The fact of the matter is, the footballer of the year is supposed to be the best player in the country in this particular year, and the best players are the ones who perform on the big stage of croke park in the latter stages of the all-ireland.

Posted by Mid Mon Man. 12.8.08 at 10:17;02

I know you didn't mean Monaghan hadn't got any good players, but when Monaghan were in the wilderness for a number of years, was Nudie Hughes a worse player?

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 12/08/2008 22:27:01    72822

Well when nudie hughes was playing for monaghan, most of that time monaghan were among the best in ulster, winning 3 ulsters and a national league, so I don't think monaghan was in the wilderness when he was playing(have been since). Them were the years when monaghan got to semi-finals, and nudie rightfully collected 3 all-stars in that period, when monaghan were in the latter stages so thats my point. If monaghan hadn't had as good a team aswell as him then, then he may well never have won anything or been recognised for his talent, so I see what you're saying.

I'm by no means saying that theres not plenty of players out there from weak counties who are all-star quality, but it's hard to recognise these players unless they compete at the top against other great players consistently. It may not be right that these players aren't recognised in the same way that the likes of cooper or brogan are, but thats due to where they were born. Doesnt hurt that both are brilliant forwards though! Look at paddy bradley and tommy freeman, both were brilliant forwards for a number of years but had to wait until last year to get an all-star. It may not be right that all-stars are only picked from the quarter-finals on effectively, but that just the way it works unfortunately.

mid-mon man (Monaghan) - Posts: 1680 - 12/08/2008 23:38:54    72905

Boxtyeater
County: Leitrim
Posts: 44

72819
Could we open a seperate forum or site to enable the removal thereto of some of the brain dead and downrightly insulting and idiotic posters we are encountering. Some of the stuff is at best childish - its posting drivel for the sake of it. Join a religious group or something to get you out more.

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thats a very good point boxtyeater.wouldnt work though.

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 13/08/2008 11:55:09    73230

12/08/2008 22:25:00
Boxtyeater
County: Leitrim
Posts: 44

Join a religious group or something to get you out more.

Dougal: God, I've heard about those cults Ted. People dressing up in black and saying Our Lord's going to come back and save us all.
Ted: No, Dougal, that's us. That's Catholicism.
Dougal: Oh right.

RMDrive (Donegal) - Posts: 2202 - 13/08/2008 12:01:48    73243

good one RM!!

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 13/08/2008 12:13:01    73262

Footballer Of The Year:

Padraig Joyce was probably the leading contender until last Saturday. Won't get it now though. Aidan O'Mahony was very good on Saturday but it's only one game, let's see how he does next time. Last year's POTY Marc O'Se has now been roasted 2 weeks in a row by Freeman and Meehan.

Young Player Of The Year:

Tommy Walsh is probably a shoe-in alright, another good game the next day and he has it in the bag I'd say. One player that hasn't been mentioned though is Galway's Gareth Bradshaw who has been outstanding in his first year playing senior. Pretty impressed with Ciaran Lyng also, but I don't know what age he is? Is he elligible? His freetaking has been very assured and taken a bit of the pressure off Mattie, who often used to take the frees from that side aswell previously.

aidangalway (Galway) - Posts: 648 - 13/08/2008 13:39:23    73398

I did indeed post too soon about idiotic posters.. is it me or are most of them from Mayo? How can a mayo person slag a Wexford person about weaker counties and tradition. Wexford was a traditional football county until a hurling resurgence in the 50`s and there was a romantic hurling period here for 20 years which some still live off(maybe rightly so given it is a superior game to watch) I was in Kerry last week and an old guy told me how he loved our footballers becuase of our "tradition" and four in a row etc. How far does tradition go back? Meath had no real tradition before the 80`s as far as I know. Who says Wexford won`t break through and stay there for 20 years? What tradition do Mayo have? (Connacht titles where the opposition is poor doesn`t wash) All I know is if we were to play Mayo in an All-Ireland semi final we as a county would feel very confident, we would have absolutely no fear (or knowledge) of their "tradition". The powers of the games are Kerry, Cork Kilkennt and Tipp, maybe Dublin. After that we`re all the same, we rely on improving our county structures to proomote the games. If it is done right and people push togethere then every few years a cycle of players will emerge to win a tilte.

leftcorner (Wexford) - Posts: 302 - 13/08/2008 15:05:04    73576

left corner
when ye get to 5 all ireland finals in under 20 years in the post 195o's era let me know.
dont forget connacht suffered in the great famine much worse than the rest outside the pale and east of the shannon.

voiceofreason (Mayo) - Posts: 588 - 13/08/2008 15:32:21    73667

The famine excuse!!!!!!
How many of those titles did ye win? Who did ye have to play to get there? Remeber the Northern counties had the troubles...
Does that mean tradition starts with the 1950`s??

leftcorner (Wexford) - Posts: 302 - 13/08/2008 15:48:23    73709

was there a famine in mayo in the 1950's?i know the rest of the country suffered the famine in the 1800's not the 1950's though.

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 13/08/2008 16:16:41    73764