for a small County they do well to be sort of competitive in both codes and have put it up to Galway in hurling and Dublin in Football in recent years...

The County is small in population and is split down the middle as regards codes (very rare does a hurler come from the east or a footballer come from the west to represent the county)

Most if not all clubs in the East are senior football and either don't field a junior hurling team or are at the lowest level and the same the other side

They do produce some great talent and are one of a handful of counties to reach both football and hurling finals be it along time ago.

One thing however that strikes me even though the county is already split in half they find a way to split it even further.

Every year you hear their players pulling off the panel in both codes for one reason or the other.

The clubs don't seem to back to the county board.

I live in Portlaoise and there supporters hardly go to county games its all about the Town....

I see today a fellow Town man in Parkinson(who I admire on Newstalk)has come out and slated the appointment of Mick Lillis ....

Does this suprise me???Not at all I know other counties have there squabbles but Laois despite being so small and then split in two find away to split up themselves even more.

BigJohn.6_8 (Galway) - Posts: 704 - 30/09/2015 16:55:58    1794368

I think Parkinson had a dispute with Lillis some years ago, no? While he may originally be from Clare, he's had success with Portlaoise & knows the scene in Laois football very well. Surely Laois has had enough "outside" managers at this stage? In fairness to Cheddar, he seems to have united the hurling folk in the county.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 30/09/2015 17:21:16    1794380

Were there many other contenders for the Top job outside of Lillis?
Why doesnt Parkinson get involved himself?

ZUL10 (Clare) - Posts: 693 - 30/09/2015 20:37:39    1794447

As a laoisman i would agree with what you say John. The frustrating thing is that I actually think that the footballers have a bit of talent yet lose to Antrim!

Ben (None) - Posts: 101 - 30/09/2015 21:12:32    1794464

There always seems to be an attitude problem in Laois..

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 01/10/2015 09:08:22    1794508

I used to think Parkinson was full of hot air but over the past year I have come to see him as a passionate GAA Man and a passionate sports fan.

I'm not saying he is right, but he does want the best for Laois and he seemed to be suggesting that the County Board look for the best available Manager. He feels they haven't got that. However the question 'why doesn't he get involved himself?' is a valid one. It's one thing to talk from the sidelines but getting involved and providing input is a different matter. Unfortunately though, he doesn't seem to be a member of a club to provide nominations.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 01/10/2015 09:12:27    1794511

Like all pundits, he talks as if he has never had a bad game in his life and slates this manager before the man has even had his first training session. At least brolly and co have all Irelands medals and have delivered on big days and won big games against big teams.

switec (Kildare) - Posts: 525 - 01/10/2015 09:30:55    1794518

Laois footballers always give me the impression that they have ideas way above their station, have they ever even won an AI? You'd swear the county was overflowing with top class footballers the way they go on, yet all they have to show off is one measly Leinster from when the province was at its weakest (both them and wrstmeath were blown away once out of Leinster). they'll never do a Donegal anytime soon, because of their attitude, doesn't matter who's manager

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 01/10/2015 11:17:00    1794581

Flack,

In 03 Laois were beaten by 2 points by Armagh in the all Ireland quarter final who in turn were beaten in the all Ireland final by Tyrone.

In 04 Westmeath were beaten in the all Ireland quarter final by Derry by 2 points who in turn were beaten by all Ireland champions Kerry.

Some knowledge to your posts before slating Laois and Westmeath wouldn't go a miss. Because Dublin won neither championships doesn't mean they were bad Leinster championships. Both beat Dublin en route to winning Leinster if I can recall properly, Laois beating a Dublin side with the then footballer of the year Ray Costgrave in their ranks. Sorry to verr of topic but your comments really irkd me.

0853658 (Laois) - Posts: 25 - 01/10/2015 13:29:11    1794703

I think there's only about 20 football clubs in Laois. But Portlaoise are a big club. Big John is right. A lot of Portlaoise supporters only support the club.

crikey (Australia) - Posts: 355 - 01/10/2015 13:41:20    1794715

Sorry 0853... Your right, that's not a hiding, but neither team ever looked like they were ever gonna win those matches, nor particularly disappointed in losing them. That Dublin team was a fairly spineless and full of hot air, very prone to wilt when it was put up to them, which was all other teams had to do really. Anyway, it still doesn't explain Laois's big heads, which is a real mystery to most non-Laois teams

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 01/10/2015 14:44:44    1794760

Flack,

In 03 Laois were beaten by 2 points by Armagh in the all Ireland quarter final who in turn were beaten in the all Ireland final by Tyrone.

In 04 Westmeath were beaten in the all Ireland quarter final by Derry by 2 points who in turn were beaten by all Ireland champions Kerry.

Some knowledge to your posts before slating Laois and Westmeath wouldn't go a miss. Because Dublin won neither championships doesn't mean they were bad Leinster championships. Both beat Dublin en route to winning Leinster if I can recall properly, Laois beating a Dublin side with the then footballer of the year Ray Costgrave in their ranks. Sorry to verr of topic but your comments really irkd me.

0853658 (Laois) - Posts: 25 - 01/10/2015 17:15:28    1794850

flack I dont think you are being very fair calling that Dublin spineless.
In 2002 they won their first Senior Leinster title since 1995
and came within the width of a post of drawing the all Ireland semi final
with Armagh.
In 2003 they lost to Armagh [then all Ireland champions] when down to 14 players after
their keeper got sent off.
In 2004 they lost to Kerry in the quarter final, who went on to win the all Ireland in a canter.
Both Laois and Westmeath had fine teams then and had plenty of quality players.
You cannot win Leinster champiomships without quality players.

JR_Iarmhi (Westmeath) - Posts: 40 - 01/10/2015 19:05:13    1794902

Fairly spineless, I said. They had good and some great footballers, but when they were really pushed, they invariably came out second best, the famous post you mentioned being a prime example. I was at most of the losses, and I always expected us to buckle or lose out narrowly. Doesnt change what I'm saying about Laois anyway. Even compare them to westmeath, who've won as much, but don't act as if theyve all got eight AI medals hanging around the house

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 01/10/2015 21:01:17    1794952

Flack I just wanted to say that Laois were unlucky against Dublin in the 2005 Leinster final. The ref gave Dublin a very soft free to level the match in the dying moments. Commentator had said it was "the first cousin of a free at the most". lol
In 1999 Dublin goal given after fairly obvious pick up off the ground resulting in a draw.
Laois had been leading with just a few minutes remaining.
Brogan in 2007 had taken about 11 steps over carrying the ball before duly scoring his goal just before half time. Dublin were behind at that stage. Just think your being a bit harsh.
Yes I do think Laois were having ideas about themselves but they had won 3 all Ireland minor championships between 1996 and 2003. Lost the 1998 minor all Ireland final to Tyrone. Bit of arrogance in the town all right lol

crikey (Australia) - Posts: 355 - 02/10/2015 11:12:25    1795058

As you say John, we really have a habit of making it as difficult as possible for ourselves.

There is a certain level of egotism in Laois, it could be the underage success and just assuming it would transfer directly to senior, its hard to put a finger on where its coming from though.

For me Parkinsons comments sum up all that is wrong with Laois. So are we to surmise that if he was still playing he would opt out of the panel because he didnt like the manager. This is even before any sort of a training session or even a team meeting. In the vast majority of all other counties the players would knuckle down in training and prove that they should be on the team on merit. More than any other county we seem to have a lot of players looking for an excuse.

Andy (Laois) - Posts: 371 - 02/10/2015 12:42:54    1795130

Fair enough crikey, I'm being a bit harsh, but even the Laois posters would agree that a lot in the setup have an unjustifiable inflated self opinion,

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 02/10/2015 13:37:51    1795172

Few decent responses.

I see Lillis has being given the job today .

I say best of luck to him.

Maybe he can get more of the Portlaoise lads on board who have been pulling away from the County seen of late despite being by far the best club team in the county(going for 9 in a row)

BigJohn.6_8 (Galway) - Posts: 704 - 06/10/2015 12:17:07    1796305