Lads there are loads of people giving out about bray been taking off,the man had cramp it was clear to see as was the reason for most the other subs maybe we are not fit enough which we can blame on the back room staff but surely not Mod during a game,if a lad has cramp he has to come off

Royalard (Meath) - Posts: 9 - 12/07/2015 10:20:37    1751675

I said the for the past 3 years to forget about the championship the time been, and concentrate on getting in to div 1. Where we would start about building a base for building a decent team. I wonder after this years complete disaster dose any agree ?

bobkarlgees (Meath) - Posts: 1263 - 12/07/2015 10:23:33    1751677

Richieq. Firstly let me apologies if i appeared disrespectful to you or anyone, you and i are id say cut from the same cloth , we would be two of the more optimistic Meath fans on here, my post may have been harsh in hindsight as i wasn't long after returning home and tbh i was angry and frustrated. Mostly for the fact i have seen a decline in the senior team over last couple of years, last year was worse than previous and this worse than last, and if i am honest if we continue with same management team i cant see it changing, some very basic mistakes made from sideline during course of the year, same as last year, and tactics were astray all last year and this , we are out of championship before 12 July, after getting the easier side of Leinster draw. I just cannot take that, i feel that is unacceptable in year 3 of management tenure, i don't see progression, i see stagnation, and next year without probably Reilly and bray i cant see where this management team are going, i feel we should go back to drawing board and install a new management team with a new vision, give them the 2 years and lets see what happens.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 12/07/2015 11:07:00    1751688

How anyone could say mod to stay on did u see us against wicklow westmeath the dubs last year monaghan every time we meet them armagh last year , yes we played a bit better today but how anyone could except the way we played vs wicklow we wre all over the place thats the day we should have been tight on men and chasing down players hunting in packs as we had all winter to prepare but instead of laying down a marker and showing all on d panel what was expected at the every least when playing for meath , we went out and were a mess by the time final whisle was blown and any belief we could have built up was gone, westmeath collapse ? When wmeath started to get a run at us why not start to slow game down , target there main players and harry and harras them not foul them that what the good teams do they plan for these things and practice for , time for a change take our time and get it right there are players to work with and improve

matthematx (Meath) - Posts: 177 - 12/07/2015 11:13:39    1751692

Come on now, a bit of perspective, this year was the weakest NFL2 of all and we blew it (not that we'd stay in D1 for very long). Next year it will be a lot tougher. It was probably easier to get promotion this year than to maintain our status in D2 next year. We would probably get many thrashings in D1 but at least players/management might learn some valuable lessons ... it would really hit home more about the need for attacking/defensive systems and various gameplans; the level of commitment required to compete with the best and the absolute need for a winning mentality throughout the season.

***

Yesterday, Meath set up for a very defensive affair (successful up to a point), but by doing so we offered much less of a threat going forward (and getting enough scores to win a match). The penalty was probably the winning and losing of the game. If we played like that against say Donegal, it would just be about damage limitation. Reducing the margin of defeat at best from the outset. Tyrone of course are far more experienced playing this way and it showed. Meath aren't practised enough playing like this to do so more effectively. Tyrone's superior physicality dispossessed us in the tackle easier (turnovers) and when we were chasing the game they could counter-attack with more space for their forwards to operate in and keep adding on a few points to stay ahead. Tyrone kicked plenty of wides in the first half (we did too) so we were very lucky to go in at half-time ahead. Yes we missed two goal chances (tame efforts) and dropped a few kicks into goalies hands. While defensively Meath looked somewhat organised and disciplined they always left at least one Tyrone player completely unmarked with plenty of time and space to move the ball freely.

***

As for the last three years under MOD, we have gone backwards. All he has done is introduce younger players to the set up. That is the easy part. They were nurtured by others. Even allowing for injuries, has he made his squad into better and fitter players (for the standard required), more organised with a sense of purpose/focused as a team, no. After three years he still doesn't know for sure his best team; plays players out of position; is inactive in real-time, rather than proactive; and hasn't implemented a system of play that works (gets results). Go back five plus years and EOB appeared to have little faith in the (different) younger players on his bench and now MOD appears to have little or no faith in the more experienced players on his bench.

***

I don't think adding a few others to his management team will make enough of a difference as MOD will still want to have the primary/final say. We need change (a fresh start), someone with relevant experience at this level and a different perspective. Someone who inspires all players to want to play for Meath and demands a level of commitment we haven't seen before. A more cerebral and passionate individual with ideas/systems/gameplans who will get the very best out of the squad of players they work with. Otherwise it will be more of the same old, same old. I only hope clubs/delegates have the stomach for change. Time to grasp the nettle.

GlasagusOr (Meath) - Posts: 1348 - 12/07/2015 11:23:20    1751695

O'Dowd approached the position in the correct manner by clearing out the panel and blooding new talent. However in terms of performance we have definitely gone backwards in the last 3 seasons, our results and performances speak for themselves. The 2nd half collapse against Westmeath was not a once off either, it happened a few times in the league, most notably against Laois in Navan when we were in complete control of the game and were lucky to scrape a draw in the end. Who have we beaten in the last 3 seasons in championship? Wicklow Kildare Wexford Carlow, and beaten by Dublin and very average Westmeath, Tryone and Armagh teams.

This does not apply to yesterdays game but McEntee and Tobin playing corner back sums up why I question Mick O'Dowd as a manager, 2 lads who would add a huge amount as attacking players wasted in corner back

jetser (Meath) - Posts: 83 - 12/07/2015 13:43:24    1751751

Why some think MOD should stay on is bizzare to be honest...........

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 12/07/2015 14:12:12    1751761

Jetser

100% agree,remember we almost collapsed against Kildare last year too..

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 12/07/2015 14:17:24    1751764

At the end of the day,Tyrone fans think it was a poor performance from their worst side in about 20 years and they still won.We barely beat one of the worst teams in the country in Wicklow.Collapsed disgracefully against an average team in Westmeath.Failed to get out of the poorest dv2 league that I have seen in a long time.Almost collapsed last season against Kildare.Hammered by Dublin and got beaten easily by an average Armagh team.
Despite all that I think we have a decent panel of players,but there is simply NO argument to say that MOD should stay on at this stage,its baffling that some seem to think he should stay on,it truely is.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 12/07/2015 14:29:31    1751768

In fairness there's no almost about it we did collapse against Kildare last year, the clock beat them, I'd hate to have seen that game last another 5-10 mins!

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 12/07/2015 14:42:56    1751777

I was looking at mods record and i think it is actually worse than banty, under him we beat Monaghan and Kildare at their peak.
The two highest rated teams we have beaten under mod is Down in league (themselves on very low ebb) and lucky to beat a now division 3 team Kildare last year.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 12/07/2015 16:43:45    1751835

Eugene McGee on radio saying he cant understand the demise in Meath football considering population etc,just says its sad for Meath and Leinster as he cant see anyone touching Dublin for a long time1
Stating the obvious really,i was at the game and met a friend of mine, A former Tyrone player who says this Tyrone team is the worst they have had in years.. says it all,teams come and go in cycles, we need to knuckle down, sort out underage and coaching, its not as fluent as people would have you believe!

sob (Meath) - Posts: 492 - 12/07/2015 17:31:54    1751866

Meath should be kicking themselves for losing to westmeath, Meath would have gave the dubs a far better game and I feel with the way the dubs played today that Meath could have bet them

westmeath2015 (Westmeath) - Posts: 153 - 12/07/2015 17:48:13    1751891

To my knowledge and as a club delegate, MOD is no longer Meath manager as he was given 3 yr deal and seen as Meath were knocked out yesterday his 3 yrs tenure is up. I could be wrong... If I'm right the CB have no plan as to replace him yet because at the last CB meeting it was not discussed.. The chairman spent a couple of minutes talking about the game against WM and that was it..

CheCastro (Meath) - Posts: 13 - 12/07/2015 18:10:05    1751922

Under MOD the best team we've beaten in 3 years of championship has been Kildare lol.

He's great at losing to teams of similar standard though. Armagh, Tyrone x2, westmeath.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 12/07/2015 18:14:42    1751933

What did the chairman say after the defeat to Westmeath?

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 12/07/2015 18:34:50    1751948

I actually do think you are right. Mod is no longer manager and the whole set up are gone as soon as championship ended.
Of course if he wants he can put his name forward, but how many delegates would actually vote for him? Apart from skryne and don/ash and rathoath. ? Cant see any other delegates getting mandate to vote for him? The position is up for grabs, i urge all clubs to put names forward and lets see who has interest in it.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 12/07/2015 18:44:19    1751957

Mod giles and kelly have to go fitness is the main thing and we are lacking in it fory the last 3 years , players played out of position is also very stupid . A match is 70 mins not 35 or 50. If the team were fitter we would be a very strong team as I think we have a very good panel

RoyalToon (Meath) - Posts: 13 - 12/07/2015 18:49:34    1751965

Checastro you are correct Imo. The current management are at end, now they can reapply but as it stands we are managerless

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 12/07/2015 19:07:12    1751985

I do agree with the fitness issue,but I find it hard to understand why they could not get this team fit enough for championship football.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 12/07/2015 19:23:02    1752005