Just a quick note on the drawn semi-final. It wasnt the best game ever but the physicality and intensity was unreal.. When you compare what our team are like, we would get murdered in a game like that. Our players dont have the size, strength, aggression, or will to win that was shown in Croke Park on Sunday.. I thought we had problems already but to see hitting and intensity in that game our little lads would get eaten alive.

MeathNo3 (Meath) - Posts: 23 - 02/09/2015 12:42:34    1780568

Agreed. Only D Tobin, Keoghan, Rooney and maybe Menton would have the physical conditioning, mentality and fitness for a match like last Sunday.

But the Meath lads don't take their football as seriously as the players on these teams or do they seem to be as well prepared. Its very clear to see. I'm not slamming them either, its their choice and they already make considerable sacrafices. But the Kerry, Mayo and Dublin players on a different planet in terms of conditioning and attitude.

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1316 - 02/09/2015 13:15:34    1780598

Exactly so to talk about new managers, selectors etc is irrelevant when it seems the players do not have the hunger to match what other counties have.. To be honest I think the sacrifice these players make is unreal. I dont think too many of the rugby players going to the World cup will have trained as hard or put in as much effort as the top GAA players.. These players are a credit to Football.. I just wish we can find a team to match it.

MeathNo3 (Meath) - Posts: 23 - 02/09/2015 13:36:34    1780607

Crinigan
I think you could add Tormey and J McEntee to that list. Tormey has the physicality but needs to be brought down a level or two on the superstar status he craves.
Unfortunately we are miles behind those teams but like everything is boils down to money. If Meath had the cash Dublin have I guarantee you we would be competing at the top. Meath have about 8-10 back room staff - Dublin have 30+

Krankyfred (Meath) - Posts: 19 - 02/09/2015 13:47:19    1780618

Krankeyfred

I agree,but Mayo and Donegal have competed well,whats their finances like? Even Monaghan have done very well..

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 02/09/2015 14:20:00    1780642

Krankyfred

Finances aren't a legitimate excuse, if they were then Dublin would have many more All-Ireland's than every other county, granted they haven't done bad for themselves but they are still well behind Kerry in the roll of honour and they haven't exactly dominated the championship since the turn of the century either.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 02/09/2015 14:40:57    1780659

MeathNo3

Our players dont have the size, strength, aggression, or will to win that was shown in Croke Park on Sunday.. I thought we had problems already but to see hitting and intensity in that game our little lads would get eaten alive.

Sadly I'd have to agree with that, we just don't seem to have any of those things, talent wise we're certainly not All-Ireland level but I don't think we're that bad either, there are a few very good players on the Meath panel. But size, strength, aggression and will to win? I think we're badly lacking in all of those departments and there's no doubt in my mind that had we been playing either Dublin or Mayo on Sunday we'd have been blown away.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 02/09/2015 14:47:29    1780665

I think the finances can give you an extra few % but if you dont have the 95% of talent and hunger it doesnt really matter.

MeathNo3 (Meath) - Posts: 23 - 02/09/2015 14:47:40    1780666

I agree about the finances part being a weak excuse. In a thread last month people were saying that Dublin having more money than Meath was the reason for Fermanagh and Kildare advancing further than us in the championship.

I doubt Westmeath are showered in riches either to be honest.

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1643 - 02/09/2015 14:50:35    1780671

So the solution is just to put only 6 foot plus John Mc Dermott clones into the team and puff their chests? that isn't going to cut it. The big teams have a tactical advantage that far outweighs their physical advantage. Besides Cork have some of the biggest players in the country and what have they to show for it?

Jimin10 (Meath) - Posts: 783 - 02/09/2015 15:13:22    1780692

I am not talking only about height. Cork may be one of the biggest teams in the Country but they are also one of the most mentally weak. Yes we need top class footballers but we do also need them to roll up their Sleeves puff out their chests and get bloody well stuck in. Also we didnt do too bad when John Mcdermott was playing. I would love to have him playing now and also players with his attitude..

MeathNo3 (Meath) - Posts: 23 - 02/09/2015 15:33:46    1780717

Our guys are as big and as strong as the next. What they miss is the will, the determination a hunger to succeed. They get that and they'll be as good as any opponent.

Tones (Meath) - Posts: 17 - 02/09/2015 15:51:53    1780732

I fully agree Meath no. 3 and one of the most disappointing aspects of our demise is the fact we haven't had any character on the pitch. It's as if we have blended into the crowd and have turned into your typical average inter county team for example Roscommon or Offaly. There is no fear factor whatsoever anymore and for a generation of players that have been influenced by respected players in the past this is very disappointing. It's not as if each Meath team from 2001 onwards have been progressively worse as we have had success closely followed by failure and then success again but the fear is that this current crop of players are the ones that take Meath off the footballing map and turn us into an anonymous county. But the difficult question that has to be addressed is how do you create character in a team? you either have it or you don't.

Jimin10 (Meath) - Posts: 783 - 02/09/2015 16:20:17    1780767

You can't really argue the point we are miles of physically,in terms of hunger,desire and preparation..

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 02/09/2015 19:40:23    1780875

agree we are a fair bit behind all the top teams but what is most worrying has been highlighted by Jimin, we have blended in to become a middle of the road team, with little or no ambition. This downward spiral has seemingly been accepted by both county board and clubs. Maybe it is time for players to meet again and this time ask themselves and powers that be a few hard questions on the future of Meath football.

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2136 - 02/09/2015 20:28:52    1780908

agree we are a fair bit behind all the top teams but what is most worrying has been highlighted by Jimin, we have blended in to become a middle of the road team, with little or no ambition. This downward spiral has seemingly been accepted by both county board and clubs. Maybe it is time for players to meet again and this time ask themselves and powers that be a few hard questions on the future of Meath football.

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2136 - 02/09/2015 20:28:52    1780909

How come we have lost our aggression and will to win?

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1790 - 02/09/2015 20:36:58    1780914

Everything everybody said so far about Meath needing strength, aggression and physical conditioning is very true...Downside of that is if i was to show every lad here a video tape of Meath football be it league or championship and compare it to other teams of the last 10 years who won All Ireland's committing to a tackle or the physicality contest we get penalised every single time in the 50/50 calls..what i am saying is if we played like Mayo or Dublin last Sunday we would not have had a single player left on the pitch! Our game has been refereed out of us to the point of it been non existent!

I see it at club football to..were i see a young lad fully committed to every contest on the pitch,then next game the manger wont play him because he is redeemed a liability to picking up yellow cards..so he then quits because nobody every coached the young Lad how to tackle correctly!

We need coaches to help Meath football..not a 24 seater!

WhyTheLongFace (Meath) - Posts: 875 - 02/09/2015 21:37:21    1780937

bert09
Attitude.. Your attitude determines what and how much you can do. It is like an engine - it can either slow you down or accelerate you forward. First things first get the attitude of the players 100% before winter training kicks in and then work on the footballing side of things

Krankyfred (Meath) - Posts: 19 - 02/09/2015 21:45:02    1780941

Whythelongface, I agree with you regarding club football. The physical side of the game has been refereed out of the game in Meath. I dont know about other Counties, but this must have come down from the County Board. So the bigger or more aggressive player is penalised and therefore more of a liability to his team. Club football needs to be more phyiscal without losing the emphasis of skill and speed too. Also the young player who is naturally aggressive needs to be coached how to use his aggression the correct way and not coached out of him. In rugby being aggresive is as much of a players repertoire as speed, strength, ability to read a game etc. Also this has nothing to do with throwing punches or acting the hard man. To me being aggressive is going for a ball you have no right to win and making sure you win it. Putting your body on the line for your team and total refusal of defeat.

MeathNo3 (Meath) - Posts: 23 - 03/09/2015 09:28:19    1780982