Kerry underdogs in the Munster final, both All Ireland semi finals and the final, they won all three rounds (semi after a replay). They played and adapted to contrasting styles almost effortlessly. This guy took on Jim McGuiness at his own game, and beat him (with a measly three weeks practice no less). No Gooch, some retirements to key men, and a team where SOME of the players had very little experience.
Of course, being a Kerryman, Fitzmaurice may suffer from the usual "sure anyone would win with those players" soundbites that were thrown at Jack O' Connor, but as far as I'm concerned this guy has overtaken McGuinness and Gavin as the best in the business.
Id say that they should unveil a statue of him outside Croker, but he strikes me as the type of guy who wouldnt want that.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 23/09/2014 19:54:01    1656260

He has done a fantastic job.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7821 - 24/09/2014 10:33:18    1656405

Eamonn Fitzmaurice is a great manager and seems a likeable fella also and Kerry deserved (just about) to win the game on Sunday. But don't be saying that they only practised playing defensive tactics for only 3 weeks. This is ridiculous and comes from Joe Brolly but it doesn't make any sense and just isn't true. For example in last years AI quarter final against Cavan - yes Cavan - Kerry played very defensively with 12/13 men behind the ball. Now I've no problem with that but I wish people would call a spade a spade instead of seeing what they want to see. Also Pat Spillane has said that only one of the last five All Irelands was won playing defensive football (Donegal 2012). This just isn't true - at least 3 of the last 5 have been won playing a similar defensive counter attacking football (Dublin 2011, Donegal 2012 and Kerry 2014). In fact you could argue that Kerry's win on Sunday is the most defensive of all these. And if you want to go back further Tyrone 2008,2005,2003; Armagh 2002 or even Kerry in 2009 was not a triumph for open attacking football.

But again well done to Kerry on Sunday.

supporter (Donegal) - Posts: 205 - 24/09/2014 10:54:06    1656428

3 weeks practice??? They went negative sorry I mean defensive against Cork in the Munster final which was played in July.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 24/09/2014 10:58:14    1656430

Fair play to Eamon. He comes across as a cool customer but you just know that under that icy exterior he can be a ruthless bastard aswell. He got the tactics right all Championship and he deserves all the plaudits he is getting.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9115 - 24/09/2014 11:01:56    1656432

His sidekick Cian O Neil should also take a lot of credit, has worked wonders wherever he has went!

222 (UK) - Posts: 691 - 24/09/2014 11:20:16    1656440

Fitzy is a tactical genius. If it was that easy then every manager would go defensive in order to win. Clondalkindub you obviously have something against my great county as on different threads you have only negative rubbish to say. Your not jealous i hope. 37 and counting. We will only get better in my eyes. The future is certainly bright under Fitzy. Up the kingdom.

kerry74 (Kerry) - Posts: 1354 - 24/09/2014 11:28:22    1656444

Not jealous at all just laughing at this notion that Kerry played fairy tale attacking football this year when clearly they didn't , Eamon knew after they went man on man against us last year and Cork in the league this year that he hadn't the team to beat the attacking teams so he went defensive fair play to him I didn't think it was the Kerry way but obviously it is.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 24/09/2014 11:34:56    1656448

Not jealous at all just laughing at this notion that Kerry played fairy tale attacking football this year when clearly they didn't ,

Dont worry lad Im sure the Dubs will be back. You are full of bitterness towards Kerry. In fact you are one a a small few Dubs who seem to resent Kerry football. I live in Dublin and have had nothing but Dubs shaking my hand congratulating us and of course the odd bit of banter saying that Sam will be back in the Capital next year etc. Its all in good fun. It should stay that way. Its not nice to lose but every team has to go through it. Ye had the glory last year. Its our turn this year. Who knows where Sam will be next year. Thats the beauty of it.

aidan64 (Kerry) - Posts: 665 - 24/09/2014 12:13:43    1656473

clondalkindub
County: Dublin
Posts: 5406

1656448
Not jealous at all just laughing at this notion that Kerry played fairy tale attacking football this year when clearly they didn't , Eamon knew after they went man on man against us last year and Cork in the league this year that he hadn't the team to beat the attacking teams so he went defensive fair play to him I didn't think it was the Kerry way but obviously it is.

_____


That's pretty much spot on ClonD

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 24/09/2014 12:24:25    1656479

Not at all Aidan I love Kerry football look at the thread were we picked the best 15 players in Ireland ever last year , I picked mainly Kerry players and I always say Gooch is the greatest player I've ever seen. If I hated Kerry I wouldn't say these things about Gooch and pick your players on best teams of all time. You had 36 which is a mile ahead of everyone else so 37 doesn't really make much difference your still the kings even if you lost on Sunday. I'm just pointing out to posters who think Kerry only had 3 weeks defensive training is not true.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 24/09/2014 12:27:56    1656483

It's still chalk and cheese, when you compare where Donegal were at when McGuinness took over. I think they were ranked 19th in the country, while Kerry possibly never left the Top 5 at any stage over the past 5 or 6 years.

EXAMPLE: KERRY
All Ireland Champions in 2009.
Munster Champions in 2010, 2011 and 2013.
All Ireland runners up 2011,
All Ireland Semi Finalist's 2013,
All Ireland Quarter Finalist's in 2010 and 2012.

To put it simply, Kerry had a bad start to the 2013 National League. Pat Spillane spoke on League Sunday about "Crisis with a Capital C", and they lost a few games on the trot. And again they were written off after a poor league start in 2014, yet they won have won back to back Munster titles in 2013/2014.

McGuinness Inherited a team players who
- Never had won a Ulster Championship
- Never won an All Ireland Championship
- Were playing football in Division 2 of the National League.

To bring a Division 2 side from nowhere, to winning Division 2, winning 3 x Ulster Championships and 1 x All Ireland in 4 years is stunning. What makes it so superb, Is the sheer jump in levels he brought them from. Not just physically, but also mentally.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 24/09/2014 12:30:03    1656488

Jim's influence on Donegal will be seen for decades to come. The man IS a redeemer and a LEGEND. I'll predict that we'll never go 19 years without a provincial title again, and please god will contest a few more all Ireland finals than we had in the decades leading up to his appointment. He's forged a new tradition for the county and instilled so much pride and passion in the people up here. How many young lads will be bursting to be the next Michael Murphy or Karl Lacey now as a result of his endeavours. Comparing him with Fitzmaurice is ludicrous as they both had completely different circumstances to work with, as GaryMc pointed out. Both men are great managers. Well done to both and thanks a million Jim!

fire_in_belly (Donegal) - Posts: 59 - 24/09/2014 13:00:50    1656515

JMG and Eamon Fitzmaurice are possibly amongst the best GAA managers of all time already. They have taken two pretty average group of players to the promised land. With Fitzmaurice having a stronger hand next year the kingdom are going to take some stopping. In terms of Donegal I suspect the achievements of JMG will really be noticed when he steps aside, Donegal should be going all out to ensure he stays around.

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 999 - 24/09/2014 13:08:13    1656520

I get the feeling that there are some who are delighted we lost the other day and seek to diminish Jim's achievements at every opportunity. What I would say to those is look after your own houses first before casting aspersions on others. What Jim has done for Donegal football is astonishing and any attempt to undermine his work or his methods is quite frankly laughable and not really worth responding to.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9115 - 24/09/2014 13:43:36    1656540

Eamon (no favours) Fitzmaurice was spot on ALL season with his calls and i might add very ably assisted by Mikey & Murphy.

traleeexile (Kerry) - Posts: 732 - 24/09/2014 14:33:25    1656569

Jim McGuinness is a great manager and deserves all the credit he gets, like so many things in life people in Donegal won't understand what they will miss until his gone.

As for Fitzy, sure what can you say! Serious argument that he masterminded possibly Kerry's finest All Ireland victory of the past 100 odd years. The way Kerry were able to adapt their game to take on specific requirements to deal with each opponent succesfully, has any other All Ireland winning team been so adaptable?

Destroyed Cork with an attacking master class, went a more traditional style but with a huge added intensity to deal with Mayo and then reverted to a much more defensive set up to out muscle Donegal! I've been on here a lot all summer praising him to the hilt and telling people this guy is something special, hope ye can see what I was on about now.

Incredible stuff from him and the rest of the backroom team. He didn't make one bad call on the sideline all year. People were saying Donaghy shouldn't start in reply or final, we stuck with him and how he was rewarded.

After the Clare game Moran he was getting stick and would have been easy to stick with Sheehan even after Moran's display against Galway, but no he sticks with Moran and now that famous house has another All Star.

Dropped Aidan, Marc and Declan to make a few points and they all came back near mad to prove they still had something to offer.

I hope this job is his as long as he wants it, and I hope that will be for a very long time. This group is something special and with an All Ireland in their back pockets, I think they are going to develop into the fourth great Kerry side and dominate the championship for next few years.

Eamon will have number 40 home by the next World Cup!

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 6354 - 24/09/2014 15:16:48    1656590

fitzmaurice very good manager no question yet it does appear a certain number of people are eager to knock mcguiness off his lofy perch per say and those that dislike him are eager to diminish his achievements...no question donegal would be nowhere without him

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 24/09/2014 16:05:35    1656607

I dont dislike Mcguinness at all, and have argued before that his achievemnets with Donegal arguably match anything that have achieved before in gaelic games managment.
Stii though, what with documentaries being made, statues being erected, words like genius being applied at will, his perch is not lofty,it is stratospheric. I doubt if Fitzmaurice will receive even 1/10th of the adulation.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 24/09/2014 18:59:29    1656683

a paddy power statue you mean?..theres a documentary for a good few of the all ireland winning teams is there not?..yes well fitzmaurice manages kerry while mcguiness manages donegal a county who have very little history of success and turned them into serial winners

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 24/09/2014 19:09:12    1656689