Anthony Moyles is one of the leaders on the team still, and if nothing else he has a vast amount of experience that the younger lads, like Dalton, Macken, Queeney, Gillespie and so on can gain from. If nothing else he is necessary for that alone, but I do feel that EOB and the management team will find some room for him on the team come May 23rd. Whether it's as an extra midfielder coming from the half forward line, or in defence, who knows.

If he is fit, and Kevin Reilly is not, as well as Macken not showing signs of being capable of holding down the full back birth (in May) added to Cormac McGill's continued omission from events, I feel the management team will select Moyles to control the edge of the square again. He is not the ideal candidate for the no.3 spot but if the events above materialise, I don't think EOB and co. will have another major option. One thing is for sure, Moyles won't let the side down, wherever selected.

David (Meath) - Posts: 567 - 23/02/2010 15:34:32    570847

The best place for him is on the bench if we are going to win anything. Very badly exposed on the edge of the square last year and was always (even at CHB) a loose marker with poor distribution - Rock you may have found it difficult playing on a player with those attributes but then again that may be more to do with you!

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 23/02/2010 15:52:56    570884

browncows
County: Meath
Posts: 187

570884 The best place for him is on the bench if we are going to win anything. Very badly exposed on the edge of the square last year and was always (even at CHB) a loose marker with poor distribution - Rock you may have found it difficult playing on a player with those attributes but then again that may be more to do with you!

what have i got to do with your point about anthony moyles, i said i played against him, as he was midfield and i was a forward, he didnt mark me, he was exposed at full back last year, i didnt say he wasnt, but i will disagree that he is a poor distributor of the ball and loose at centre half back.

The.Rock (Meath) - Posts: 582 - 23/02/2010 16:20:44    570929

The Rock- comment made as a dry joke and not meant to be taken seriously!

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 23/02/2010 17:44:42    571085

ah fair enough browncows,

The.Rock (Meath) - Posts: 582 - 23/02/2010 18:09:05    571124

The.Rock
County: Meath
Posts: 361

570650 Midfield at club level is totally ddifferent to midfield at county level, hence why he plays there for seneschalstown, i dont feel he has the pace for midfield at county level, and in my opinion there is no chance that meath will be try him there in the league

I think its a given that intercounty football is a fair step up from club football, and so midfield is no different to any other position.

Secondly, I don't think its a prerequisite for all inter-county midfielders to be pacy. Joe is no slower than your average midfielder, in fact he's probably faster than a few! Now, if you were going to throw him in as a nippy corner forward, then he might require some degree of pace. But to say he can't play midfield because he lacks pace is very iniquitous.

Loyal2TheRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 4522 - 23/02/2010 18:36:40    571161

your entitled to your opinion, but i dont think he will be seen in midfield for meath anytime soon.

i dont feel my comment was iniquitous in any way, as nothing i posted matches the meaning of that

The.Rock (Meath) - Posts: 582 - 23/02/2010 21:01:08    571350

centre forward the place for him

juicy (Meath) - Posts: 403 - 23/02/2010 21:19:44    571387

Browncows if you think Moyles has poor distribution you must have very high standards.

Coylers Elbow (Meath) - Posts: 1075 - 24/02/2010 09:00:09    571544

All-in-all we've no majority on where to or if to include Moyles in the Meath 15.

TheFlyingTeacup (Meath) - Posts: 286 - 24/02/2010 11:12:25    571652

I have a funny feeling he'll be back at full-back. Don't have a problem with that, he's put in some great performances here for Meath but I can't understand why Kevin Reilly was rushed back from injury so soon, maybe the thought of a potential All-Ireland appearance tempted him to stay on the panel but right now it just seems like madness.

Also can't understand why we haven't managed to groom an understudy for Reilly at full-back or better yet a real alternative as I'm yet to be completely convinced by the O'Mahony's man here. Management must have known that Moyles would be contemplating retirement soon, certainly he hinted at such a possibility in an interview last year. Alternatives? Cormac McGill, excellent man-marker but does he have the height or the authority in the air to mark a player like Donaghy or Aidan O'Shea? Harrington I thought was exposed under the high-ball when he had to mark Stephen McDonnell, no mean feat but it highlighted for me a weak part of his game.

It was dismissed by almost everyone here a couple of weeks ago, myself included but the more I think about it the more sense it makes. Right now if I was Bainisteoir I would be coaching Caomhin King to play full-back for the seniors. Granted the timing isn't ideal with the two lads back from travelling and two games into the league. At 6'2 though he's certainly big enough to play here. Add to that a good burst of pace and a half-back's instincts for reading the game, makes sense, no? He's played full-back for the minors and under-21s, maybe we should have continued to work with him here at senior level?

Ollie99 (Meath) - Posts: 442 - 24/02/2010 17:26:46    572163

Ollie99, I will leave aside the fact that I don't think King is good enough to be on the team, never mind full back but will point out that he has been away on his travels for the past number of months. Were he to be tried in the full back position, this should happen in the O'Byrne Cup and then if showing signs of working followed through into the league. However, as we are now two games into the league and even if KIng is back from his travels, I think he is due back late Feb/early March it is unlikely at the least that he will be playing against Westmeath. Consequently it would be halfway into the league before he could be tried in the position. This won't happen I believe.
James Macken should get another opportunity or two at least, the chap didn't play county minor or U21 and has actually not played a huge amount of football over the last few years due to working and travelling abroad so the more game time he gets in the position the more he should improve.
Now I am not saying he is the answer to our full back question but either is chopping and changing.

jackhackett (Meath) - Posts: 773 - 24/02/2010 18:35:46    572293

Yeah, O'Brien would lose a certain amount of respect if he didn't stick by his decision and to be fair he has, to the point where McGill has walked away from the panel. Whether we'll benefit from O'Brien's unswerving faith in Macken, only time will tell? I haven't been on this forum long enough to criticise Macken but from what I saw of him in the O'Byrne cup he seems like a traditional full-back, very comfortable under the high-ball. I'm not sure how well he reads the game though. In the replay at Pairc Tailteann once Dublin started running the ball and mixing up their play a bit more I thought he struggled to stay with the pace of the game.

I'm not suggesting parachuting King into the full-back spot two games into a league campaign that we should be approaching with a real sense of purpose. My point is this, maybe Meath have become over-dependent on Moyle's versatility? As lads have pointed out here, you can expect a committed performance wherever he's played but the long-term consequences of depending on a utility-man like Moyles are as follows: i) A lack of a viable alternative at full-back, ii) A talented half-back line that's just too porous to deal with an incisive half-forward line and iii) A midfield that has consistently struggled to supply our full-forwards with decent ball.

Ollie99 (Meath) - Posts: 442 - 25/02/2010 10:44:19    572700

I really think that Moyles is finished as a starting player. However many experienced players when they get on in years have a role to play in the third or fourth quarter of the game when others have slowed a little. If played as an impact sub I thing he would do his best work as wing forward. My view would be RHF (no.10). I think he could a lot of damage from this position. Of course his versatility would mean that if needed at any time in the game he could be introduced to many positions. However I would not play him at any time as corner back. He dosn't have the speed to cover a fast corner forward and putting him there is not being fair to him.

The real Árd Rí (Meath) - Posts: 990 - 25/02/2010 11:14:12    572717

Yes totally agree Ard Ri.

As he has got on in years it is more benefical to the team to have him as a forward than defender although I would have to commend him on his performances at No.3 during the play offs last year ( I know everyone will remember him gifting Walsh his goal but he palyed very very well in most of the other games ). Moyles would be a great impact sub and still has plenty to offer this team. The more competition for places, the stronger the team will be and his experience will be vital for the year ahead.

Laytown Legend (None) - Posts: 424 - 25/02/2010 12:14:44    572788

I agree with The real Árd Rí
wonders never cease!

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 25/02/2010 16:23:22    573093

I think you need a good reason to write off an intercounty player as a potential starter. Lasy year Moyles looked like he was in top physical condition. Take the game against Mayo where I thought he gave an outstanding display as a full-back, Aidan O'Shea, a man almost fourteen years Moyles' junior was substituted because he couldn't live with the pace of the game. Moyles was left standing.

Laytown Legend is dead right, two things went against Moyles during the semi-final, the slip that left Tommy Walsh free to field Kennelly's lob and the 'foul' on the Gooch that resulted in a peno. O'Rourke looked rattled between the posts and O'Connor looked out of his depth at times. We failed to close off the supply coming from Kennelly, almost everything went through him that day and we payed the price for it. If Moyles had been available to play in the half-back line I know who I would have had marking Tadhg Kennelly...

Ollie99 (Meath) - Posts: 442 - 25/02/2010 16:57:35    573163

Jaz Browncows, what are you sniffing.

Ollie a few years ago I would have agreed with you. However time waits for no man and the years are catching up with Anto. He has something to offer yet and should not be soured of the game by putting him into a position where there is the possibility that he will be humiliated sooner or later. I have no doubt that against an ordinary CHF s he would acquit himself fairly well. Last year he did all-right at FB for most games he played, Kerry excepted. However his lack of pace was seriously shown up during the Dublin game when he played at RFB (correct me if I have the wrong position). Now I think that the most important position on the pitch is CHB as the player here has to have the whole range of abilities. True, Moyles will have most including experience but he will be found out on speed and this will cost us matches and him his reputation. Many players over the years contributed best when in their final years with the county. Ben Tansey, Ken Rennicks are two who come to mind straight off. Indeed these two were also versatile players as well. But while they were magnificent when in their prime they did most damage coming in late on in a game when they would inspire the team as well as contributing more than average for the time on the pitch. Another was Gerry McEntee. Mick Loyns told me that when Mc would come on for Meath it was like Mullins coming on for Dublin. The players expected great things from him and would react accordingly. Those of us who remember the great days will remember some examples of this, particularly the Leinster final of 1990 when the game was in the balance until he came on. I think Moyles can do something similar for Meath at this stage of his career.

The real Árd Rí (Meath) - Posts: 990 - 25/02/2010 20:49:43    573473

bench

12Royal (Meath) - Posts: 987 - 25/02/2010 21:10:32    573519

12 royal i totally disagree with ya,his best position is centre half forward,a position i think ,we have struggled to fill in the last few years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

royalwarrior (Meath) - Posts: 33 - 25/02/2010 21:58:16    573611