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Plans For Moving Forward....If Any !

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Regardless of what players are in or out......or even why , it will make no difference anyway. For me it is of far more importance to remedy the shortcomings that have been so painfully obvious in the last year or so. TEAM SPIRIT. ...INHIBITIONS TROUGH FEAR that appears to cripple the team... As someone who supports Andy i still think the finger is pointing in his direction......management style ? ? Yes he DESERVES help to get us moving from our lowest level in many years. Andy is a novice at this level; and we knew that from the start .Gavin gets all the help he needs in various areas of team management. . Nothing wrong with that ! What is the alternative ? More of the same and expect a better outcome? No thanks !! nobull456 (Meath) - Posts: 1224 - 15/04/2018 20:23:19 2093146 Link
Replying To nobull456: "Regardless of what players are in or out......or even why , it will make no difference anyway. For me it is of far more importance to remedy the shortcomings that have been so painfully obvious in the last year or so. TEAM SPIRIT. ...INHIBITIONS TROUGH FEAR that appears to cripple the team... As someone who supports Andy i still think the finger is pointing in his direction......management style ? ? Yes he DESERVES help to get us moving from our lowest level in many years. Andy is a novice at this level; and we knew that from the start .Gavin gets all the help he needs in various areas of team management. . Nothing wrong with that ! What is the alternative ? More of the same and expect a better outcome? No thanks !!" Meath just don't have enough quality and it's worsened by chronic quality of coaching in the county. Andy needs to bring in some top coaches and preferably a few Ulster coaches who can teach him a trick or two. One thing managing , its coaching is his Achilles heel. Talking_Sense (Meath) - Posts: 209 - 15/04/2018 23:04:24 2093175 Link
Lowest level in many years? Where does this dramatic nonsense come from? It simply isn't true, last year was our most encouraging bow out of the championship in many years if there is such thing, our league campaign in division two has all the hallmarks of what we currently are, a division two team. Some good days some bad days which means we remain where are are, dressing it up any different is just fantasy. To evaluate any performance you need to know where you stand on the team. My own opinion is we are limited, when we play well we look like a really well drilled team with our good players flourishing and the rest knowing their job and carrying it out well. Anything less than this and we are made look weak against better teams, Cavan, Tipp, etc. Not nice to read but that is the reality we find ourselves in after years of mismanagement from the bottom up. On the possible departures, had heard these stories a few weeks ago which seemed to be common knowledge around the county, and made no sense to me at the time(if indeed they do materialise), to slog it out in the winter and jump ship when we are looking ahead to sunny days in the championship, what every kid dreams about (or at least did!). My opinion on any departures is the same as always, no one forces you to go out and do it, no doubt it's tough, but if you don't want to be there all the best, not least for players that do, but for supporters who don't go away when times are tough. For some it's more important than a choice, and as with every other year I'll be looking forward to May regardless. dunboynelad (Meath) - Posts: 227 - 16/04/2018 08:04:52 2093189 Link
I should also add the reason I mentioned I had heard about certain players opting out a while back in different parts of the county too is that it would suggest it's simply game time etc, and not due to having to train this week as someone suggested which would be fabricated to suit an agenda. There's a bigger picture regarding county football at the moment where we find ourselves at a cross roads as to where it is going, no one talks about this more than Simonstowns very own O Rourke (who I agree with on most things I should add), then again he'd do well to remember sometimes that we are only reading his columns in the first place as he was idolised playing in the green and gold when times were good, not everything is black and white. dunboynelad (Meath) - Posts: 227 - 16/04/2018 08:12:56 2093190 Link
Just on the team itself. Our forwards for me is where need to focus on. G Reilly COS E wallace seem to be our main forward threat for past few years, but all three tend to drift in and out of games and are rarely consist, so I would start building for the future. Drop all 3 ? No absolutely not. But lets start see if other guys are ready to take the step up. The likes of Mc Keever, Thomas Oreilly Paddy Kennelly amoung others, need to given more game time. I think this Championship is the time to starting giving these guys starting places and building experience for the future. We seem to built an over reliance on runners from deep like G,Reilly COS and E wallace. And seem to be to easy to stop and many times just doesn't work. bobkarlgees (Meath) - Posts: 1263 - 16/04/2018 10:51:59 2093219 Link
Replying To dunboynelad: "I should also add the reason I mentioned I had heard about certain players opting out a while back in different parts of the county too is that it would suggest it's simply game time etc, and not due to having to train this week as someone suggested which would be fabricated to suit an agenda. There's a bigger picture regarding county football at the moment where we find ourselves at a cross roads as to where it is going, no one talks about this more than Simonstowns very own O Rourke (who I agree with on most things I should add), then again he'd do well to remember sometimes that we are only reading his columns in the first place as he was idolised playing in the green and gold when times were good, not everything is black and white." You seem to contradict yourself a few times in your post. My opinion remains we are at our lowest level for many years. I agree talent pool is low. Coaching at this level is simply well short of required standard. Mentally fragile. Our runners run yes . What is planned to happen then rather than have lads run up blind alleys? Why so much fear amongst the team ? I am still an Andy supporter ,but i am not satisfied that he has addressed the blatant shortcomings in team preparation other than physical fitness. He needs help, and i say give it to him! I am not from Dunboyne . I do not know Andy. I admire his courage in taking the job at the time. i admire his passion for the job. I want him to hang in there. I want to see him getting help to move forward ,because without help we are going nowhere. I have no agenda other than see remedial action to restore us to being competitive again. nobull456 (Meath) - Posts: 1224 - 16/04/2018 11:54:06 2093232 Link
Replying To dunboynelad: "Lowest level in many years? Where does this dramatic nonsense come from? It simply isn't true, last year was our most encouraging bow out of the championship in many years if there is such thing, our league campaign in division two has all the hallmarks of what we currently are, a division two team. Some good days some bad days which means we remain where are are, dressing it up any different is just fantasy. To evaluate any performance you need to know where you stand on the team. My own opinion is we are limited, when we play well we look like a really well drilled team with our good players flourishing and the rest knowing their job and carrying it out well. Anything less than this and we are made look weak against better teams, Cavan, Tipp, etc. Not nice to read but that is the reality we find ourselves in after years of mismanagement from the bottom up. On the possible departures, had heard these stories a few weeks ago which seemed to be common knowledge around the county, and made no sense to me at the time(if indeed they do materialise), to slog it out in the winter and jump ship when we are looking ahead to sunny days in the championship, what every kid dreams about (or at least did!). My opinion on any departures is the same as always, no one forces you to go out and do it, no doubt it's tough, but if you don't want to be there all the best, not least for players that do, but for supporters who don't go away when times are tough. For some it's more important than a choice, and as with every other year I'll be looking forward to May regardless." Excellent calm thought out post. You get a thumbs up from me (and I don't give many ) royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 16/04/2018 11:54:06 2093233 Link
Replying To dunboynelad: "Lowest level in many years? Where does this dramatic nonsense come from? It simply isn't true, last year was our most encouraging bow out of the championship in many years if there is such thing, our league campaign in division two has all the hallmarks of what we currently are, a division two team. Some good days some bad days which means we remain where are are, dressing it up any different is just fantasy. To evaluate any performance you need to know where you stand on the team. My own opinion is we are limited, when we play well we look like a really well drilled team with our good players flourishing and the rest knowing their job and carrying it out well. Anything less than this and we are made look weak against better teams, Cavan, Tipp, etc. Not nice to read but that is the reality we find ourselves in after years of mismanagement from the bottom up. On the possible departures, had heard these stories a few weeks ago which seemed to be common knowledge around the county, and made no sense to me at the time(if indeed they do materialise), to slog it out in the winter and jump ship when we are looking ahead to sunny days in the championship, what every kid dreams about (or at least did!). My opinion on any departures is the same as always, no one forces you to go out and do it, no doubt it's tough, but if you don't want to be there all the best, not least for players that do, but for supporters who don't go away when times are tough. For some it's more important than a choice, and as with every other year I'll be looking forward to May regardless." Good post but a home defeat to Donegal in Round 3 of the qualifiers? If that's what you call our most encouraging bow out of the championship in many years then we're at our lowest level in quite awhile. ISupposeSoSheehan (Meath) - Posts: 86 - 16/04/2018 12:12:06 2093241 Link
Replying To ISupposeSoSheehan: "Good post but a home defeat to Donegal in Round 3 of the qualifiers? If that's what you call our most encouraging bow out of the championship in many years then we're at our lowest level in quite awhile." I did stress if there is such thing, it was an encouraging performance against a top 8 team, a game we were unlucky really not to win. As disappointing as it was, it was a marked contrast from blowing a 7 point lead against Derry and so on. The last time prior to that we left with any real grounds for optimism would probably be Tyrone in 2013, Mickos first year. dunboynelad (Meath) - Posts: 227 - 16/04/2018 12:53:19 2093259 Link
Replying To nobull456: "You seem to contradict yourself a few times in your post. My opinion remains we are at our lowest level for many years. I agree talent pool is low. Coaching at this level is simply well short of required standard. Mentally fragile. Our runners run yes . What is planned to happen then rather than have lads run up blind alleys? Why so much fear amongst the team ? I am still an Andy supporter ,but i am not satisfied that he has addressed the blatant shortcomings in team preparation other than physical fitness. He needs help, and i say give it to him! I am not from Dunboyne . I do not know Andy. I admire his courage in taking the job at the time. i admire his passion for the job. I want him to hang in there. I want to see him getting help to move forward ,because without help we are going nowhere. I have no agenda other than see remedial action to restore us to being competitive again." Where have I contradicted myself? Genuinely unsure which part you are referring to, if you mean the lowest ebb, I stated our league was consistent of what we have become really, inconsistent! As such it doesn't seem any different to other years in that regard so I'm not as doom and gloom as some, probably having reluctantly accepted we are where we are some time ago. How long have we been division 2 now? Struggling to remember at this stage. We all know our shortcomings and thankfully we have people doing good work to address this but that takes time too. I'm only stating the obvious here really. Apologies if I picked you up wrong. dunboynelad (Meath) - Posts: 227 - 16/04/2018 13:22:03 2093269 Link
About having courage to take job I agree a little on that. But as manager coach in your own right you need to have ur own ideas plans in your head. Now I think Andy did have those and he spent good part of his first off season implementing it but when kildare beat us he seem to panic got sidetracked wot ever u want to call it. From there on its been very unsure type football we playing and I was a fan of wot he was doin before kildare defeat.if his undecided and not confident in his team or system that will seep into players mentally. Longford will b a test for us so hope we are ready. Reco (Meath) - Posts: 419 - 16/04/2018 13:34:19 2093272 Link
Replying To dunboynelad: "I did stress if there is such thing, it was an encouraging performance against a top 8 team, a game we were unlucky really not to win. As disappointing as it was, it was a marked contrast from blowing a 7 point lead against Derry and so on. The last time prior to that we left with any real grounds for optimism would probably be Tyrone in 2013, Mickos first year." I know, I thought you were clutching at straws a bit but that doesn't take away from your post. We should've beaten Donegal. A lack of experience on the pitch and sideline maybe cost us and it took a bit of class from Paddy Mc Brearty to win it for them. The 2015 defeat to Tyrone was another championship bow that gave us reasons to be optimistic for the next season. It was dire stuff in Omagh that day but we were able to play them at their own game. It must be said that these Ulster counties have our number in the championship! ISupposeSoSheehan (Meath) - Posts: 86 - 16/04/2018 13:34:25 2093273 Link
Replying To nobull456: "Regardless of what players are in or out......or even why , it will make no difference anyway. For me it is of far more importance to remedy the shortcomings that have been so painfully obvious in the last year or so. TEAM SPIRIT. ...INHIBITIONS TROUGH FEAR that appears to cripple the team... As someone who supports Andy i still think the finger is pointing in his direction......management style ? ? Yes he DESERVES help to get us moving from our lowest level in many years. Andy is a novice at this level; and we knew that from the start .Gavin gets all the help he needs in various areas of team management. . Nothing wrong with that ! What is the alternative ? More of the same and expect a better outcome? No thanks !!" What do you suggest? Bring in assistance now? Longford have recruited one of the best coaches in Dublin GAA circles Kevin Stritch. He coached Castleknock over the past number of seasons. Dublin had a 23 man backroom team last year and that has probably grown since! Selectors, physios, forwards, defensive coaches etc. Money talks. ISupposeSoSheehan (Meath) - Posts: 86 - 16/04/2018 13:52:14 2093282 Link
You can have all the outside help and money in the world, but if the players aren't buying into what you are selling and don't feel as though they are being respected enough, they will walk and they are continuing to walk... Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1319 - 16/04/2018 14:08:16 2093290 Link
Replying To Crinigan: "You can have all the outside help and money in the world, but if the players aren't buying into what you are selling and don't feel as though they are being respected enough, they will walk and they are continuing to walk..." As predictable as the weather. Do you ever wonder why players that play games don't have the same issue you've created in your head of buying in to this idea? dunboynelad (Meath) - Posts: 227 - 16/04/2018 14:20:58 2093293 Link
Replying To ISupposeSoSheehan: "What do you suggest? Bring in assistance now? Longford have recruited one of the best coaches in Dublin GAA circles Kevin Stritch. He coached Castleknock over the past number of seasons. Dublin had a 23 man backroom team last year and that has probably grown since! Selectors, physios, forwards, defensive coaches etc. Money talks." Yes money talks. but let us park that bit. First let us accept there is a major problem to start with. Let us accept that Andy needs help under various headings. Let us also accept that Andy also has many strong qualities courage. passion. Therefore , Andy gets help he deserves NOW. Costing for the help is a separate issue,and may not be a very big obstacle at all. Stick to the issue....fill the need but firstly accept the need. We are serious ,or we want to continue as we are. We can all contribute to false optimism.The reality is staring us in the face.Then again maybe we don't want to see it nobull456 (Meath) - Posts: 1224 - 16/04/2018 14:33:02 2093297 Link
Replying To dunboynelad: "As predictable as the weather. Do you ever wonder why players that play games don't have the same issue you've created in your head of buying in to this idea?" OK Comical Ali, everything is simply wonderful....nobody has left the panel. The best players in Meath are still playing for Meath. There is nothing to see here. Its purely in my imagination that many of Meath's best players have no interest in playing for Meath currently and players are dropping off at an unprecedented rate. Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1319 - 16/04/2018 15:00:52 2093308 Link
Replying To Crinigan: "OK Comical Ali, everything is simply wonderful....nobody has left the panel. The best players in Meath are still playing for Meath. There is nothing to see here. Its purely in my imagination that many of Meath's best players have no interest in playing for Meath currently and players are dropping off at an unprecedented rate." So you can't answer it? Coincidence perhaps. Haven't you said on here before you're not actually a Meath man? Although that would make your obsession with Donnacha Tobin even more odd, which seems to have sparked off your unhealthy agenda against our manager. Ten out of ten for consistency however dunboynelad (Meath) - Posts: 227 - 16/04/2018 15:10:07 2093311 Link
Replying To Crinigan: "OK Comical Ali, everything is simply wonderful....nobody has left the panel. The best players in Meath are still playing for Meath. There is nothing to see here. Its purely in my imagination that many of Meath's best players have no interest in playing for Meath currently and players are dropping off at an unprecedented rate." What is your answer to the problem. I think we can all accept that no man will be made to measure when starting to fill the role of a modern day manager at this level. It's all about learning now. nobull456 (Meath) - Posts: 1224 - 16/04/2018 15:17:49 2093316 Link
Replying To dunboynelad: "So you can't answer it? Coincidence perhaps. Haven't you said on here before you're not actually a Meath man? Although that would make your obsession with Donnacha Tobin even more odd, which seems to have sparked off your unhealthy agenda against our manager. Ten out of ten for consistency however" I can't answer what? Your question that players on starting 15 or who play seem to have confidence in management? Well, that's clearly not true given the drop offs recently and last year of players who are actually playing. I thought that much was obvious so your question doesn't make sense. Everyone knows I'm a Skryne man so obviously I've no allegiance to Sean Tobin or D Tobin. However the dogs on the street know that D Tobin is a far better footballer than the man who took his position in the team last year and that S Tobin, among othere's like Harry Rooney and Mark McCabe who were in my view, not used properly in the league this year. I don't have it in for the management team either and thought they were the best men for the job, I'm just wondering why so many players have dropped off, it's unprecedented in any county. Hopefully however differences can be patched up before Longford but that doesn't mean people shouldn't assume that the players are buying into setup, too many clearly are not and we simply can't afford this drop off rate. You clearly have a pro Dunboyne agenda though which is fair enough. And Dunboyne are well represented you'd have to say! Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1319 - 16/04/2018 16:01:45 2093332 Link