Interested in hearing the argument for retaining Andy.

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1792 - 18/05/2022 10:26:02    2418298

Jinxie (Meath) - Posts: 6344 - 18/05/2022 10:45:27    2418305

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1954 - 18/05/2022 10:47:59    2418307

Proudroyal (Meath) - Posts: 258 - 18/05/2022 11:31:55    2418339

Proudroyal (Meath) - Posts: 258 - 18/05/2022 11:42:35    2418342

NYRoyal (USA) - Posts: 28 - 18/05/2022 13:29:42    2418389

Are those people proposing Eamon Murray for manager feeling ok

Analyst (Meath) - Posts: 1467 - 18/05/2022 14:15:15    2418411

Garrigan is a full time coach and has manged Baltinglass to senior championships in Wicklow.Involved with academy squads in the county and has been with Meath Ladies since 2017. Be a option for part of a new set up based on his credentials and background. As far as I am aware he is finished with Ladies in 2022

HARRYM (Wicklow) - Posts: 64 - 18/05/2022 15:30:04    2418457

Irish_downunder (Meath) - Posts: 631 - 18/05/2022 16:39:29    2418492

I'd give Davy Burke a serious amount of thought if the opportunity arose. Massive levels of success with every team he's touched and was the favourite of many for the current Kildare job, undercut only by 4 legends.

Sweetspot (Kildare) - Posts: 323 - 18/05/2022 18:17:52    2418518

I would see Kevin Reilly as an option, possibly with a few of his former playing colleagues alongside him. As for outsiders I don't agree with many of those mentioned, McGeeney has big fanfare about him but little by way of achievement, McGuinness won an All Ireland but badly slipped up for a second and success came at a price as his style of play and training burnt that Donegal team out before it's time, Malachy O'Rourke is someone I do like and he may have something to offer and unless we want to see players around the Palace in designer skinny jeans and wearing shoes but no socks I'd leave Galvin out of the equation even if I loved him as a player. Back at the ranch O'Bric would have to come into any conversation, would be interesting to see if Bernard Flynn would allow his name to go forward, O'Rourke is still worthy of consideration in my view although whether he would take it is questionable, maybe as part of a management team as opposed to manager himself might be more appealing to him. On the other end of things I really began to question this year how many of the players are actually of inter county standard, a good club player doesn't always make a good county player and I think we have a few examples of this, I'm not going into individual names but we have persisted with some players for a while now and they haven't produced as they would be expected to and I don't think all that is down to McEntee, it's also down to ability and intelligence (ie reading the game and speed of thought) on the pitch and there is a difference between those attributes at club and county level. I don't doubt the effort or commitment of anyone involved, players or management, and I applaud them all for this but clearly it's not working and regardless of what happens from here on in change is needed and I hope that change is effected quickly and efficiently come seasons end so that maximum time is given to a new management to prepare and hit the ground running in 2023 in what will be an exceptionally difficult Division 2.

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 18/05/2022 18:31:54    2418521

First point the big issue that is hurting us for years is forwards. We have good forwards. But no marque All star forward. Andy McEntee is the only Meath manager who has never had all star forward to work with. Sean had Footballer of the year forwards like Colm O Rourke, Brian Stafford, Trevor Giles, 4 time All star winners like Tommy Dowd and other top class forwards like Geraghty, Murphy, Flynn. Coyler, Barry, Banty had Geraghty, Bray all stars. You look at the forwards Eamon O Brien had; Stephen Bray, Joe Sheridan, Graham Reilly, Brian Farrell, Cian Ward, David Bray, Shane O'Rourke, Peadar Byrne. You could make strong case after Tyrone, kerry we had best forwards in the country 07 to 10. We had much better forwards than Dubs. That's why one of key reasons in those years we beat Dublin, Tyrone, Mayo, Galway in the championship, reached 2 semis and won leinster. Andy has never had Stephen Bray or Graham Geraghty. Even players like Cian Ward or Joe Sheridan would be great addition. We always had better forwards than Dubs from 1930s up to 2010s. The last Meath forward to be nominated for all star was Michael Newman 9 years ago. Newman was the best Meath forward of his generation. But had years of injury problems. The only 2 years he was fully injury free was 2013 and 2019. Our two best seasons in last 10 years. The only years we got promoted in last ten years and did well in championship. Look at div 1 teams like Dublin have Callaghan, Costello, Kilkenny. Kerry have Clifford, Geaney, O Shea. Monaghan have McManus McCarron. Galway have Walsh, Comer. Donegal have Murphy, McBreaty. Tyrone have McCurry, McShane. Mayo have O Connor, O Donoghue. Derry have McGuigan, Roscommon have Cox, Smith. Kildare have Flynn, Hyland, Kirwan. Even louth have McIlroy. We don't have any forwards at that level. Look at some key matchs were we lost to top teams it was top forwards who were the difference. McBreaty scoring winner in 2017 v us. Galways Shane Walsh scoring winner v us in 2020. Until we find a few marque forwards, it's an issue. There is hope. Morris, Walsh, Costello, O Connor are 21 22. Ollie Murphy, Bernard Flynn, Stephen Bray are Meaths three best inside forwards of last 50 years and took a couple seasons before they went up a level. Time is on their side. Eoghan Frayne, Diarmaid Moriarty, Christian Finley and other young forwards have potential. If we could unearth two or three top class forwards it would be transformational.

Andy will be leaving in coming weeks. If he could end with run in backdoor it would end this year positively. Andy has put in good foundations and in his first 4 years made real progress. Clearly year 5 and especially 6 things have gone stale. A change is needed. It will happen. We want to become one of the best teams in the country. So we do have to get one of the best managers in the country. That rules out everyone in Meath. We have to go outside. And there is one outstanding candidate for the Meath Job. He the best candidate by a mile. And everything has to be done to get him involved.

Firstly let's look at some candidate people are mentioning. The fact is the credible candidates to replace in and outside county you could count them on one hand. It feels people like people trying to pad out list of names just give false impression there is huge list. There is very few top class manager at div 1 standard available. We have to find div 1 manager. What is a div 1 manager. Well here are all div 1 managers this year and next year.

Kerry Jack O Connor Before he took the kerry job he managed kerry to 3 senior All Irelands, managed kerry to U21 and minor All Irelands. And managed kerry school to schools All Ireland. He also managed kildare seniors to div 1 and leinster final.
Mayo James Horan. Before he took current Mayo job he had managed Mayo seniors to 4 Connacht senior title's & 2 All Ireland finals.
Dublin Dessie Farrell. Before he took current Dublin Job he managed Dublin Minors & U21s to All Ireland titles.
Donegal Delcan Bonner. Before he took Donegal job currently he managed Donegal seniors to Ulster finals & managed Donegal minors to All Ireland final. His assistant S Rochford managed Corofin to All Ireland club senior title & he managed Mayo to 2 All Ireland senior finals.
Monaghan Banty Before he took Monaghan job currently. He managed Monaghan seniors before to league titles and q final. He managed Meath seniors to a leinster final and managed Monaghan minors to Ulster title. He also managed Monaghan ladies team.
Armagh kieran McGeeney. Before he took Armagh job, he manged kildare seniors to leinster final & couple of q finals.
Roscommon Anthony Cunningham. Before he took Galway job, he manage Galway U21 hurlers to All Ireland U21 title. He managed Galway senior hurlers to 2 All Ireland senior finals and managed Garycastle to All Ireland senior club final.
Kildare Glen Ryan. Before he took kildare job currently he managed kildare to U21 Leinster title & U21 All Ireland final. He managed Longford seniors.
Galway Padraig Joyce. Before he took Galway job he managed Galway U21 to Connacht U21 title.
Tyrone Lohan/Dooher. Before they took Tyrone job they managed together Tyrone U21s to All Ireland U21 title.
Derry ( not div 1 team but will be soon). Rory Gallagher. Before he took Derry job he was assistant manager to Jimmy McGuinnes when Donegal won senior All Ireland. He also managed Donegal seniors and Fermanagh seniors.

Let's even look at some of our neighbours
Louth Mickey Harte. Before he took louth job currently he managed Tyrone to 3 All Ireland senior titles, and Tyrone to Minor and U21 All Ireland titles.
Offaly John Maughan. Before he took Offaly job currently he managed Mayo seniors to 3 All Ireland senior finals. He managed Clare seniors to Munster senior title and managed Roscommon and Fermanagh seniors also.
Cavan Mickey Graham. Before he took Cavan job currently he managed small Longford club to leinster senior club title and to All Ireland senior club final.

So what is the criteria to be div 1 inter county manager. A div 1 manager a top manager before he takes a inter County team must have

EITHER
MANAGED INTER COUNTY AT SENIOR LEVEL SUCCESSFULLY AT DIV 1 LEVEL
OR
MANAGED A CLUB TEAM TO ALL IRELAND SENIOR TITLE OR EVEN FINAL
OR
MANAGED U21/U20 INTER COUNTY TEAM TO U20/U21 ALL IRELAND TITLE OR EVEN FINAL.

That's what every team in div 1 look for in manager. So basically that rules everyone currently out inside Meath. We have to go for an outside manager. And there is one top class manager that is currently available that tops the list.

There is one candidate Meath that could be option. But it's highly unlikely he will be option. That's Colm O Rourke. O Rourke would have questions marks in that he has never managed inter County team before or club or U21/ 20 to All Ireland final or title. He has managed international rules teams successfully and Simontown to 2 county titles. He is the most successful underage manager in Meath football ever with 3 All Ireland schools titles. There would be question marks over him but he is the only credible candidate in county. But at 63, and after turning down chances in 00s, and with Sunday Game and Sunday Independent workload it's very very unlikely he is an option. So we have to rule him out as an option.

There is 3 managers that could be potential Meath managers in 4 or 5 years time. But don't have CV currently. They are Brian Farrell, Kevin Reilly and Cathal O Bric. Brian Farrell didn't do well with U21s but managed Rataoth to senior club Meath title. If he could manager Meath club to All Ireland senior club title or final or U20 Meath team to U20 All Ireland final or title in coming years, he will be future option. But not now. Kevin Reilly has really impressed taking Trim to Leinster intermediate title and leinster intermediate All Ireland final. If he could lead Trim to All Ireland senior club title or final in coming years he will be option in future. But not now. Cathal O Bric has really impressed me. He gives me the John kiely Limerick manger Vibes. He managed Meath minors to leinster and All Ireland minor titles. But no way should he being taking away from U19 and U20 Meath job's. He has to be given chance to win U20 All Ireland with All Ireland minors. If he was to be taken from the post we would be sabatoging our best chance of winning u20/21 All Ireland title in 30 years. If he wins U20 All Ireland final or gets team to a final he will be future Meath manager. And when these talented minors come through to the seniors in 3 or 4 years time of, if O Bric is successful at U20 level than he would be perfect candidate to bring them on to senior in 3 or 4 years time, but not now.

Others mentioned in county. McDermott has good club CV, but again would kerry, Dublin, Tyrone, Mayo, Galway, Monaghan even Roscommon or kildare make him manager. I dont think so. He has never managed top inter County team at div 1 level successfully or managed teams to All Ireland senior club or All Ireland U20/21 title or even a final. Garrigan also doesn't have the CV mange Meath . Regards Eamon Murray, Eamon who is originally from Cavan, has no interest in managing Meath mens team . He is being manager for ladies teams in Meath for 20 years. He has said he has he has no interest in managing any men teams he doesn't like the aggression or cynicism or even cursing in the mens game. He is becoming one of the best ladies GAA managers ever. I can see him becoming the Sean Boylan of Meath ladies football. And also Eamon is not tactics manager, he is brillant man manager. But as I said he is not interested so not an option.

Regards outside the county managers like Jimmy McGuinnes are not option. There is a bigger chance of Roy keane becoming next Meath manager as Jimmy McGuinnes. Jimmy McGuinnes has stated his future is with soccer. He will stay involved in soccer for next few years. And if he does come back to the GAA in a few years time it will be with Donegal or top div 1 team. Rochford will be next Donegal or Galway or Mayo manager again. He will have options on his doorstep to manage best teams in the country. He is not coming to Meath. Other candidates people have mentioned don't have the CV. Paul Galvin managed Wexfords seniors for couple of months. They lost most of their games, players walked from the panel, and he left the job himself as manager weeks before championship. Paul Galvin is not an option. Others have mentioned Dublin figures like Paul Curran. He again doesn't have the CV to manage Meath. Would kildare consider managers like the above no. Why should we.

Some have mentioned Robbie Brennan. And I do get feeling he is the running and could already be the chosen option. Huge question marks over him. He has huge Meath connections. He has CV worth looking at, but there are red warning signs. He managed Crokes to All ireland club final. So that would be meeting the criteria. But getting super club like Crokes to All ireland final, how big achievement is that really. Mickey Moran leading small Down club to the All Ireland title is greater achievement. ( Its pity Moran was younger he has great CV, coaching Derry to All Ireland senior title, managing Derry snrs to league div 1 title, managing Mayo seniors to All Ireland final and managing to win 5 of last 6 Ulster senior club title with 2 different teams & leading Derry club to senior All Ireland club final. He would have being great option if he was younger).

Brennan Crokes also played a slow ponderous hand passing game. He also was Meath selector recently to Meath minor and U21 teams. Both teams lost all their match and played poorly. You cannot blame him in that he was selector. But still not great sign. And also he is duo manager. He won Dublin club title with Crokes years ago & leinster club senior title last year but he was co manager with Johnny Magee. If he comes in he needs to bring Mageee also. How good a manager is he on his own. We don't know. He also lost a leinster club senior final with Crokes to tiny Longford club. There is just allot of question marks.

So leaving Colm O Rourke to one side. There are only two credible managers with one being the outstanding choice.

The second option who know one has mentioned. That is Davy Burke. Who is one of the best young managers in the country. And best young manager in Leinster. He turned down option to manage inter County teams in leinster this year he is in demand. He has the CV. He managed kildare U20s to U20 All Ireland title, kildare only All Ireland they have won at any grade in last 50 years. And only kildares 2nd All Ireland at any grade in last 90 years. He also managed Wicklow senior to div 4 title. He is young, and hasn't managed top div 1 team. But he is hugely promising young manager. Could he be our John O Mahony. O Mahony was let go by Mayo and went to neighbours Galway and was hugely. Burke went for kildare job and they went for Glen Ryan Earley Doyle Rainbow instead. He definitely has a CV worth looking at. I am shocked no one has mentioned him.

But the outstanding choice for to be next Meath manager, the best choice, top choice and has to be chosen if the county want to give us best chance is one of the best managers in the country and that is Malachy O Rourke. The 5 best manager to manage since 2010 are Jimmy McGuinnes James Horan Jim Galvin Eamon Fitzmaurice and Malachy O Rourke. He is best Ulster manager of his generation after McGuinnes. Everywhere he has gone he has been huge sucess. You would think he jump at the chance to manage Meath. Take over sleeping gaint with lots of underage talent. Malachy O Rourke has to be next Meath manager. He has to be number 1 on the list. We want to become a top div 1 team. Who has achieved that in recent years. Malachy O Rourke with Monaghan. We want to achieve what Monaghan have done. Why not get their manager. He is currently successfully managing Derry club. If Meath came and asked him he would say yes.

Malachy O Rourke CV

2001 He managed Monaghan club Tyholland to their first Monaghan senior title.
2003 He managed Derry club Loop to their first senior club title in 68 years. He also led loop to Ulster senior club title.
2006 He managed Errigal Ciaran to Tyrone senior club title
2007 He managed Cavan Gaels to Cavan senior club title.
2008 He managed Fermanagh snrs to Ulster final in 2008 beating Derry and Monaghan. And was one kick away from winning Fermanaghs first ever Ulster title ever v Armagh in the 2008 Ulster Final. He brought a very good Armagh team to replay. But he was so close to winning on the first day.
2011 He was part of latton management team who won Tyrone senior club title
2013 He managed Monaghan snrs to Div 3 league title. He also managed Monaghan snrs to their first Ulster title in 25 years.
2014 He managed Monaghan snrs to Div 2 league title. He led Monaghan to Ulster final and q finals.
2015 He managed Monaghan snrs to another Ulster snr title and q finals.
2017 He led Monaghan to q finals.
2018 He managed Monaghan to q finals.
2019 He managed Monaghan snrs to their first All Ireland semi final in 30 years losing by 1 pt to Tyrond. He managed Monaghan to wins over kildare & Galway & draw with kerry all in Super 8.
2021 He managed Derry club Glen to their first ever senior club title

In his tenure he led Monaghan to victories over the best teams in the country. He turned Monaghsn into permanent top 6 team, from div 3 to div 1. His teams are very well coached and are always tactically aware. He is brillant man manger. Players love him. He always brings in two excellent coach in McBride and Porter wherever he is manager. Porter coached Tyrone club Domore to 3 Tyrone county titles.

Malachy O Rourke is the outstanding choice to be the next Meath manager .

Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1067 - 18/05/2022 21:54:43    2418555

Great to see Furlong back. And an epic post which we love to see.

Think you do make great points in everything you're saying and Malachy O'Rourke is the name i would be going after too.

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1954 - 19/05/2022 10:08:49    2418594

I missed Furlongs posts...

Thats a great summary man, and very accurate. Fair play for the effort put in

Jinxie (Meath) - Posts: 6344 - 19/05/2022 11:26:28    2418625

Ya know what'll happen tho...

Say the likes of Derry beat Donegal & Bonnar goes or Mickey Graham leaves Cavan or McCartan leaves down in a few months, and one of them approach M O'Rourke, while out lads are still twiddling their thumbs and drawing up lists and he's gone before we even make contact.

Jinxie (Meath) - Posts: 6344 - 19/05/2022 11:33:32    2418627

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 19/05/2022 12:05:42    2418645

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 19/05/2022 12:06:42    2418646

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1954 - 19/05/2022 12:15:19    2418648

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1954 - 19/05/2022 12:16:56    2418651

Whatever happens after this championship campaign finishes, one thing is guaranteed, that the county board will not make it straight forward regarding next years management team.

BigJoe14 (Meath) - Posts: 935 - 19/05/2022 12:51:54    2418673