Waterford football manager Benji Whelan will have to plan without a number of key players for the coming year.

Whelan heads into the new campaign without the services of Tadhg ó hUllacháin, Shane Aherne, Tommy Prendergast, Shane Ryan, Jack Mullaney, Sean Whelan-Barrett and JJ Hutchinson.

Of those mentioned, Whelan-Barrett is the only one who may return this year as he is recovering from a long-term injury.

And Whelan admitted to the Waterford News & Star that he has a major rebuilding process ahead of him.

“We’re down a good number to be honest,” said Whelan. “Tadhg is based in Ennis now and it’s just not a feasible proposition anymore to come and train. Shane Aherne has dropped off the panel due to work commitments.

“We’ve really brought it to another level; we’re asking lads to commit a lot of hours every week to it and when you’re working for yourself or have a family it’s very difficult to do that.

“Tommy Prendergast has dropped out for the foreseeable, we’ll look at that situation again after the spring. Shane Ryan has dropped out for work commitments.”

He added: “Between two or three of us, we went to about a hundred (games) this year. What we want is guys who want to pull on that jersey. That’s the bottom line for us. That’s the bottom line for all Waterford supporters at this stage. It’s no one’s fault that we find ourselves in this situation.”

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