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Meath 2018

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Time to just face facts guys. The standard of football in Meath is just not there. We are going to struggle this year and that is a fact. We are easily in the bottom half of the country in terms of football ability and intelligence for the game. I am not trying to undermine the players as I have a lot of respect for them and I am close friends with players on both the hurling and football squads, and they will tell you the footballers just don't have what it takes. Paddy O Rourke's comments earlier in the year may have hit hard for a few but the man was the only one who was speaking the truth. you are asking men with young families and tough jobs to dedicate massive portions of their lives, and for what? what reward do they have to look forward too? a nice win against Louth or Wicklow? sorry but that's just not going to cut it for most. Ask yourself who would get onto the first 15 of Kerry/Dublin/mayo/. Keoghan at a push might. The rest of the squad who haven't walked away wouldn't even make the dubs 2nd string. Irish_downunder (Meath) - Posts: 476 - 26/04/2018 09:51:37 2095047 Link
Replying To royaldunne: "Majority are fringe players who have left or dropped. Conlon was a great prospect and still is but this year it just wasn't working out for him, Rooney hasn't been same since he returned, the only real loss is Tobin that could play a major part. The others wouldn't have featured except maybe as a very late sub. The main players are all still there. It's not like a keoghan Reilly O'Sullivan menton lenihane burke or McGill is gone. And I'm honestly not been harsh on those lads. But we must be realistic, as I said apart from Tobin I can't see any of the others featuring in championship, every year there is departures, I'm sure next year they will get their chance again. I haven't looked forward to a championship as much in a long time. They are super fit and a pretty settled team." Are you Comical Ali in disguise Analyst (Meath) - Posts: 1338 - 26/04/2018 12:29:21 2095062 Link
Replying To Irish_downunder: "Time to just face facts guys. The standard of football in Meath is just not there. We are going to struggle this year and that is a fact. We are easily in the bottom half of the country in terms of football ability and intelligence for the game. I am not trying to undermine the players as I have a lot of respect for them and I am close friends with players on both the hurling and football squads, and they will tell you the footballers just don't have what it takes. Paddy O Rourke's comments earlier in the year may have hit hard for a few but the man was the only one who was speaking the truth. you are asking men with young families and tough jobs to dedicate massive portions of their lives, and for what? what reward do they have to look forward too? a nice win against Louth or Wicklow? sorry but that's just not going to cut it for most. Ask yourself who would get onto the first 15 of Kerry/Dublin/mayo/. Keoghan at a push might. The rest of the squad who haven't walked away wouldn't even make the dubs 2nd string." Reilly would for sure. And many of those teams have said the same. Including lee Keegan. Who asked after icf had he got any mayo blood in him. royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 17035 - 26/04/2018 12:30:58 2095063 Link
Replying To WhyTheLongFace: "Big teams with ambitions will always talk about football been a 21 man game...what gets a lot of these teams over the line is the impact or experience coming from bench ! My personal opinion was we didn't have a great league campaign but Andy Mac was still building his squad nicely and given the likes of Tobin,Conlon and Ronney game time coming of the bench....so in other words he was building his 21 players for championship....You say "we must be realistic" But i really don't think you see the bigger picture Andy Mac had in mind ! You seem to think and talk about football still being a 15 man game in your comment ! They weren't fringe players because they were sitting on the bench and coming on with 10 or 15 minutes left on the clock ...they were as i would see it a important part of the 21 match day squad Andy Mac was trying to build." I get what you are saying, but it's obvious that some of these players didn't want to put in the commitment to just be subs, I actually understand that. But no manager worth his salt can be expected to be able to gurrantee a starting position. royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 17035 - 26/04/2018 12:33:48 2095065 Link
Replying To Analyst: "Are you Comical Ali in disguise" Which one would you start? Honest question?? Which one of them has impressed this year royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 17035 - 26/04/2018 12:46:49 2095069 Link
Replying To Irish_downunder: "Time to just face facts guys. The standard of football in Meath is just not there. We are going to struggle this year and that is a fact. We are easily in the bottom half of the country in terms of football ability and intelligence for the game. I am not trying to undermine the players as I have a lot of respect for them and I am close friends with players on both the hurling and football squads, and they will tell you the footballers just don't have what it takes. Paddy O Rourke's comments earlier in the year may have hit hard for a few but the man was the only one who was speaking the truth. you are asking men with young families and tough jobs to dedicate massive portions of their lives, and for what? what reward do they have to look forward too? a nice win against Louth or Wicklow? sorry but that's just not going to cut it for most. Ask yourself who would get onto the first 15 of Kerry/Dublin/mayo/. Keoghan at a push might. The rest of the squad who haven't walked away wouldn't even make the dubs 2nd string." i think that's half the problem right there , he should of kept his mouth shut and just walked away , i don't know what you get out of making comments like that , he cost us a few games over the years also , and wouldn't of got near any of Sean Boylans teams as a goalkeeper , people actually listen to this as well and brings nothing but negativity to the whole thing , Give the management team a chance , Andy and Gerry are very successful in what they have achieved in their professions , and are intelligent enough to work out what's going wrong with the team, you'll need to give this one time , MOD had a number of years and achieved absolutely nothing apart from bringing more youth into the set-up, meath1987 (Meath) - Posts: 116 - 26/04/2018 13:37:07 2095082 Link
Replying To royaldunne: "Which one would you start? Honest question?? Which one of them has impressed this year" Honest Answer, there is such a fine line between most players on the squad that it is the toss of a coin. Rooney and Mc Keever are as good as whats in there. I actually don't think Tobin is a loss Analyst (Meath) - Posts: 1338 - 26/04/2018 14:03:19 2095090 Link
Replying To meath1987: "i think that's half the problem right there , he should of kept his mouth shut and just walked away , i don't know what you get out of making comments like that , he cost us a few games over the years also , and wouldn't of got near any of Sean Boylans teams as a goalkeeper , people actually listen to this as well and brings nothing but negativity to the whole thing , Give the management team a chance , Andy and Gerry are very successful in what they have achieved in their professions , and are intelligent enough to work out what's going wrong with the team, you'll need to give this one time , MOD had a number of years and achieved absolutely nothing apart from bringing more youth into the set-up," He is/was as a keeper, as good if not better than some of the keepers who won AI's - not sure what you have been watching over the years browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2189 - 26/04/2018 14:21:47 2095096 Link
Replying To browncows: "He is/was as a keeper, as good if not better than some of the keepers who won AI's - not sure what you have been watching over the years" In terms of a ability, he's the best we've had (with the exception of maybe Brendan Murphy who was a proper GK trained in covering angles, standing up to face a shot etc in a way that GAA Gks are not) but I would question his temperament at the highest level. For me he could've been a huge addition out the field for Meath as he's a bit of a freakish athlete with a great kicking technique but I know I'm in the minority there. Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 926 - 26/04/2018 14:58:33 2095107 Link
Replying To meath1987: "i think that's half the problem right there , he should of kept his mouth shut and just walked away , i don't know what you get out of making comments like that , he cost us a few games over the years also , and wouldn't of got near any of Sean Boylans teams as a goalkeeper , people actually listen to this as well and brings nothing but negativity to the whole thing , Give the management team a chance , Andy and Gerry are very successful in what they have achieved in their professions , and are intelligent enough to work out what's going wrong with the team, you'll need to give this one time , MOD had a number of years and achieved absolutely nothing apart from bringing more youth into the set-up," Couldn't agree more. royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 17035 - 26/04/2018 15:03:37 2095109 Link
Replying To browncows: "He is/was as a keeper, as good if not better than some of the keepers who won AI's - not sure what you have been watching over the years" So better than, McQuillan, Conor Martin or Sullivan? I dont think so but everyone has an opinion, he is in fairness a better keeper than either in the squad at the moment but dont feel he is the best keeper in the County, We look for honesty from players so cannot slag them off when we get it, my major issue was the timing of it, why give it 6 months after you leave the panel, given it was an AIB gig (his employer) the more controversial the more clicks, the better. Just felt he let a lot of lads that he worked with for years down. longroadback (Meath) - Posts: 300 - 26/04/2018 15:06:43 2095110 Link
Replying To Analyst: "Honest Answer, there is such a fine line between most players on the squad that it is the toss of a coin. Rooney and Mc Keever are as good as whats in there. I actually don't think Tobin is a loss" As I said I'm disappointed with Rooney myself, and Conlon, before league I would have had both as certain starters. But those are the breaks I guess. At their best they are certain starters. This year wasn't their year . Hopefully next. Mckeever is different as from what I've heard/read he is actually still on panel , and only didn't take part in training due to other commitments. Now that may be wrong, but that's what I heard. royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 17035 - 26/04/2018 16:00:52 2095117 Link
longroadback (Meath) - Posts: 147- In one of the Leinster finals against the Dubs one of those keepers let a 50 into the net resulting in defeat. There were mistakes made in those years as happens in all matches browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2189 - 26/04/2018 16:10:19 2095120 Link
On a much more important topic I wish Sean Cox of Dunboyne GAA a speedy recovery from that horrible random attack in Liverpool. I wish all the best to him and his family at this time. browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2189 - 26/04/2018 17:13:20 2095133 Link
Replying To royaldunne: "I get what you are saying, but it's obvious that some of these players didn't want to put in the commitment to just be subs, I actually understand that. But no manager worth his salt can be expected to be able to gurrantee a starting position." 'Just be subs'. The modern game has clearly passed you by as nowadays the vast majority of inter-county teams finish with their best 15 on the pitch. Just look at the Dubs they do it on a continuous basis. So obviously the likes of Rooney, Conlon and McKeever etc were clearly frustrated with the setup as a whole. Also, as a matter of interest, where did you hear/read McKeever's still on the panel? RoylerKing (Meath) - Posts: 809 - 26/04/2018 17:28:31 2095137 Link
Replying To browncows: "longroadback (Meath) - Posts: 147- In one of the Leinster finals against the Dubs one of those keepers let a 50 into the net resulting in defeat. There were mistakes made in those years as happens in all matches" Goalkeeper is the position where every mistake is magnified, not going to start splitting hairs with you by naming all the errors 1 keeper has made over another, just my opinion that the 3 all ireland winners were better than POR, even though he would have been very well suited to playing 20 or 30 years ago given the distance he can kick a ball out longroadback (Meath) - Posts: 300 - 26/04/2018 17:51:16 2095142 Link
Replying To browncows: "On a much more important topic I wish Sean Cox of Dunboyne GAA a speedy recovery from that horrible random attack in Liverpool. I wish all the best to him and his family at this time." Indeed, I think that is a sentiment we all can agree on. Hope he has a speedy recovery royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 17035 - 26/04/2018 18:25:50 2095146 Link
Replying To royaldunne: "Couldn't agree more." Andy has achieved nothing too !! No better or quite honestly have gone back a little grahamc9897 (Meath) - Posts: 1083 - 26/04/2018 18:50:02 2095148 Link
Replying To RoylerKing: "'Just be subs'. The modern game has clearly passed you by as nowadays the vast majority of inter-county teams finish with their best 15 on the pitch. Just look at the Dubs they do it on a continuous basis. So obviously the likes of Rooney, Conlon and McKeever etc were clearly frustrated with the setup as a whole. Also, as a matter of interest, where did you hear/read McKeever's still on the panel?" Well then you should talk to the players who weren't happy sitting on the bench. Not to me. As they ones who walked. Funny enough none of the colgan, keoghan McGill burke/lavin j mcentee power s mcentee menton Kennelly/Flanagan ,O'Sullivan Brennan Reilly lenihane McMahon j wallace e wallace didn't walk. Perhaps those who did weren't happy with been subs. It certainly looks that way. It's there to be seen. royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 17035 - 26/04/2018 20:19:23 2095163 Link
It is very easy to blame a keeper and especially easy when most of your defenders are average players with some unable to defend. A goal keepers main task is to stop goals being scored (as the position suggests). Now a secondary task is to be able to deliver good ball from kick outs. The Dublin keeper is good at both tasks but his secondary task is made easy by the good players he is trying to find with his kick out. Now any time the outfield players were put under pressure as happened in the AI in first half, his kicks did not appear very good. I agree the position of keeper is magnified but this is sometimes by supporters who only see what they want to see. I wish all the best (involved and not now involved). browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2189 - 26/04/2018 20:50:53 2095174 Link