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Kevin Martin - Importance Of Having A Top Coach

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Really impressed with this chap's interview after the Offaly performance last Saturday. Referred to giving his players confidence. Having listened to his predecessors talking after drubbings it appeared there was no hurlers left in Offaly. Martin seems to be a coach who is seeking to improve the players he has and build a team around the talent at his disposal. He also seems to have conditioned them well. Why did it take him so long to get the job and does this prove how important it is to have a top coach? sportsfan14 (USA) - Posts: 281 - 29/01/2018 13:04:56 2071917 Link
Replying To sportsfan14: "Really impressed with this chap's interview after the Offaly performance last Saturday. Referred to giving his players confidence. Having listened to his predecessors talking after drubbings it appeared there was no hurlers left in Offaly. Martin seems to be a coach who is seeking to improve the players he has and build a team around the talent at his disposal. He also seems to have conditioned them well. Why did it take him so long to get the job and does this prove how important it is to have a top coach?" One swallow doesn't make a summer. My impression of Johnny Dooley was that he was very passionate and committed and a good manager but still wasn't able to keep Offaly at the top level. Time will tell if Martin can do it but we will only get to see if he can when the championship starts. PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1903 - 29/01/2018 13:25:05 2071929 Link
Delighted for Offaly but take I would wait a while and see. He definitely has them responding well but this can happen with a new man inn charge when you are at a really low ebb. I wouldn't be hailing him as a top coach yet!! TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 7889 - 29/01/2018 13:31:52 2071934 Link
That was the fittest of seen Offaly at this time of year ever! They seemed the fitter, better organised and far, far more skilful team on Saturday. The final score flattered Dublin in many ways. MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 29/01/2018 15:20:09 2071997 Link
I don't think he got on too well with Westmeath but he seems to have nearly everyone in the squad that should be there now, notably the Kilcormac/Killoughey players. The word is that Offaly have gotten their act together with proper coaching structures at underage too. keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 29/01/2018 15:36:08 2072012 Link
Replying To sportsfan14: "Really impressed with this chap's interview after the Offaly performance last Saturday. Referred to giving his players confidence. Having listened to his predecessors talking after drubbings it appeared there was no hurlers left in Offaly. Martin seems to be a coach who is seeking to improve the players he has and build a team around the talent at his disposal. He also seems to have conditioned them well. Why did it take him so long to get the job and does this prove how important it is to have a top coach?" Kevin Martin is doing great work with his fellow Tullamore man Damien Fox and Aidan Hanrahan is there as well. I haven't seen the players looking so fit in years so obviously doing something right with their conditioning. As far as I know he never went for the job before last year. He has had notable success with clubs across Laois and Offaly in recent years and was manager of Westmeath when they last won the Christy Ring Cup. PortInFaithful (Offaly) - Posts: 472 - 29/01/2018 16:01:41 2072030 Link
Replying To PoolSturgeon: "One swallow doesn't make a summer. My impression of Johnny Dooley was that he was very passionate and committed and a good manager but still wasn't able to keep Offaly at the top level. Time will tell if Martin can do it but we will only get to see if he can when the championship starts." Johnny Dooley never managed Offaly. Joe did. Under him we won a division 1b and were competing, beating Wexford and Limerick. Johnny was a selector last year I think. LooseCannon (Offaly) - Posts: 86 - 29/01/2018 16:52:57 2072062 Link
Damien Fox is a brilliant coach. We were lucky enough to have him involved with our minors & U21s here about 20 years ago. keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 29/01/2018 18:10:20 2072097 Link
Very early days to refer to someone as "top" - not sure how many of that Dublin team will be starting come Championship That said - its great to see some pride back in the Offaly hurlers. A quarter final spot in this years Championship would be significant progress, and maybe a better indication on how good a coach Kevin is. Ban (Westmeath) - Posts: 1415 - 31/01/2018 22:26:43 2072930 Link
early days,but he did the very first thing you have to do,get the team fit and coached well. how they go on as the summer goes on,we will see.but it is a good start.it smells a little bit of wexford when liam dunne took over.before that commitment was poor,hurlers were poor,morale was poor. but i will judge them over the next few months. perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 01/02/2018 16:40:49 2073148 Link
Regardless of what happens at least it may lift the moral of the county, when was the last time Offaly hurlers won a game is Croke Park? Its baby steps in the right direction. Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 1908 - 01/02/2018 19:04:27 2073200 Link
Replying To perfect10: "early days,but he did the very first thing you have to do,get the team fit and coached well. how they go on as the summer goes on,we will see.but it is a good start.it smells a little bit of wexford when liam dunne took over.before that commitment was poor,hurlers were poor,morale was poor. but i will judge them over the next few months." Sunday was a good start, hope the good work continues. I will follow progress over league and championship, starting next Sunday v Limerick. thelongridge (Offaly) - Posts: 1741 - 01/02/2018 19:30:42 2073207 Link
Replying To Bon: "Regardless of what happens at least it may lift the moral of the county, when was the last time Offaly hurlers won a game is Croke Park? Its baby steps in the right direction." 2005 relegation semi v Antrim We've only played there a couple of times since. Drew with Galway in 2010/11 LooseCannon (Offaly) - Posts: 86 - 01/02/2018 20:16:21 2073219 Link
Replying To sportsfan14: "Really impressed with this chap's interview after the Offaly performance last Saturday. Referred to giving his players confidence. Having listened to his predecessors talking after drubbings it appeared there was no hurlers left in Offaly. Martin seems to be a coach who is seeking to improve the players he has and build a team around the talent at his disposal. He also seems to have conditioned them well. Why did it take him so long to get the job and does this prove how important it is to have a top coach?" Were your questions answered for you yesterday? Enjoy your schooldays while you have them! PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1903 - 05/02/2018 01:39:15 2074137 Link
The missed penalty & sending off obviously had a bearing but clearly Offaly still have a long road to travel. keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 05/02/2018 10:12:48 2074171 Link
Replying To keeper7: "The missed penalty & sending off obviously had a bearing but clearly Offaly still have a long road to travel." Offaly brought back to earth yesterday by Limerick, but not unexpected. No arguments with result, as the better team won. Galway next in Salthill, another testing game. Offaly have two home games v Laois and Antrim to stay in Division 1B. Maybe too much hype over the Dublin result. thelongridge (Offaly) - Posts: 1741 - 05/02/2018 11:38:41 2074211 Link
Replying To PoolSturgeon: "Were your questions answered for you yesterday? Enjoy your schooldays while you have them!" A bit harsh, Pool. neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 05/02/2018 11:49:29 2074217 Link
rome wasnt built in a day. perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 05/02/2018 14:03:24 2074280 Link
Reality check for Offaly... Laois gave us a fright and they were missing 9 players and unlike us wouldn't have the squad we have... I think Dublin were poor and Antrim should have beaten them yesterday ...Competitive division altho Galway should still progress to where they belong madness that they won the league and are still in 1B BigJohn.6_8 (Galway) - Posts: 704 - 05/02/2018 14:57:54 2074300 Link
Replying To neverright: "A bit harsh, Pool." Ah wouldn't agree. Would really like to see Offaly competitive again but when I see threads like this talking them up after a win against a shadow Dublin team... It will be a long road back for Offaly I'm afraid and as a county with a small pick, some rule changes that have occurred over the years (eg the 5 subs rule) stack the odds against them even more, but hopefully they'll make it back and be a force in the game again in time. PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1903 - 05/02/2018 15:48:26 2074332 Link