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Manager of the year

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Replying To alano12:  "kenny easily should have got coach of the year...i dont think people understand what they were up against....the pro 12 isnt a high standard and they were helped by other teams missing players on international duty during the season"
You continuously say the league of Ireland is a poor standard so therefore dundalk benifited from that to aid there run in the qualifying rounds for champions league and then in Europa league enjoyed the fact they could rest players for games a luxury others in the group didn't have. Plus the Russians aside az and the isreal side are hardly European powerhouses and all said and done dundalk finished bottom of the group. So if your diminishing connacht you have to take dundalk achievements on their merits which they secure in the league of Ireland there silverwear.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 22/12/2016 18:01:56    1941747

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Replying To hill16no1man:  "For me medals and trophys rank higher than moral victories at the end of the day."
Yet here you are ranting about an individual award. If the Connacht manager or someone else won it, what excuse would you use to claim they shouldn't have?

football_man (Leitrim) - Posts: 15 - 22/12/2016 19:04:57    1941759

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Replying To hill16no1man:  "You continuously say the league of Ireland is a poor standard so therefore dundalk benifited from that to aid there run in the qualifying rounds for champions league and then in Europa league enjoyed the fact they could rest players for games a luxury others in the group didn't have. Plus the Russians aside az and the isreal side are hardly European powerhouses and all said and done dundalk finished bottom of the group. So if your diminishing connacht you have to take dundalk achievements on their merits which they secure in the league of Ireland there silverwear."
The league of Ireland isn't a good league relative to other European leagues it's a fact not opinion hence making dundalk achievement all the more special..zenit have been an above average European side for years

Frampton became a 2 weight world champion..fair play to mcgregor but he lost a fight to a journeyman..hype doesn't equal great achievement

alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 22/12/2016 19:43:32    1941768

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Replying To alano12:  "The league of Ireland isn't a good league relative to other European leagues it's a fact not opinion hence making dundalk achievement all the more special..zenit have been an above average European side for years

Frampton became a 2 weight world champion..fair play to mcgregor but he lost a fight to a journeyman..hype doesn't equal great achievement"
What achievement though they finished bottom of the group? And they were in the middle of their season as oppossed to a lot of the other european leagues hadnt begun so it gave them an advantage plus if u don't think league of Ireland is as good then it helped them as it gave them chance to rest players for European games as oppossed to the Russian and Dutch teams.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 22/12/2016 20:38:22    1941770

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Replying To hill16no1man:  "What achievement though they finished bottom of the group? And they were in the middle of their season as oppossed to a lot of the other european leagues hadnt begun so it gave them an advantage plus if u don't think league of Ireland is as good then it helped them as it gave them chance to rest players for European games as oppossed to the Russian and Dutch teams."
It's not whether I think it's a good league or not the rankings speak for themselves hence why dundalk getting that far was great...it was a brilliant achievement for them to even get that far...beating bate was a very good win who have beaten the likes of bayern and roma in recent years

alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 22/12/2016 21:51:26    1941797

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You continuously say the league of Ireland is a poor standard so therefore dundalk benifited from that to aid there run in the qualifying rounds for champions league and then in Europa league enjoyed the fact they could rest players for games a luxury others in the group didn't have. Plus the Russians aside az and the isreal side are hardly European powerhouses and all said and done dundalk finished bottom of the group. So if your diminishing connacht you have to take dundalk achievements on their merits which they secure in the league of Ireland there silverwear.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts:11523

Connacht finished 7th in the Pro 12 the year before they won it. Dundalk were ranked close to 400 in the European club rankings the year before they qualified for the group stages.

There's no way you can compare the scale of the two. Of course Connacht winning it was great, but I can't see how it's a bigger achievement than what Dundalk did. You talk about winning trophies and medals as ranking higher than an underdog story or a moral victory - that's fair enough but Dublin were pretty much odds on to win every game they played this year. The standard of the domestic league is poor, but Dundalk got a hell of a better challenge in that than Dublin did in Leinster is Dublin's All Ireland defence diminished because they were straight through to the last 8 before a ball was kicked?

Dundalk were able to rest players in the league? I must have missed that when Cork were going toe to toe with them for most of the season. Finished bottom of the group? Against teams ranked 300 places above them? No shame in that is there? The fact they finished with a couple of points and can feel unlucky not to have actually made it out of the group is a massive achievement in itself.

agree with lot of what u say there..mcgregor was a decent choice but i would have went frampton..had mcgregor 2nd

alano12 (Dublin) - Posts:1289

Would have had it as a very tough call between the two, wouldn't have had any argument with either of them winning it really - toss of a coin almost - both with world titles at two different weights - any other year that surely would have a been a shoe in.

As much as I like the O'Donovan's story part of just finds it a bit strange that a pair can be classed as a team - you'd never see a horse and jockey nominated would you? On the flip side of that you could put forward a case for them being more of a team than a rugby or football team - need to be in perfect unison with each other and no room for individualism.

if_in_doubt (Kildare) - Posts: 3685 - 22/12/2016 21:58:57    1941799

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Replying To alano12:  "no mcgregor got it because he has a massive bandwagon of followers..simple as"
Yeah to be honest I don't especially disagree with this.

I think the O'Donovans won for team of the year because they were popular too.

It does just show how stupid the whole thing is.

I don't especially like the guy but really Rory McIlroy is by far and away Ireland's best sportsman. He's been 1st-3rd best golfer in the world in 4 of the last 5 seasons.

Golf is a much more competitive sport than UFC or Rowing.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4241 - 23/12/2016 00:55:08    1941827

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Replying To alano12:  "kenny easily should have got coach of the year...i dont think people understand what they were up against....the pro 12 isnt a high standard and they were helped by other teams missing players on international duty during the season"
Lam did achieve a huge amount with very little resources. I do agree though, the pro 12 is a bit of a stupid competition in that there's a load of games where the best players aren't participating. It's nowhere near the same prestige as the European Rugby Champions Cup.

The one thing about Dundalk's achievements are that there's a decent slice of luck involved in soccer matches. The beat Bate but if they were to play them again over 2 legs how many games would they win.

4 points from 6 games is a good return for an Irish team in the Europa League group stage but you know it's still very much a part of having a lot of luck involved.

Although they did win their 3rd league title and narrowly missed out on another double.

Top GAA teams aren't helped by our structures. The National League is not taken seriously by the association. Dublin to their credit take it seriously but most teams use it as Championship warm up. You are judging teams then on a handful of real games. With Leinster the way it is right now, Dublin only play 3 serious games to be AI champions.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4241 - 23/12/2016 01:07:28    1941829

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Replying To Whammo86:  "Lam did achieve a huge amount with very little resources. I do agree though, the pro 12 is a bit of a stupid competition in that there's a load of games where the best players aren't participating. It's nowhere near the same prestige as the European Rugby Champions Cup.

The one thing about Dundalk's achievements are that there's a decent slice of luck involved in soccer matches. The beat Bate but if they were to play them again over 2 legs how many games would they win.

4 points from 6 games is a good return for an Irish team in the Europa League group stage but you know it's still very much a part of having a lot of luck involved.

Although they did win their 3rd league title and narrowly missed out on another double.

Top GAA teams aren't helped by our structures. The National League is not taken seriously by the association. Dublin to their credit take it seriously but most teams use it as Championship warm up. You are judging teams then on a handful of real games. With Leinster the way it is right now, Dublin only play 3 serious games to be AI champions."
totally agree on your gaa point...disagree on dundalk..lot more than luck...they played bate off the park in that 2nd leg

alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 23/12/2016 19:02:24    1941944

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Replying To Whammo86:  "Yeah to be honest I don't especially disagree with this.

I think the O'Donovans won for team of the year because they were popular too.

It does just show how stupid the whole thing is.

I don't especially like the guy but really Rory McIlroy is by far and away Ireland's best sportsman. He's been 1st-3rd best golfer in the world in 4 of the last 5 seasons.

Golf is a much more competitive sport than UFC or Rowing."
frampton is largely ignored down here but he did the most this year

alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 23/12/2016 19:03:34    1941945

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Replying To hill16no1man:  "I don't honestly think its a massive achievement. They won the second competition available to them. Call a spade a spade if derry had of beaten dublin in the 2014 national league final do you think they would have been front runners for team of the year or even nominated on the list? It would be the exact same achievement for the year."
Pro12 was their top competition. It was a phenomenal achievement . They are now joint top of their Champions Cup group having beaten both Wasps and Toulouse both of whom have infinitely more financial and playing resources than Connacht . Absolutely stunning achievements . That is not to denigrate what Dublin have also done .

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 23/12/2016 19:27:57    1941948

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Replying To Greengrass:  "Pro12 was their top competition. It was a phenomenal achievement . They are now joint top of their Champions Cup group having beaten both Wasps and Toulouse both of whom have infinitely more financial and playing resources than Connacht . Absolutely stunning achievements . That is not to denigrate what Dublin have also done ."
were they not in the challenge cup?

alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 23/12/2016 19:53:08    1941949

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I would have had Thomas Barr as Sportsperson of the year. To come 4th in the 400m Olympic hurdles is really an unbeliable achievement considering he is competing against the most elite athletes across the entire world.

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4624 - 23/12/2016 20:51:01    1941957

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Replying To alano12:  "frampton is largely ignored down here but he did the most this year"
I find it hard to judge boxing achievements.

The multiple organisations and the politics of who fights who.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4241 - 23/12/2016 21:13:48    1941963

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4 points from 6 games is a good return for an Irish team in the Europa League group stage but you know it's still very much a part of having a lot of luck involved.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts:1230 - 23/12/2016

4 points from 6 games is a fantastic return for a part-time side playing against full-time teams who've been competing at this level for years. Zenit are one of the top clubs in Europe, ranked 350 places ahead of Dundalk and they were lucky to beat them in Tallaght.

So yeah there was luck involved in them getting 4 points but it wasn't all good.

if_in_doubt (Kildare) - Posts: 3685 - 23/12/2016 21:15:19    1941964

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Replying To Greengrass:  "Pro12 was their top competition. It was a phenomenal achievement . They are now joint top of their Champions Cup group having beaten both Wasps and Toulouse both of whom have infinitely more financial and playing resources than Connacht . Absolutely stunning achievements . That is not to denigrate what Dublin have also done ."
Pro12 is not taken serious far less than the national league.
take this week Leinster travel to munster in that league and are forced to make 10 changes to their team than the one that played in the premier competition the week before because the rugby body of Ireland the irfu dictate so with their policies on international players

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 24/12/2016 18:09:05    1942022

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Replying To if_in_doubt:  "4 points from 6 games is a good return for an Irish team in the Europa League group stage but you know it's still very much a part of having a lot of luck involved.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts:1230 - 23/12/2016

4 points from 6 games is a fantastic return for a part-time side playing against full-time teams who've been competing at this level for years. Zenit are one of the top clubs in Europe, ranked 350 places ahead of Dundalk and they were lucky to beat them in Tallaght.

So yeah there was luck involved in them getting 4 points but it wasn't all good."
On reflection I was talking a lot of rubbish

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4241 - 24/12/2016 18:29:13    1942023

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Replying To hill16no1man:  "Pro12 is not taken serious far less than the national league.
take this week Leinster travel to munster in that league and are forced to make 10 changes to their team than the one that played in the premier competition the week before because the rugby body of Ireland the irfu dictate so with their policies on international players"
Leinster had a full team out for the Pro12 final in May and they were hammered . They were taking the Pro12 seriously that day . Connacht are now joint top of their Champions Cup group. Stunning achievements and well deserving of Team of The Year .

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 24/12/2016 21:52:41    1942034

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Replying To alano12:  "were they not in the challenge cup?"
They were alano but they concentrated on The Pro12. They wanted to qualify for The Champions Cup . The top six in The Pro12 qualify for The Champions Cup.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 24/12/2016 21:55:53    1942035

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Replying To hill16no1man:  "What achievement though they finished bottom of the group? And they were in the middle of their season as oppossed to a lot of the other european leagues hadnt begun so it gave them an advantage plus if u don't think league of Ireland is as good then it helped them as it gave them chance to rest players for European games as oppossed to the Russian and Dutch teams."
Would you ever wise up .

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 24/12/2016 21:57:53    1942036

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