Lads, Meath haven't been a force since 2001. This coincides with the last time the county had a really good club side in Dunshaughlin. Since then the county team and club football has been rapidly on the decline. There is no intensity in club football, game is so slow because teams know they could lose 2 championship matches and still qualify. Years ago when teams could barely afford to lose one game, we had better football, teams were up for it and tore into opposition. Senior championship in Meath is just like league football. Cian is the best club forward in Meath and his records prive it. Mighn't have the pace for inter county but still a good option. What use is having young, quick, small forwards if they can't score or don't have the football brain. These young lads don't have the physical conditioning to put it up to Dublin or any Northern team

VernonSmith (Meath) - Posts: 112 - 22/08/2014 11:13:27    1640349

Vernonsmith.... in 4 years time, who do you look to then?

Ward, Bray, Reilly and O'Rourke will be coming close to finishing (okay maybe not reilly)

What options will we have then? if we choose your route, then we will have nothing because the young lads weren't big/good enough when 20??
people laughed at MOD for his '5 year' quote, but realistically that is what it will take to get us back to the glory days of yester year...

dubsout (Meath) - Posts: 220 - 22/08/2014 11:40:07    1640369

dubsout

I would be very happy if it took 5 years to get us back towards the top.

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 22/08/2014 13:00:06    1640439

I did predict a whie back that this debate would eventually take place, Anyone who knows anything about football in Meath is aware that Ward is almost unmarkable when operating even at 80%, I don't think it is even debatale as to wheather or bot he is good enough for Meath, He ia easily in top 4 forwards in county and has that touch of magic that others simply do not have, that said bringing hm back in is a huge gamble as if he performs, the question is " why wasn't he there last year": if he does't then " what did ye bring him back for". Anyhow i would feel that both Queeney and Ward would add in a significant way to the panel and really give options to ourselves and there is not a defence in the country that would want to see Cian ward in our full forward line,

Analyst (Meath) - Posts: 1467 - 22/08/2014 13:24:27    1640448

How could anyone say that Joey Wallace was a better option against the Dubs and Armagh than Cian Ward or Jamie Queeny? I didnt disagree with Joey coming on in place of McMahon against Kildare but he is just too inexperienced and light for the Dubs and Armagh. Hopefully he will go on to be a great star for meath and these comments are not designed to denigrate him in any way. The picking of Joey against Dublin and Armagh makes me question the overall knowledge and tactics of our management team

oldsam_newsam (Meath) - Posts: 638 - 22/08/2014 14:25:00    1640475

I'd agree with the above comments. The problem is we are looking too forward. I'm also getting sick of this blank response that even if we had them we wouldn't win anything. No one is saying it would. But we might get a little further than we are. We blew promotion this year, and that will cost us next year I fear.
All grand saying these guys will be great footballers in 3 years time, but like winning loosing becomes a habit. I do think that mod should clearly state what he sees as acceptable achievements in 3 years. If he means winning or at least competing for all ire , well looking at dub minors this year it could be a big ask. Or does he mean 4/5 beating instead of 16.
All fine saying these things but he must clearly set out his stall. I am on record as saying I want him to remain, but in doing so he must give us some goals as to what he sees when the plan comes together. And the most be places for the best footballers in county regardless of past performance or age.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 22/08/2014 15:50:15    1640532

We are getting way too far ahead of ourselves with this five year plan business. By that stage the best of our current 14, 15 or 16 year olds will be eligable and if good enough should be picked. Just because your young enough and have 5 years ahead of you does not warrent being picked. As a county meath need the best players in the sqaud regardless of age and cian ward is definitely one of them. Unless the younger lads coming through are better than what was already there, they should not be included.

winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 510 - 22/08/2014 20:27:07    1640695

The absence of Cian Ward, (undoubtedly a talented footballer) or anyone else does not explain why Meath have struggled over the past two years. We saw a culling of older players from the squad yet the results remained the same, twenty point hammerings from Monaghan in the last two seasons and iffy championship campaigns.

I thought in 2013 we had a young, attacking football team but in hindsight we were way too dependent on goals, (many of them penalities and flukes) and Newman's dead ball ability. We don't kick enough points from play. Take Wallace out of the team and we lost that X factor that could panic even the best defence.

We haven't improved our defence. Harnan is being groomed to play sweeper but everyone just looks lost in that system. We've never looked comfortable defending zonally, not under Banty and certainly not now but the reality is we probably don't have the players to go man for man. Even Dublin defend zonally once the ball is in their own half but eveyone knows their patch and who goes with the runners.

With Galway bringing in a new manager we won't get many better chances to win promotion. That should have been O'Dowd's goal over three years, he wasn't given a five year term. It's doable but then Westmeath won Division 2 at a canter in 2013 only to be humiliated the following year. I would fear for this Meath team if we won promotion.

HighKing81 (Meath) - Posts: 129 - 25/08/2014 15:54:17    1641813