The ex-Kerry manager resigned himself this year to the fact that some supporters will “never be happy”. The persistent negativity around his young squad this summer wasn’t right and “I wasn’t happy with it,” Fitzmaurice told his former colleague Dara Ó Cinnéide in a Raidió na Gaeltachta interview.

“Watching (the younger lads), they were brilliant and they’d give anyone a boost. But I felt, after the (Super 8) match with Galway, there was a lot of negativity. I didn’t really notice at first, but then it started leaking into the camp and in my direction.

“People were saying to me, did you hear what this person said and so on ... I didn’t think that was good for the young players who are doing their best to improve and move forward. And because I had been there for a good few years, and we hadn’t won the All-Ireland in four years, I got a lot of criticism for that.”

“I understand that and it doesn’t bother me, that’s part of the job. That criticism is never as bad as our own criticism (of ourselves), particularly within the management. But it wasn’t right, and I wasn’t happy with it. We have to get better on that as a county. Look at Monaghan, they are always behind their team.”

Fitzmaurice stressed in the RnaG interview that he did not wish the manner of his departure to characterise his six years in charge. In fact, he admitted he might have said too much after announcing his resignation because it could overshadow the pure enjoyment he has experienced since 2013.

“I might have said too much when I was leaving because a lot of people came up to me and they were angry and sad for me, and that’s not the message I wanted to send out, because I got incredible enjoyment from the job. I enjoyed the six years managing as much as I enjoyed the years I spent playing, and that All-Ireland in 2014 is every bit as special as any medal I won as a player. I had a great time, and I think I’m stronger, and I’ve developed as a person.”

He also stressed that the level of support from the majority of Kerry fans humbled him at times.

“I remember a few years ago, we had lost four games in a row in the league. One of them was in Ballybofey in Donegal, and there was snow in the air, and when we came out of the match the supporters were there waiting for us, and they clapped each of the players onto the bus. I’ll never forget that, and I was ashamed.

“Those people were giving us great support, and we were giving them nothing back that day.

“(But) in Kerry, people expect a lot all the time ... It doesn’t matter if you ask them to be patient, they want the All-Ireland, it’s as simple as that. And if the All-Ireland isn’t in Kerry then that year is a failure. But I believe it can often take a few years to win the All-Ireland - you have the ups and downs, the tough lessons, the development - and then when the day comes, they are all so valuable.”

He added to Ó Cinnéide: “You also need an incredible amount of energy for the job. It’s a full-time job. I’m not in favour of professionalising it, that’s another discussion, but the only way I could do more in the job is if it were full time ... meeting each player regularly, meeting management, and education... You can still do it (without being full time), but only if everything is going your way, with a great team, a great panel.”

Fitzmaurice also spoke about the controversy surrounding the closed training sessions, saying that he was amused at that because they only closed the gates from May and that people were free to watch for the first months of the year. He spoke of his admiration for the Dublin team, and their discipline, and said that, contrary to popular belief that Dublin did so well because of financial resources, that he believed the most valuable thing they have is the quality of their management team.

“I have great respect for Jim Gavin, and great respect for his backroom team, he has fantastic people working with him and I think that’s the most important thing in terms of resources. People give out ... it’s fine to have resources but a euro doesn’t make any difference to a player, but a person does, and he has brilliant people working with him.”

On a possible return to the role in the future, Fitzmaurice said: “I don’t think so. There are plenty of other good people in the county who will do a great job. In the short term, it’s not on the cards. Should someone come back at all? I’m not sure. Maybe at another level.”