I am putting it out there - who do you think is the best pound for pound manager in the country. We have seen some greats over the years like Micko, Hefo, O'Mahony, Kernan, McGuinness, Harte, et al.

Are there any outstanding new managers to watch out for this year? As the game becomes more tactical, are we seeing some managers who are bring something new to the game?

Reformation (Cavan) - Posts: 356 - 07/01/2016 14:24:16    1815090

Boylan wasn't a bad manager or does Cavan hatred for Meath mean you can't mention him!!!

RangerDanger (Armagh) - Posts: 101 - 07/01/2016 15:29:23    1815109

There is some Cody lad over in Kilkenny who I hear is fairly handy

Southsham (Limerick) - Posts: 738 - 07/01/2016 16:01:23    1815123

Id agree that Boylan was an excellent manager. Indeed there are many more than I mentioned!!

Just want to get the topic moving to see what people think!

Reformation (Cavan) - Posts: 356 - 07/01/2016 16:12:09    1815128

tony Mc entee is unreal a great manager

youngfella27 (Armagh) - Posts: 110 - 07/01/2016 16:47:52    1815140

Is it restricted to current managers ? Otherwise it just becomes another "greatest manager of all time" thread and that topic has been done to death.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 07/01/2016 17:29:12    1815151

Sure it would not be fair not to include James Horan.. look at all he won :P

sxckev (Mayo) - Posts: 211 - 07/01/2016 17:32:27    1815153

Succes drives opinions , Fitzmaurice a genius in 2014 , J Gavin the opposite , 12 months later same guys cant wait to put the knife into Fitzmaurice .
Role of coach is overrated when they are losing and underrated when winning .
For me if your looking at legends theres only Coady around today worthy of that status .From a more down to earth prospective Waterford hurling manager did a terrific job last year McGrath

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 07/01/2016 17:50:05    1815158

There's only one Shemus 'Cheddar' Plunkett.

Has done more for Laois hurling than the previous 5 or 6 managers although a special mention goes to Niall Rigney for his tenure.

Cheddar is working on a style of play and has been able to get the best hurlers to commit to the cause. Has lost alot of established names this year but still his confidence is high and his belief in his players is infectious.

It's alot easier manage when you have the resources that 'bigger' counties have i.e. player numbers, finance, structures etc.

Laois is never an easy county to be manager but Cheddar will reach legend status before he departs. (again)

Windy Gap (Laois) - Posts: 55 - 07/01/2016 18:07:31    1815164

Pete McGrath. Still great.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7345 - 07/01/2016 18:32:07    1815171

Nail on the head Damo. Players win championships and managers lose them. Malachy O Rourke has to be right up there at the moment.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 07/01/2016 19:00:27    1815177

I guess the question is loaded. If it is about success then Brian Cody wins hands down. The most successful manager in history in either sport. Has changed the team completely from when he started and still is continuing to win and probably will win more over the next few years (eventually quitting when they win five in a row or there next defeat thereafter).

Windy Gap has made a good point though. It is all about the situation you are managing. Cheddar Plunkett team plays in the same competition as Brian Cody's team but have completely different resources. Cheddar Plunkett has made a massive improvement in Laois. Brian Cody has taken on an already successful county and made them more successful (improvement as well) but is there a case to be made that Cheddar (given that he also works at underage teams and is involved throughout the county) has done an even better job? (I am not saying that he has as I don't fully know).

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 07/01/2016 20:44:23    1815204

As part of a new years resolution I am keeping positive and wont be naming any of the worst, up and coming managers well graham geraghty is doing fine at club level, and pf course Andy McEntee has been outstanding at club level this year winning senior Leinster, two from my own county , but for some reason Meath cb know better. Ahh gaa politics, got love it.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 07/01/2016 20:45:25    1815206

Think Jim Gavin and Eamonn Fitzmaurice are top of the pile at the moment,Malachy O Rourke,Mickey Harte and Pete McGrath close behind.
Arguably the next best are out of work in Jim McGuinness and James Horan,While i think Kevin McStay will do very well in Ros and Cian O Neill could be good with the lilywhites.

shea (Kerry) - Posts: 409 - 07/01/2016 21:13:10    1815219

That is true damo, but you have to see through that to the reality. There is no manager out there who didn't get something very wrong in their time, Horan, Gavin, Harte, McGuinness and Fitzmaurice all included. Things can be weighted on whether the team won or lost, but it shouldn't be, or at least not as much as it is. They all have their faults too. It is hard to pick just one. However, I will say, I think Jack O'Connor probably doesn't get enough credit. He spear-headed shifts in the game that were rolled out country-wide. The move with Donaghy for example, then in the semi against Dublin, he turned that on it's head with Declan O'Sullivan going in to ff to target Dublin's fb who was there in expectation of donaghy. It was intelligent work. He also matched his players to the opposition, something quite alien to gaa at the time. He just seemed to be ahead of the curve on a lot of things.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 08/01/2016 09:47:17    1815242

Totally agree with The Masters last post , excellent call made on Jack O Connor someone Id have the height of respect for , equally there's one aspect to a successful manager/county that hasn't been noted and that's luck , I don't go along with the spin you make your own luck ,
Players/Coaches can be lucky as to be born in the right county/era
Certain counties s my own included often get the rub of the green
Some crucial decision in games have had major knock on effects to managers careers

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 08/01/2016 11:14:56    1815256

Very well said Master .

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 08/01/2016 11:49:32    1815261

Totally agree with the Laois man on Cheddar Plunkett. I get the impression that he has the ability to manage at all levels.

In Gaelic Football, the comment about Jack O'Connor is a good point but shows why successful counties are successful. Before O'Connor took on the Kerry Senior job in 2004, as far as I know, he presided over the Kerry U21 team losing to Waterford. If something like that happened in Limerick (losing in championship to a perceived weaker county) the manager's wheelie bins would be set ablaze, they'd be banned from Nancy Blake's and would be forced to drink pints of Murphy's in Tom Collins' bar. Hence we rarely have the long term vision for talent that counties like Kerry do.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 08/01/2016 12:01:54    1815266

Yeah joc what a manager somehow he turned the O Se's O Sullivan's Gooch Donaghy Galvin O Mahoney etc into a great team ha please, a managers job is to have his players as fit as possible and mentally right for the big days. I laugh when I hear people say "ah great change by the manager" as if that manager knows what that player is going to do, some days it works other days it doesn't but by having the best players more often than not them changes will work but come on anyone could be successful with that Kerry team.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 08/01/2016 12:20:23    1815272

Only managers who won sam should be included in this conversation. JH lost 2 all irelands for mayo from the sideline. as someone said above: "Players win all irelands, managers lose them"

sxckev (Mayo) - Posts: 211 - 08/01/2016 13:15:40    1815286