Light at the end of the tunnel ?? This poster is really looking to see if there is any light at the end of the tunnel for Meath football. 2014 is best forgotten as it was a failure..Failure when compared to Meath football of the past as in no team spirit Yes i accept that we go again with the same management set up as last year[as a final throw of the dice for them]. The problem here is what have they learned from 2014 ? NO lessons were learned as the year wore on,and in fact team seemed to suffer from paralysis by analysis. Fitness levels for a county team was a joke!! So are the plans for 2015 seen as essentially REMEDIAL plans.If not ,the rest is a waste of time ,effort ,and money. YOU MUST KNOW WHERE YOU ARE AT IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD IN ANYTHING!!...Yes very negative i know..but does anyone know if remedial work of any description has begun? If not are we happy to plod along doing the same thing whilst expecting a better result? Now that would be foolish !!

nobull456 (Meath) - Posts: 1211 - 07/11/2014 18:54:13    1670556

I think that next year is about hoping that the mistakes of the last two years ( just looking at it since current management took over) can be addressed. Yes we can get promoted, but just as easily get demoted. Very important that we get a good start in league to build much needed confidence, a few early losses and that light at end of the tunnel could be a train wreck heading our way. Hopefully we will have a full squad to pick from as league progresses.
No excuses this year, division two teams are fairly evenly matched and we have a home draw to start championship, so here's hoping

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2135 - 07/11/2014 19:45:12    1670574

We do't know what is going on behind the scenes and you are right in what you say,but just remember these lads in charge are Meathmen,and I am sure they are determined to improve things,I agree if no improvements are made,then they need to go,BUT,lets give them a chance to make that,and support them.

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 07/11/2014 19:48:57    1670575

Fair play ziggy I agree with you
Lads I have constantly said it will be 2020 before before we win anything, The last 2 years under ODowd have been as good as could be expected with the raw material available. Lucky to get promoted and last yaer happy to stay in Div 2 lets not cod ourselves
I hope and pray that we can again consolidate our position in Div 2 we are not up for Div 1 yet look at the disaster Westmeath had last year.
I also hope and pray that we dont get relegated which is a possibility make no bones about it.
In Leinster I hope again that we can make a Leinster Final. Last year we got tanned but remember in 2013 we easily could have got a hiding also.
Winning a Leinster Final is pie in the sky unless the massive slice of luck we got v Dublin in 2010 is repeated when eveything we touched turned into goals

glenny (Meath) - Posts: 1108 - 08/11/2014 09:08:38    1670609

Ziggy while agreeing that they should be left to concentrate on this year. I really think that just cause they are meathmen makes absolutely no difference. I think a return to the rolling one year contract which boylan had is perhaps the best way to go forward, of course that can be abused with knee jerk reactions but it also puts a little bit of pressure on management which in any job is a good thing.
But we are where we are. I'll get behind the team and management this year 100% as we all should

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 08/11/2014 09:38:00    1670611

Royaldunne a one year rolling contract is ridiculous. Where is the future planning there? if you were manager and you had one year to prove yourself would you bring in any newcomers? Probably NOT because you don't know how they will react and it could put your position in jeapordy.
Stop looking for short term success. We will suffer in the long run with that type of short sightedness, just look at events at the turn of the millennium.
We have 4 players who played in 2010 LF. FOR
I don't understand why people keep looking at this negatively. We are younger than any team in the country I reckon and competing (bar the Dublin game). So why not let them develop and look for success in the future. Success that is sustainable.
The decisions the management made were harsh on a few, but they were made for the better of the long term state of meath football. can you not agree with that? they were never going to be popular and Ziggy is right and his point is 100% valid, They are Meath Men. No personal agendas at play, they want whats best for the county.
I don't know if you plan on emigrating in the next year or 2 and that is why you are demanding success in the next year or two, but these changes were essential, and while we haven't reaped the rewards yet (and in my opinion we wont next year either) I am sure Micko realises this. But with the lads who are coming in now I think we definitely have what it takes to be a major force in 2016 and beyond.
Rant over. MEATH ABU

dubsout (Meath) - Posts: 220 - 08/11/2014 11:16:54    1670622

Often times the light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train coming the other way.

atta (Meath) - Posts: 698 - 08/11/2014 11:32:43    1670626

I think also(no matter how good the players are),we have to get them playing with belief.That is a huge problem at the moment,get them to belief in themselves and they will be a better team

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 08/11/2014 15:21:10    1670681

RD

My point is,that they care as much as we do..

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 08/11/2014 15:22:40    1670682

dubsout

Exactly Rome was not built in a day,and Meath football has being in a state for a while,sometimes you have to take a step back to take two forward.There is no instant fix,I did see positives in Mickos first year and whereas we were poor against Dublin last season,it was the only game that we got a hammering in.As for the league,teams better than us have got hammerings,and we almost got promotion last year,which,imo,would have being overachieving

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 08/11/2014 15:29:03    1670687

Dubsout think you missed my point. Boylan had never anything more than a rolling contract. Didn't stop him bringing in new players. Rome indeed was not built in a day. But foundation was laid in 2 years I bet. Can we say the same for Meath football????????????

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 08/11/2014 17:54:38    1670711

Meath fans have a right to expect a high standard from all concerned. We should not settle for poor standards . In 2014 OUR standards were very poor. management areas in particular. We WILL have the same result next year if there is not a conscious effort to remedy basic errors in management. I am baffled by our level of acceptance of a dismal year.."A SHER ROW IN BEHIND THE TEAM AND MANAGEMENT AND HOPE THINGS WILL GET BETTER" is not good enough. I compare that to putting prisoners in jail without having a plan to help them mend their ways, and improve.
This poster is now only interested in hearing the remedial plans from here. No more bull,and time wasting such as what players are in or out.
I simply refuse to accept i am disloyal in any way. I simply refuse to deny the facts that are plain for all to see. I will be surprised if more players dont quit the panel unless we address this problem properly. 2 years is long enough to see clear teamwork ,tactics , and team spirit emerge for all to see. I have no personal agenda against any individual.As a loyal Meath supporter i expect progress at this point not more bull !!

nobull456 (Meath) - Posts: 1211 - 08/11/2014 20:26:27    1670741

I wouldnt know much about the ins and outs of the managers contracts. But I'm 99% certain Boylan's year long rolling contract was on his terms, like Alex Ferguson at Man United. It wasnt there to light a fire under him, it was so he could leave when he felt his time was up.

As has been mentioned before, a year long contract doesnt motivate a manager at all. If a manager had only had one year would he bring in any young lads to prepare for the year after, take a few beatings and rough scores to mould the team for the future? Chances are slim to none.

For his one year he'd stick to the lads already there, squeeze whats left out of them till they run off a cliff edge, then maybe throw a young lad in to paper the cracks. Bad for long term development.

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1643 - 08/11/2014 21:45:07    1670765

I think a review is a good thingy. Look what I saying is there has to be accountability. That does not mean getting rid of manager on a whim. But rather a open frank discussion on where to go from here. And what mistakes were made how to rectify them and so on.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 09/11/2014 09:31:25    1670784

I think a review is a good thingy. Look what I saying is there has to be accountability. That does not mean getting rid of manager on a whim. But rather a open frank discussion on where to go from here. And what mistakes were made how to rectify them and so on.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 09/11/2014 09:31:32    1670785

royaldunne. Agreed that is exactly the point accountability..review and remedy as required, otherwise nothing changes so same result.

nobull456 (Meath) - Posts: 1211 - 09/11/2014 09:55:09    1670788

I agree,but how do we know that a review was had?..

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 09/11/2014 13:58:02    1670833

We have no way of knowing for definite if a review took place. What forums like this can do is clearly let it be known to those concerned that this approach is essential. That silence on the issue does not mean acceptance . As far as i know no" assistance" has been sought.If it was like everything else the grapevine would have it even.
A good example was when Evans was brought in to "assist" Banty. That move helped to a degree ,and was not kept secret.

nobull456 (Meath) - Posts: 1211 - 09/11/2014 15:09:09    1670847

Totally agree nobull.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 09/11/2014 16:56:44    1670877

nobull456
County: Meath
Posts: 176

1670847
We have no way of knowing for definite if a review took place. What forums like this can do is clearly let it be known to those concerned that this approach is essential. That silence on the issue does not mean acceptance . As far as i know no" assistance" has been sought.If it was like everything else the grapevine would have it even.
A good example was when Evans was brought in to "assist" Banty. That move helped to a degree ,and was not kept secret.

And we have no way of knowing for definite that a review didn't take place, there are a lot of things we don't know and in the absence of knowledge it's as well not to form opinions. O'Dowd is entering his third year, his first was reasonably successful given his starting base, his second dissapointing however I include the case of injuries and putting "square pegs in round holes" as a result which I believe upset team balance and moral. We have had many years like 2014 in the recent past yet O'Dowd and his team seem to be getting a tougher time that some of his predecessors. 2015 will be the watershed for this team and management but I believe there is far too much negativity and agendas going on here, and by saying that it doesn't make me happy with mediocrity or moral victories. I want our county to be as successful as anyone but I refuse to allow my opinions be formed by what I don't know or what I don't see. Everyone needs to improve, we all know that, players, management and maybe even the supporters need to improve their opinions of the efforts being put in, I think I'll wait till January and wait until I actually see the team in action before I draw opinions

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 09/11/2014 17:35:11    1670896