National Forum

Westmeath Football thread

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


Replying To mickcunningham:  "i think lar wall should be given the job for the remainder of the championship"
Although Lar Wall is an excellent manager, I don't think it serves any purpose to sack Dessie mid-season. I wouldn't do it to any manger, not alone a great servant to Westmeath. It would be very disrespectful.

I agree with others though, game lost on the line. too slow to make changes. I would also question our S&C. How can we be so unfit in comparison to other counties???

WestmeathFan (Westmeath) - Posts: 30 - 25/04/2023 12:38:40    2473673

Link

Replying To mickcunningham:  "i think lar wall should be given the job for the remainder of the championship"
Bring back Denis and Flan while youre at it.

A_Chairde (Westmeath) - Posts: 218 - 25/04/2023 15:30:32    2473751

Link

Replying To mickcunningham:  "i think lar wall should be given the job for the remainder of the championship"
Please don't sack Dessie Dolan as he would probably end up back on RTE fawning over Dublin…

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 2738 - 25/04/2023 16:00:08    2473767

Link

Replying To westmeathgaa11:  "Westmeath don't win when teams press their kickouts, look back at last years Leinster semi final vs Kildare, the press on our kickouts single handedly bet us. We look void of options when facing a press"
I do remember it. As I said it's certainly not a new problem but is something we certainly need to work on. In the modern game more than ever, where possession is king, winning possession from your own kickouts is vital. In the absence of a strategy it's not as if we are blessed with great fielders. Heslin the only one in the team that is decent fielding a high ball.

lady_gaagaa (Westmeath) - Posts: 97 - 25/04/2023 16:06:53    2473772

Link

Replying To mickcunningham:  "i think lar wall should be given the job for the remainder of the championship"
I wasn't too excited by his appointment but I certainly believe he deserves more time. Needs to start showing he is learning though and the team starts showing improvement. Some areas well discussed already include fitness, kickouts and his use of replacements.

lady_gaagaa (Westmeath) - Posts: 97 - 25/04/2023 16:09:54    2473773

Link

-the Two key goals this year had to be promotion to div 2 in league, leinster final in championship
-The fact westmeath weren't even in contention going into last round of league games is huge dissapointment
-Championship is now prob very tough to salvage, morale has to be low and standard from here is mostly div 1 teams which could be really painful to get through. Seems to be major drop off from last year form wise, is it just ageing team or bigger issues...
-While changing manager at this point a non runner, i think board need to get real for 2024 and beyond with a long term plan and put right people in place at all levels including senior team
-is it a culture thing with westmeath, lack of tradition like offaly have in past, lack of funding,or just mentality

philbrown (Westmeath) - Posts: 232 - 25/04/2023 16:12:26    2473774

Link

Just after watching Kildare winning a Leinster under 20 Championship beating Dublin would really make you wonder "what if" after we beat them in the first round. I know injuries and away tie against Meath despite topping group were factors but it would really make you think that this group has really underachieved under this management over the last number of years. I personally thought Gavin should have been replaced after last year and a fresh approach brought to the setup but he has been persisted with and to no avail. Even if you look back to us against Offaly the year they won it out we had the beating of them that day. Gavin just doesn't seem to have got the most out of them over the years and especially when you see the criticism Dessie is getting at the minute it wouldn't fill you with confidence of the calibre of the home grown managers we have available to take on the senior job long term.

mintyfresh (Westmeath) - Posts: 236 - 25/04/2023 22:58:59    2473856

Link

Replying To A_Chairde:  "Bring back Denis and Flan while youre at it."
oh i can only dream and i will add ger egan to that

mickcunningham (Westmeath) - Posts: 1858 - 26/04/2023 08:38:01    2473873

Link

Replying To Lakecounty94:  "Any word on any retirements? Last seasons squad was relatively young overall but potentially a few could have gone."
Looking at preparing for any potential retirements, we have three or four of the current 20's in with the senior panel but looking at next year there are others that showed up well over the three games the 20's played not involved , Dylan Murtagh,Jack Geoghegan ,Danny McCarton ,Podge Quinn., what will be the plan here you'd wonder.

Thechick (Westmeath) - Posts: 238 - 26/04/2023 09:50:44    2473880

Link

Replying To Thechick:  "Looking at preparing for any potential retirements, we have three or four of the current 20's in with the senior panel but looking at next year there are others that showed up well over the three games the 20's played not involved , Dylan Murtagh,Jack Geoghegan ,Danny McCarton ,Podge Quinn., what will be the plan here you'd wonder."
Also Josh Gahan and Callum Cruise

Thechick (Westmeath) - Posts: 238 - 26/04/2023 14:17:20    2474013

Link

Some of those named refused to play with county 20s this year, surely committed lads who did play would deserve involvement ahead of them. A lot will depend on club senior championship form, any player not influencing his club side won't make it.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1814 - 26/04/2023 17:11:24    2474077

Link

Replying To Claretandblue:  "Some of those named refused to play with county 20s this year, surely committed lads who did play would deserve involvement ahead of them. A lot will depend on club senior championship form, any player not influencing his club side won't make it."
Fully agree, why would players who refused to play u20s be given opportunity at senior. If they stand out for club in championship, it should be reviewed. Its about setting standards and a culture. Westmeath has to be bigger than individual personality clashes.

Upforthegame23 (Westmeath) - Posts: 92 - 27/04/2023 11:23:57    2474191

Link

Replying To mintyfresh:  "Just after watching Kildare winning a Leinster under 20 Championship beating Dublin would really make you wonder "what if" after we beat them in the first round. I know injuries and away tie against Meath despite topping group were factors but it would really make you think that this group has really underachieved under this management over the last number of years. I personally thought Gavin should have been replaced after last year and a fresh approach brought to the setup but he has been persisted with and to no avail. Even if you look back to us against Offaly the year they won it out we had the beating of them that day. Gavin just doesn't seem to have got the most out of them over the years and especially when you see the criticism Dessie is getting at the minute it wouldn't fill you with confidence of the calibre of the home grown managers we have available to take on the senior job long term."
In my opinion I think you are way off the mark here. While we can be disappointed with the end result, blaming Gavin is not right. I think he has actually done a very good job with this team. They certainly improved and the fact that we are even lamenting on an opportunity missed is testament to that. In my opinion, the players we lost to injury were too big a loss and in the end cost us in terms of talent and morale. You need a bit of luck to win a Championship and unfortunately it deserted Gavin and his team. I hope he stays involved as our County needs people like him to keep learning and improving for the benefit of teams in the future.

Meridian (Westmeath) - Posts: 638 - 27/04/2023 12:11:58    2474210

Link

Replying To Meridian:  "In my opinion I think you are way off the mark here. While we can be disappointed with the end result, blaming Gavin is not right. I think he has actually done a very good job with this team. They certainly improved and the fact that we are even lamenting on an opportunity missed is testament to that. In my opinion, the players we lost to injury were too big a loss and in the end cost us in terms of talent and morale. You need a bit of luck to win a Championship and unfortunately it deserted Gavin and his team. I hope he stays involved as our County needs people like him to keep learning and improving for the benefit of teams in the future."
I don't agree with the blame game but I think a fresh change is needed for next year. How long has Gavin being manager with no progress? I know we had injuries but we can only be kicking ourselves for beating Kildare and going on to see them win. Good to see a Westmeath man taking charge of the final. We discussed it here a few weeks ago so its a positive step that we are back to having representation at that level

WestmeathFan (Westmeath) - Posts: 30 - 27/04/2023 13:21:41    2474234

Link

Still feeling flat after the Louth result.
Are county players allowed play league games now?

If so could be a good thing. Chance to reset

Mountlin (Westmeath) - Posts: 59 - 27/04/2023 13:57:16    2474250

Link

Replying To Claretandblue:  "Some of those named refused to play with county 20s this year, surely committed lads who did play would deserve involvement ahead of them. A lot will depend on club senior championship form, any player not influencing his club side won't make it."
I know what you refer to and no one refused to play ,the incident in question resulted in a player leaving last year due to lack of playing time and seemingly this resulted in a standoff where he didnt go in this year and no one looked for him either. We dont have that many 19/20 year olds continuously holding a first team place in senior championship and scoring regularly, we need everyone ,even if it means people on both sides swallowing their pride. it was one issue,not "some of those". It was a pity,Westmeath lost out in the end.

Thechick (Westmeath) - Posts: 238 - 27/04/2023 15:51:42    2474273

Link

We beat the newly crowned Leinster champions in round 1, hard to find fault with that, we have 3-4 marquee forwards in the county at that level and 2 of them were absent against Meath. Chances of Dublin winning All Ireland without Con and Kilkenny are virtually nil, we struggled without Leech and Whittaker

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 1814 - 27/04/2023 17:15:55    2474283

Link

Replying To Meridian:  "In my opinion I think you are way off the mark here. While we can be disappointed with the end result, blaming Gavin is not right. I think he has actually done a very good job with this team. They certainly improved and the fact that we are even lamenting on an opportunity missed is testament to that. In my opinion, the players we lost to injury were too big a loss and in the end cost us in terms of talent and morale. You need a bit of luck to win a Championship and unfortunately it deserted Gavin and his team. I hope he stays involved as our County needs people like him to keep learning and improving for the benefit of teams in the future."
I disagree with you the last 3 years the 20s have had the quality to be competing for Leinster and All Ireland titles in my opinion and haven't got past a Leinster semi final which is very disappointing, yes may have been unlucky a with be train things like injuries and quarter final fixture but you can blame luck for 3 years. It shouldn't be left to luck. The 20s coming up for the next few years look nowhere near the level of this year and the 2 previous

Midlandsman (Westmeath) - Posts: 26 - 27/04/2023 17:42:47    2474285

Link

Replying To Midlandsman:  "I disagree with you the last 3 years the 20s have had the quality to be competing for Leinster and All Ireland titles in my opinion and haven't got past a Leinster semi final which is very disappointing, yes may have been unlucky a with be train things like injuries and quarter final fixture but you can blame luck for 3 years. It shouldn't be left to luck. The 20s coming up for the next few years look nowhere near the level of this year and the 2 previous"
Agreed; there seems to be no accountability for poor results only people blaming excuses. Our U17s this year completely underperformed but I was shut down for suggesting that, so now we are just expected to think that group won't achieve anything when they reach U20. My opinion is that U17 panel should all receive S&C programs to complete now and see where it takes them, rather than wondering in 3 years why they haven't developed or why lads have not improved. I would agree that the U20 team next year isn't particularly strong but why not get some of this year's 17s into that panel and develop them for the next 3 years. We are appointing managers based on who they were in their playing days rather than what they've actually achieved as a coach.

TigerWoods90 (Westmeath) - Posts: 150 - 28/04/2023 12:31:21    2474361

Link

Replying To TigerWoods90:  "Agreed; there seems to be no accountability for poor results only people blaming excuses. Our U17s this year completely underperformed but I was shut down for suggesting that, so now we are just expected to think that group won't achieve anything when they reach U20. My opinion is that U17 panel should all receive S&C programs to complete now and see where it takes them, rather than wondering in 3 years why they haven't developed or why lads have not improved. I would agree that the U20 team next year isn't particularly strong but why not get some of this year's 17s into that panel and develop them for the next 3 years. We are appointing managers based on who they were in their playing days rather than what they've actually achieved as a coach."
Waste of time giving lads a program, letting them off for 3 years and see them again at U20 without regular monitoring, testing and development from a full time expert. The likes of Roscommom, Offaly, Wexford and Clare (teams we can compete with!) all have full time S&C coaches who oversee this from U14 through to senior. We are genuinely light years behind these counties now, never mind Kildare, Dublin, Galway, etc. Westmeath have always relied on generational players like Dessie and Heslin to carry us. The minor management team were with them since U14. Did anyone from the county board monitor their progress, implement S&C, were the best players committing, was the training of a high enough standard, or were they just happy that a few lads were taking the team and that box was ticked?

Wmeath2 (Westmeath) - Posts: 178 - 28/04/2023 17:28:53    2474431

Link