Ziggy--fully agree re. Newman. Need him 100% next year and mod needs to find somebody to cover/compete with him.

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1792 - 04/08/2014 21:41:16    1631558

Reading all of this makes me wonder why any young lad would want to play for Meath.

I wouldn't want to represent half of you anyway. Slating the young lads for trying their best.

Fair enough they came up short on the day and I'd admit that. But give them a break - at the end of the day, they are the future like it or lump it.

dubsout (Meath) - Posts: 220 - 05/08/2014 13:20:04    1631771

dubsout

We was slatting the young lads?

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 05/08/2014 13:59:31    1631815

Ziggy, sorry I was looking at some of the comments a few pages back. Thankfully there are still SOME people on this with a bit of foresight.

dubsout (Meath) - Posts: 220 - 05/08/2014 14:40:08    1631843

Heard many of the players got some nasty verbals thrown at them over the weekend. Really bad as they were trying their best and gave up six months of their lives for the cause. Its a very big ask of any player to commit to the county team and I think many lads who potentially are good enough are not willing to give this commitment. This all adds to the downward spiral of our county team. We as supporters should try our best to be positive and encouraging to the lads. However it can be hard to take given our proud tradition and it is understandable the frustration of the supporters.Personally I think MOD got it wrong this year with both team selection and tactics and for me the blame for our poor performances lie with him.He needs however to be given time and hopefully next year it will be more positive.

Poormouth (Meath) - Posts: 204 - 05/08/2014 15:24:17    1631885

dubsout

I wouldn't slate the young lads,it is fair to say that one or two of them were thrown in the deep end,and are not ready.But ya,I wouldn't be one to slag them off.

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 05/08/2014 15:25:44    1631890

Ihonestly believe that everyone needs to relax.Go back a few years and Louth were beating us well in navan ,cavan also drawing with jeysus carlow and we had no future with players who just wanted to be seen in the palace etc.I have been speaking to a man who is very friendly with jim mc Guinness and he also thinks meath are not that far away with a combination of more physical application ,defensive plan and he said injuries really hurt them this year.He said if meath have full team ready and playing their right positions they are a top 6 team.TEAM FOR NEXT YEAR-PADDY 2-DONAL,3- KEVIN,4-TOBIN,5-HARNAN,6-MENTO,7-DALTON,8-GILLESPIE,9-TORMEY,10-C O SULLIVAN,11-BIGGY(LEAVE HIM THERE)12-CARROLL,13-E WALLACE,14-SHANE,15-NEWMAN,BENCH-2 BRAYS,FLANAGAN,C.WARD,MCMAHON,BURKE,MCDONAGH,CURRAN,J.WALLACE,MCENTEE,THATS A SERIOUS TEAM AND BENCH..THIS TEAM HAS GOT TO PLAY TOGETHER AND CERTAIN PLAYERS GOT TO STAY SAME POSITIONS-O ROURKE,MENTON,MIDFIELD,DONAL,BIGGY,...WE GOT TO GET BEHIND THESE PLAYERS AND ALSO BRING IN YOUNG ROWE..LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK

tampa (Meath) - Posts: 54 - 05/08/2014 15:51:44    1631917

My only criticism of the management is if they rated adam flangan and joey wallace so highly why didnt they get a run in the league? You cant just throw young lads like that into the deep end by played them in big championship games without trying them in the league first.after all thats what the obyrne cup and league are for.conor gilespie was injured back in January so there was plenty so time for adam flangan and maybe harry rooney to get game time at midfield in the league

bobjaffacake (Meath) - Posts: 1400 - 05/08/2014 17:22:07    1631998

Mick O'Dowd definitely shown to be out of his depth tactially and also showed a level of naivety this year. I would fully support one more year for him but he MUST bring in someone a little cuter and, if possible, someone who can put a structure to the defence. To me someone like Liam Harnan would be great. Possibly even Kevin Foley but I am not as aware as to what Foley has been doing coaching wise (I think he is still with Clonard?).

Someone else stated that a panel of 60 gguys is needed starting in October. Maybe not 60 but probably 40 as we have to factor in injuries, loss of form etc. No point looking for players next March and the guy comes in not having done any of the training.

oldsam_newsam (Meath) - Posts: 638 - 05/08/2014 18:25:13    1632038

Agreed.Foley has done amazing job at Clonard and most of all he is a quiet intelligent no-nonsense coach who just gets on with the job just like when he played.On the younger front maybe someone like fay or moyles would also be good.Over the next few years we have got to build the team around shane,donal,gillespie,tormey,tobin,newman,carroll,cillan o Sullivan ,e.wallace,biggy,-these are the guys to be the core and build around.shane can be the best full forward in the game with the proper players around him and game plan.biggy needs to be no 11 as he will score 4 to 5 points from play every game-who else can do that,tormey and Gillespie midfield-very solid.Donal,tobin harnan,menton,kevin is 5 solid backs that need to be played their and not moved around..

tampa (Meath) - Posts: 54 - 05/08/2014 18:51:25    1632051

I think jimmy is pulling your friends leg. We got inhalation against Cavan last year Monaghan ×3 Dublin this year , armagh beat us with ease twice this year. We need a tactical man beside mod on sideline.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 05/08/2014 21:24:39    1632181

Interestingly when Armagh beat us their strongest lines were their half back line and half forward line- positions where we are very weak. We have only at best two backs that can man-mark. I see by some of the posts that some folk expect a different result by doing the same thing over and over again. Some posters think that everyone who puts on a county jersey at u-16, minor and u-21 level should automatically be put on to a senior squad. The team can rebuild by adding some older players to the squad (not 19/20 year olds).

Tampa -your 'serious team' would leave the best forward on the side line and you would continue with players who underperform on a regular basis.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 06/08/2014 18:34:03    1632632