Donal Og Cusack is honoured to have been selected as Cork captain for 2012 and he believes he is ready for the huge responsibility that comes with the role.
Despite being a member of the Cork senior hurling panel for 15 years, Saturday's Allianz Hurling League clash with Waterford will mark the first time that Cusack lead out his county.
As one of the older members on the panel Cusack had assumed a leadership role but he admits he was honoured to have been named as captain following Jimmy Barry-Murphy's reappointment as manager.
"When you're made captain there are certain things that you have to do and that has to start from day one. It's something I treat as a great honour and I'm delighted to have it but with it comes a great responsibility as well and it's something I want to embrace and enjoy and do the best I can for the lads and for Jimmy," Cusack is quoted as saying in the Irish Daily Mirror.
There have been a spate of retirements from inter-county hurling in recent months and as chairman of the Gaelic Players Association Cusack is eager to establish the reason for the departures.
"I can see why guys are under pressure. There isn’t any inter-county player who hasn’t been touched by the recession. There are serious demands on players," he went on.
"Having said that, you'd like to think the inter-county scene can act as a release but you can see why players are under pressure.
"One of the great things that has driven the inter-county game has been the will of the players to improve and that has raised the bar and that means lads are training five and six nights in a row.
"With guys having their own businesses and maybe being married and having kids, it's only natural it adds pressure. As a players body we are very conscious of it."
The highest profile retirement was that of Lar Corbett but Cusack can understand why the Tipperary man decided to call time on his career.
"From a hurling point of view no one wants to see Lar Corbett retiring. He has been one of the stars of the game over the last few years but you have to respect his decision."