meathalltheway

Have to disagree with you,lets go through those players one by one..

Brian Farrell - Really struggled in his last few seasons and had little impact,plus and this important to know,he said he was going to retire anyway,so basically he would not be an option.

Joe Sheridan - Joe was used as an impact sub and he did not make an impact when he came on,why would he make an impact a few years later?

Cian Ward - No way would Cian Ward accept a place on the bench.He rarely made an impact from the bench either.He offers very little movement and is easy to mark.At his very best,he would have one great game and five very poor games..

I think Donal Lenihan could be used more imo.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 29/06/2015 20:17:10    1745047

What has happened to our football county? We were once one of the most feared football teams in the country. We had a steel ingrained in us. A toughness, a grit determination, bite, arrogance, ruthlessness and our most famous trait, a refusal to know when we were bet. I know this is recycled, rehashed stuff that's spouted around the same time every year after our annual capitulation but there is absolutely no attitude within our team.

After yesterday, I realized how far we are from the top. How is it conceivable to lose a game after being up by 12 points at one stage in the match? There is no structure to Meaths game whatsoever. The first half, fair enough we played well but only because Westmeath were so poor and naive defensively. It was like watching an underage game with how open Westmeath were at the back. Once Westmeath upped the intensity and came at us we had no answer. We weren't making turnovers in possession, we weren't winning possession in the middle third, the substitutions were completely bizarre and what was most blatantly apparent was that the players themselves didn't know what to do.

Leadership is one way of looking at it and yes we do lack players that have that ability to take the game by the scruff of the neck but I think its much more than that. Team structure and how players adapt to the ebb and flow of games stems from management. Any team you look at now who are making any headway in the league or the championship are playing to a plan or to a system. Joe Brolly talks about this plenty. The obvious one is Donegal, the others Dublin, Kerry, Monaghan and to a lesser extent Mayo, all have an inherent match structure and fundamental plan for all aspects of the game. These aspects include kickouts and possession retention, positional shape for defensive structure, forward build up play etc. The Meath senior management are falling well short in this department as there doesn't look to be any kind of serious method or game plan that allows us to dictate games, maintain control of any lead we build or defend efficiently when we come under pressure.

Mick O'Dowd has no doubt given his best efforts to the Meath team and he does deserve to be thanked for everything he has contributed but under his management Meath will win nothing. Meath are so inept when you compare them to the top teams in terms of stamina, intensity and disciplne. These 3 traits are ingrained into teams through the management team and through the proper coaching required to play at the top level. To make the long story short Meath will never properly compete until they can bring in a proper management team that can implement a method and a structure for playing. A structure whereby the players are coached and trained to a sufficient match fitness, a system where everyone knows their role and where work rate is put to the fore. Meath weren't fit yesterday and completely faded as their work rate dropped. This doesn't happen at the top level.

I believe there are some very good footballers on that Meath panel but they are being let down because the Management are so far out of their depth and are not being allowed to play to their strengths. I don't know whats going to happen after the championship but if O'Dowd does go then the county board need to take a long hard look at the recent failings over the past 15 years and actually make an astute decision regarding the management team. I know this is wishful thinking especially since our county board have hardly inspired any confidence in the Meath fans lately but in my opinion its the only option we have.

Thats my two cents anyway, feel free to disagree but I strongly believe its time to adapt with the times. Don't underestimate how important the management team are in this day and age.

RoyalClass (Meath) - Posts: 789 - 29/06/2015 20:47:52    1745066

Another sad day in a long list for Meath football.

A number of points (and I take no satisfaction in making some of these) :

*Mick O Dowd needs to resign at the end of the season and I would be 99% sure that will be in mid July.

*Tyrone will beat us out the gate and all the way back down the A5 to Aughnacloy if we don't put a defensive system in place, FFS Its not rocket science, but I have littel faith in Mick at this stage seeing as he hasnt mastered it within the past 3 years, I dont hold out much hope of a two week turn around.

*This talk of past glories, thoughness, pride in the jersey BLA BLA BLA needs to stop. FOOTBALL HAS MOVED ON. If you had the teams of the 80s and 90s playing now they would fare no better than the present bunch (Teams would run rings around them).

*Past great players do not automatically make great managers.

*Changing to a new management team will not automatically mean we will compete with the best, but we certainly will not be humiliated by the worst.

*Within the county we have players able to compete with the best, "provided" they are working within a structure.

*TIME TO START FOCUSING ON UNDERAGE STRUCTURES

NAIL_BAR (Meath) - Posts: 457 - 29/06/2015 21:10:54    1745087

Royalclass

Good honest and fair post,I fully agree,,

As a matter of interest who would you suggest to possibly take over from Mick?

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 29/06/2015 21:26:41    1745095

Best possible draw for Meath. Lose lose if we got a 'weaker' team like Louth.

Spoofer (Meath) - Posts: 49 - 29/06/2015 21:35:48    1745103

These lads have been training since November 2014. Are they gonna give up now and let Tyrone win? Was all that hard work for nothing? It's likely this is the last season we'll see bray and Kevin Reilly in a meath Jersey. I expect a determined performance against Tyrone and I expect a meath win. Meath will take a big scalp this season and that scalp is going to be Tyrone.

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1792 - 29/06/2015 21:41:49    1745110

bert09

I don't expect them to give up,but mentally it is gonna be very tough,and confidence in O'Dowd is bound to be low now.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 29/06/2015 21:46:23    1745114

bert09
County: Meath
Posts: 534

1745110
These lads have been training since November 2014. Are they gonna give up now and let Tyrone win?

You could say the same about yesterdays match and yes by the looks of it they were willing to give up and let Westmeath win.

On what basis do feel so confident that Meath will beat Tyrone? I have been listening to this nonsense since 2002. Maybe next game.... .. . maybe next year... .. . great potential in this minor/U21 squad..... ... .. This is the attitude that has us where we are now.

NAIL_BAR (Meath) - Posts: 457 - 29/06/2015 21:57:58    1745127

Without wanting to be overly negative, we're still in June and we can almost definitely say that the team and management have failed to meet any of their goals. Correct me if I'm wrong but I presume the goals were: promotion to Div 1 of league (fail), Leinster final (fail) and all-Ireland quarter final (remains to be seen). Just to get to an all-Ireland quarter final we would need to win 3 matches on successive weekends starting with Tyrone. In the unlikely event we did manage to put 3 performances together we would be playing for the 4th weekend on the trot - our panel isn't deep enough to be able to pull that off.

gwanyagudthing (Meath) - Posts: 88 - 30/06/2015 10:12:09    1745185

Probably a bit late at this stage but MOD has to go back to the drawing board for Tyrone game. While we looked terrific going forward on Sunday taking some great scores even he must now realise that unless your team is built on sound defensive structure you are never going to win anything in modern day football. All he has to do is look at the likes of Donegal McGuinness started out by making them hard to beat and it may not have been pretty but it gave them a platform to build confidence and eventually delivered the Holy Grail. Even the great aristocrats of Football Kerry have had to adopt similarly to make them AI winners again. How can he still think 3 years down the road that we are going to compete with the top teams again if we dont first and foremost make it difficult for the opposition to break us down. This should have been sticking out like a sore thumb with the concession of big scores in all our championship games. I appreciate as a Skryne man he has had an upbringing of football for the purists and he wanted his Meath team to play with such abandon but surely the penney has dropped at this stage. If we cannot outscore Westmeath and no disrespect to them but their panel is no worse or no better than ours how can we possibly think that we could beat Dublin in a turkey shoot? We have the players but we need somebody to mould them into a tight knit unit. Get some of those teak tough defenders of old from Summerhill/Moynalvey to come in and coach these young lads. They can make it back to the top table but a change in attitude is needed. It's a big ask to change our system witin a fortnight but we have to start somewhere.

Greenwood (Meath) - Posts: 210 - 30/06/2015 10:59:04    1745225

What's the story on an actual fixture lads?
GAA almost a day late already. Problems around parades being on the 11th this year?
Parade in aughnacloy won't help the travelling support either.

Jinxie (Meath) - Posts: 6346 - 30/06/2015 11:16:33    1745249

Jinxs the king Billy parades as usual is holding up the time of the fixture. There is talk that this match could be moved so don't be suprised to see this match take place in Clones.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 30/06/2015 11:55:27    1745286

Greenwood

I think O'Dowd had this year to make us better defensively,and I thought he would learn after Dublin.I honestly thought,it was a dodgy year last year,but O'Dowd will be better for it and learn alot.I am very surprised that he has not addressed such issues,and keeps going on about having a young team.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 30/06/2015 12:00:14    1745291

Jinxie

No idea,I just pray its not another Limerick like in 2008.Still think that was our darkest hour.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 30/06/2015 12:05:29    1745296

No way to clones. Windsor park ahead of clones for me.

I can't see them moving it unless they also move Derry and Armagh too....

Jinxie (Meath) - Posts: 6346 - 30/06/2015 12:45:21    1745347

Windsor Park is crumbling Jinxs. Clones is a grand ground.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 30/06/2015 13:25:50    1745398

Totally perplexed by our performance on sunand while I will travel to tTyrone I think mod tenure is over. Lack of fitness and playing guys out of position is his problem. Leaderless on field when chips were down falls on the players alone. Harnan is a half back or nothing. Joey Wallace being brought on to rescue team is farcical. K o reilly not fit t walk never mind run. Keoughan corner back only. Tobin Brought on is just funny. Not feeling too good bout being a royal....minor under 21 and now senior teams are easy fodder for any county team on leinster

royalperro (Meath) - Posts: 21 - 30/06/2015 13:31:02    1745404

This is the Meath team I would put out going forward:

1. Andy Markey (Dunboyne)

2. Keoghan (Rathkenny)

3. McGill (Ratoath)

4. Mooney (Kilmainham)

5. B Menton (D/Ash)

6. P Harnan (Moynalvey)

7. D Carroll (Ballinabrackey)

8. D Tobin (Blackhall)

9. C Gillespie (Summerhill)

10. A Forde (O' Mahonys)

11. A Tormey (D/Ash)

12. R O Caoilean (O'Mahonys)

13. G Reilly (St Colmcilles) - 3rd Midfielder/4th half forward given free role

14. S O'Rourke (Simonstown)

15. S. Bray (O'Mahonys)


Main subs:
D Dalton (Summerhill)
M Burke (Longwood)
H Rooney (Skyrne)
P Byrne (Ballinlough)
E Wallace (Ratoath)
B McMahon (Ratoath)
S Mattimoe (Gael Colmcille)
M Newman (Kilmainham)
D Lenihan (Dunboyne)
O Sullivan brothers from Moynalvey if they were ever to get fit.

Does anyone see anything wrong with that team?? Looks like a decent squd to me. Plenty of impact player on the bench to shore up or to chase a lead with pace. Would love to see a Jim McGuinness like figure take over us to see what he could do...

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1320 - 30/06/2015 14:26:24    1745465

I posted this on the main forum.

I believe that the Omagh game is 50/50, there is not a whole lot between these two sides, lets face it, both counties have flatlined of late so there is no clear cut favourite. This is a game that should enthral neutrals due to its unpredictability, I simply can't and won't call it. I know many words have been exchanged down the years on this forum between Tyrone and Meath supporters but I know that Meaths big and loyal following will travel in numbers to Omagh and you will made very welcome as always. May the best team win.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 30/06/2015 14:30:46    1745467

Crinigan I see a few things wrong tbh

1. Andy Markey (Dunboyne) [Mad call to make, the chap couldn't be anymore than 19/20 with no senior experience, to attempt to blood him in a must win game against Tyrone one of the most physical teams in the country is suicide]

After that I think it's just a matter of opinion

2. Keoghan (Rathkenny)

3. McGill (Ratoath)

4. Mooney (Kilmainham) [no experience, McEntee didn't do a whole lot wrong sunday thought he was one of the better backs on show]

5. B Menton (D/Ash)

6. P Harnan (Moynalvey)

7. D Carroll (Ballinabrackey) [tried, tested and failed]

8. D Tobin (Blackhall) [I actually like this midfield partnership]

9. C Gillespie (Summerhill)

10. A Forde (O' Mahonys) [Refuses to play for Meath]

11. A Tormey (D/Ash)

12. R O Caoilean (O'Mahonys) [Good player, would be a bit of a gamble]

13. G Reilly (St Colmcilles) - 3rd Midfielder/4th half forward given free role

14. S O'Rourke (Simonstown) [Don't know how is injury is holding up, he wasn't togged out Sunday]

15. S. Bray (O'Mahonys)


I think it would be very harsh to drop McMahon tbh, he scored 2-2 was nominated for MOTM only Meath blew up in the second half.

Uncle_Fester (Meath) - Posts: 217 - 30/06/2015 14:46:50    1745476