Replying To nobull456:  "Unfortunately the opportunity to conduct a proper review of Andy Mc Entees management was mucked up by the powers that be by waiting 3 months to reveal . So 8 members had doubts .Thats hardly suprising by any objective measurement based on results plus no improvement in key basic skills areas such as freetaking etc Boylan had that problem but he fixed it as you correctly point out. Andy and his backroom team it seems do not have the capacity to learn at sufficient pace......As i see it the delegates were faced with the choice A do we vote for a new manager at this late stage in October? 2 because of poor timing do i vote for more of the same?
We know what happened . We have more of the same by default probably . From here we should expect more of the same in terms of results.. It is sad to discover that a vital properly structured review could not completed and acted on in a timely manner by leadership."

Replying To nobull456:  "Unfortunately the opportunity to conduct a proper review of Andy Mc Entees management was mucked up by the powers that be by waiting 3 months to reveal . So 8 members had doubts .Thats hardly suprising by any objective measurement based on results plus no improvement in key basic skills areas such as freetaking etc Boylan had that problem but he fixed it as you correctly point out. Andy and his backroom team it seems do not have the capacity to learn at sufficient pace......As i see it the delegates were faced with the choice A do we vote for a new manager at this late stage in October? 2 because of poor timing do i vote for more of the same?
We know what happened . We have more of the same by default probably . From here we should expect more of the same in terms of results.. It is sad to discover that a vital properly structured review could not completed and acted on in a timely manner by leadership."

Replying To brian:  "Agh so nothing is Andy's fault basically, he doesn't have the players so its the players fault is it...

Kickouts - Who is responsible for devising the strategy to try and cover up those short comings? The players themselves or the manager, or the kick out guru nally who talks a great game. Ever club the country over down to junior whatever has a strategy and we're sat here with half an idea....

Continued Junior b barbs despite me naming players from multiple senior clubs, but yeah keep making things up there to suit yourself, sure you did it with the footballing clubs notion.... don't forget Boylan found plenty of junior club players and made them a lot better than they were (Stafford, Paeder Byrne, John McDermott were jumior/intermediate players no one had looked at)

Free takers, Donal Lenihan the best exponent of free taking in the county was left sitting on his **** in the stand in a game v Westmeath where 5 - 7 players i believe had a go at the free's. Newman from my own club has never been a consistent free taker and Walsh has never taken frees so once more flawed arguments. Jordan Morris was taking most of the frees in 20 and 21 when Walsh and Newman were on the field. So is Morris not then the best we have!!!!

But as I've said for two seasons, why is there no one working with the free takers? Who's coaching them? Who's developing their style and approach to the ball. Again clubs up and down the country work with their free takers on all of these things or get in help from a Kicking coach but again this isn't deemed important by our manager.

Who is the person responsible for sending out a team with out a kick out strategy where they win at least 60% of their own ball or sending out a team with out a designated 75% free taker?

Would Boylan have sent out a team without a free taker? Would he ever. Stafford and Giles were never free takers in their early days but Sean got them working on it, had Stafford working with Ollie Campbell and they develop an almost metronomic free taking style and you never worried about them. Today i worry if a free is more likely to hit the corner flag or not.

We're leaving 5-6 scores on the field in ever game due to poor kick out strategy and lack of a free taker. They are an easy fix and would help the team immeasurably.


But yeah the managers just doesn't have the players so lets just give him a free pass for all the failings he has.

I've an honest question for any and all but which players have really improved under Andy as a manager? I don't argue that he has brought better structure and fitness to the table but is there anyone who's really that much better under his stewardship? I'd argue probably not, they might be marginally better due to the fitness and structure he's brought but has anyone taken a huge leap forward under him?"

Replying To brian:  "Agh so nothing is Andy's fault basically, he doesn't have the players so its the players fault is it...

Kickouts - Who is responsible for devising the strategy to try and cover up those short comings? The players themselves or the manager, or the kick out guru nally who talks a great game. Ever club the country over down to junior whatever has a strategy and we're sat here with half an idea....

Continued Junior b barbs despite me naming players from multiple senior clubs, but yeah keep making things up there to suit yourself, sure you did it with the footballing clubs notion.... don't forget Boylan found plenty of junior club players and made them a lot better than they were (Stafford, Paeder Byrne, John McDermott were jumior/intermediate players no one had looked at)

Free takers, Donal Lenihan the best exponent of free taking in the county was left sitting on his **** in the stand in a game v Westmeath where 5 - 7 players i believe had a go at the free's. Newman from my own club has never been a consistent free taker and Walsh has never taken frees so once more flawed arguments. Jordan Morris was taking most of the frees in 20 and 21 when Walsh and Newman were on the field. So is Morris not then the best we have!!!!

But as I've said for two seasons, why is there no one working with the free takers? Who's coaching them? Who's developing their style and approach to the ball. Again clubs up and down the country work with their free takers on all of these things or get in help from a Kicking coach but again this isn't deemed important by our manager.

Who is the person responsible for sending out a team with out a kick out strategy where they win at least 60% of their own ball or sending out a team with out a designated 75% free taker?

Would Boylan have sent out a team without a free taker? Would he ever. Stafford and Giles were never free takers in their early days but Sean got them working on it, had Stafford working with Ollie Campbell and they develop an almost metronomic free taking style and you never worried about them. Today i worry if a free is more likely to hit the corner flag or not.

We're leaving 5-6 scores on the field in ever game due to poor kick out strategy and lack of a free taker. They are an easy fix and would help the team immeasurably.


But yeah the managers just doesn't have the players so lets just give him a free pass for all the failings he has.

I've an honest question for any and all but which players have really improved under Andy as a manager? I don't argue that he has brought better structure and fitness to the table but is there anyone who's really that much better under his stewardship? I'd argue probably not, they might be marginally better due to the fitness and structure he's brought but has anyone taken a huge leap forward under him?"

Replying To Utdroyal:  "Free taking is a manager's fault,poor goalkeeper is a manager's fault, poor kickouts from a sub standard keeper is a manager's fault,not the obvious lack of quality,do you actually think we have a Stephen cluxton that just isn't coached probably,i give up"

Replying To head4dblackspot:  "You are missing the point completely
I'm not saying Andy should go or stay but clearly the overwhelming majority of clubs think he should stay
I'm saying the committee that held the vote should not be the ones deciding on this mater
It is not set up with the personal to make this call
Their jobs and skill set within the county board is completely different then what is needed to select/ remove an inter county manager as was echoed by clubs
An expert committee should be in place for such matters"

Replying To Borderroyal:  "So the here and now scenario is.
Goalie?
Freetaker?
Kickout strategies?
Players to be included next year?
New coach approach who is he what will he bring does anyone know him or his experience.?"

Replying To brian:  "Who put those players out there? The manager. Yes its entirely his fault. He lives and dies by the decisions he makes and in these instances he's made poor choices. If you can't see that then i really can';t help you."

Replying To Utdroyal:  "Obviously,keep spouting same rubbish, while naming players nowhere near good enough,"

Replying To seadog54:  "Very highly regarded when he was with Crossmaglen and Armagh when they won A/I. Crossed over to Rugby both at home and in England, not sure when he was last involved with football, possibly with college team. A fresh outlook is both needed and welcome."

Replying To seadog54:  "Absolutely, its down to management, without a kickout strategy in the modren game it is almost impossible to put a game plan in place, we give away 3/4 scores each game and this is compounded by missing 3/4 scores at other end. If we do not have reliable free taker then stop taking pot shots and giving possession away. As you say MN was never top class at frees, his stats were in low 70% at best. Cannot understand why DL was not given more game time and understand why he walked away. Will never forget the Mayo league game (div one) when only down a point or two and a strong wind to our back we played most of second half with no one able to kick a free and a good marksman sitting in the stand. Hard to identify any player who has progressed under this management, however a few have regressed. Fitness has improved, but surely thats a minimum requirement?
On a more positive note it will be interesting to see outcome of tomorrows vote at Congress, would like to see option B given a chance, on plus side more games, however will also favour counties who can select a strong panel of 25/30 players.
Progress next year may depend on what John McCloskey can bring to Meath football."

Replying To LeitrimRoyal99:  "Cillian O'Sullivan has improved massively since Covid in particular in his consistency and his accuracy, Seamus Lavin has improved hugely since Andy took over and became a quality corner back who we will miss next year. Conor McGill became an all star nominee. I would also say Bryan McMahon and Joey Wallace have improved. They were on the panel pre Andy and weren't ready for inter county football and they're now serviceable inter county players. What's problem more impressive is how young guys have hit the ground running. Costello, Hickey and Jordy Morris in particular. They are now players of real senior inter county quality. You could say they were good underage players but so are a lot of guys. They look mature and aren't bullied at all, so I would say those guys have improved massively as footballers also from being on the Meath panel"

Replying To brian:  "Hi LR, I would disagree with you on some of those players especially McMahon who ran a muck v Westmeath in 2015 scoring 2-02 in the first half and was well able for senior football. I would agree that the rest have improved marginally but I would say maybe 5-10% better. But I accept that's an eye test based on individuals opinions. And we're all entitled to on.

You say we'll miss Lavin next year? Is there something that hasn't come out that he's not playing next year? I hadn't heard anything so that's why I ask?"

Replying To LeitrimRoyal99:  "Just going away travelling for the year. I'd imagine with COVID restrictions now looser we will see more of it across Ireland with guys who wanted to travel in 2020 or 2021 but were unable"

Replying To Borderroyal:  "Ive heard he s/c coach have we not niall ronan for that chatting armagh lad he say more fitness than football coach."

Replying To seadog54:  "Also a skills coach in both codes,(football and RU) in addition to his time with Armagh and Cross. spent time with Derry footballers in or around 2000, seems to be a man more than willing to embrace change . Described in one article I read "as credited with modernising how Gaelic football is taught and coached" so comes with a good -if outdated - CV. No idea if NR is still involved with Meath.
Link gives a good insight into J McCloskey

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/gaa/when-i-first-went-to-wasps-i-used-gaa-training-methods-just-a-few-days-later-they-beat-leinster-36947505.html"

Replying To brian:  "Seadog, I might be wrong on this but was Niall Ronan not recently appointed on a full time basis as head of S&C for Meath GAA. May be wishful thinking on my part. I think McCloskey whilst having an S&C background was more of a coach and tactics person with Big Joe Kernan in the Armagh glory days. Given that Murtagh and Curtis stepped away its a very good appointment by Andy."

Replying To brian:  "Seadog, I might be wrong on this but was Niall Ronan not recently appointed on a full time basis as head of S&C for Meath GAA. May be wishful thinking on my part. I think McCloskey whilst having an S&C background was more of a coach and tactics person with Big Joe Kernan in the Armagh glory days. Given that Murtagh and Curtis stepped away its a very good appointment by Andy."

Replying To trim1:  "Does Andy have a panel at the moment or will he name a new one for O'Byrne Cup and league in the next few weeks?

With Murtagh and Curtis departed and McCloskey joining does that meant that there is a vacancy for another selector?"