John McIntyre believes Joe Canning will develop into one of the greatest hurlers of all time but he feels the pressure placed on his shoulders is too great.
Canning joined the Galway senior panel in 2008 and his performances for Galway that year earned him a coveted All-Star award and resulted in him being named the Vodafone Young Hurdler of the Year.
He won his second All-Star in 2009 but following a disappointing 2010 he came in for some criticism, something McIntyre feels is unwarranted.
"I think Joe Canning has been getting a raw deal. People forget that he's still very, very young," McIntyre said.
"He's done an awful lot of hurling and he's struggled with injuries over the last 18 months and unfortunately is sidelined again at the moment.
"I have worked with Joe for the past two and a half years and, hand on heart, I have never come across an individual who is more committed and devoted to the Galway cause.
"The expectations placed on him are extreme. There was a lot of hype about Joe Canning even before he first wore the Galway senior jersey. The worst thing for Joe would have been to be an overnight sensation at senior level because then the hype machine would have gone into over-drive."
Canning is currently sidelined with a heel injury but McIntyre is sure that the Portuma forward will make a big impact on his return.
Indeed, he is tipping the 22-year-old to go on and become one of the best hurlers in the history of the sport.
"I have no doubt that Joe Canning will be a major player for Galway in the months ahead and will go on to become one of the great hurlers of all time," McIntyre is quoted as saying in The Sun.