If Tyrone played to their strengths and potential, and not the Mickey Harte/Jim McGuinness model of trying to negate the opposition, I am sure they would have won more AI's, with the conveyor minor belt they have had the last 10-15 years it would rival Dublin now. Now that every team in country is using a version of his tactics, it has become harder to win.
Hence he should leave for the good of Tyrone.
But, as long as them and Armagh don't win any more Ulsters for a while (Donegal and Monaghan too if they continue to play ultra blanket) I will not shed a tear if he stays

beansycpn (Down) - Posts: 128 - 10/10/2014 13:06:35    1662356

Ulster is competitive without a doubt. You still have strong counties in other provinces as well. The counties you'd expect are making the last 8.

Regards the open draw of 32 counties - qualifier rounds 1 and 2 can be retained to bring the championship to 16 counties by the end of the provincial championships. I have said many a time that there should be a Round of 16 brought in with qualifier rounds 3 and 4 scrapped.

1. Provincial Preliminary Rounds
2. Provincial Quarter-finals
3. Provincial Semi-finals & Qualifier Round 1
4. Provincial Finals & Qualifier Round 2
5. All-Ireland Round of 16
6. All-Ireland Quarter-finals
7. All-Ireland Semi-finals
8. All-Ireland Final

Now with the above, qualifier rounds 1 and 2 can be played in parallel with the provincial semi-finals and finals. The Round of 16 can be an open draw with a few provisions:
* Provincial winners drawn at home to a qualifier county.
* Provincial runners-up draw against a qualifier county with a separate draw to determine the home team.

With this - Provincial champions are guaranteed a home game. Provincial runners-up have a 1 in 2 chance of a home game. Qualifier counties have a 1 in 4 chance of a home game. I think it's an ideal solution and strikes a balance between the current format and streamlining the championship a bit more. Using this year's provincial finalists and qualifier round 2 winners as an example, the below is how a Round of 16 draw could have panned out:
Kerry - Sligo
Cork - Limerick
Mayo - Tipperary
Galway - Laois
Dublin - Armagh
Roscommon - Meath
Clare - Monaghan
Donegal - Kildare

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7857 - 11/10/2014 20:05:27    1662738

Don't see the whole point about it being a disadvantage in Ulster. For God sake you only become the best when you play the best.
Then there is also the back door. I don't get the argument at all. Only one team can win Ulster. After that everybody gets another chance in the qualifiers like very body else. Only 1 team can win Munster, Leinster and Con. Everybody gets a second chance.

Now saying that I believe that the whole championship and League format should be looked at again. There should be a one off knockout cup competition (this should incorporate the provincial finals.
Then there should be the Championship which should be a League and then Semi-finals. You top the group you with the minor premiership but you win the final and you win the overall comp. 2 Groups of 6 teams in the top tier both groups split based on seedings. The 2 other divisions split in a similar way. Do away with all the Mickey mouse competitions and all teams get three warm up games at the start of the season.

Nick (Wexford) - Posts: 1100 - 14/10/2014 11:30:02    1663449