back in action with the club in the Kilkenny championship on Friday.
"I don’t know, Henry has to decide that himself. He has everything a manager needs.
"If he does go on to manage a team, you just wish Henry the best of luck. Anything that Henry gets involved in, he’ll do it 110 percent. So I’ve no fear of that."
However Reid feels that the main reason why Shefflin stepped off the carousel early in the year was because he needed a break.
"Look, he’s a busy man," said the 32-year-old. "He went from retiring straight from club hurling straight into management – he hadn’t a break the last 15 or 20 years.
"I think it was just to take a break, enjoy his family time with Deirdre and the five kids as well, and then see what opportunities align for him next year.
"A savage loss. Henry and all the backroom team left, Tommy Shefflin the physical trainer, Richie O’Neill, Paddy Phelan have all stepped aside.
"We had an amazing two years. Fantastic memories, fantastic craic. Winning two club All-Irelands was a dream come through.
"There comes a time when you have to make that tough decision to step aside and let another manager come in and drive things on.
"Henry, I’m sure he has got plenty of phone calls over the last couple of months to take over teams. I’m sure he has things in his head about where he wants to go.
"But being honest, I think he just wanted to take a year out, recharge the batteries, spend some time at home, then take on a different opportunity be it Kilkenny or Waterford or Tipperary.
"I know Henry, for a fact, that he doesn’t like staying idle. He’s very much on the go. Very driven. Has targets, has goals to hit.
"I’m sure, in the next year or two, you probably will see Henry manage or be involved in some team".
*TJ Reid was speaking at the launch of AIB’s new video series that will tell the story of the GAA’s toughest summer. The video series will consist of five webisodes as well as a feature length documentary that will be broadcast on Tuesday 25 August.
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