Meath Forum

Progression of our team these last few years

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Blackspot09 i was throwing out those names as they'd be quite common ones mentioned, but supposedly we've loads of lads not getting a chance. I agree with a lot of your comments to be fair, but it was commentary from the post i replied to saying there's loads of lads but then not committing to saying who they were that i was repsonding too. They all love to say what the problem is but never back up their baseless comments. I think to Andy's credit he's brought in plenty of guys over his 5 years, some as you rightly say haven't come up to the standards and gone again. Some would have you believe though that we've several gems out there and I'd love to know who they are. If they're so good what are there names and why has Andy not brought them in.

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1954 - 17/06/2021 14:27:26    2351642

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Replying To brian:  "Blackspot09 i was throwing out those names as they'd be quite common ones mentioned, but supposedly we've loads of lads not getting a chance. I agree with a lot of your comments to be fair, but it was commentary from the post i replied to saying there's loads of lads but then not committing to saying who they were that i was repsonding too. They all love to say what the problem is but never back up their baseless comments. I think to Andy's credit he's brought in plenty of guys over his 5 years, some as you rightly say haven't come up to the standards and gone again. Some would have you believe though that we've several gems out there and I'd love to know who they are. If they're so good what are there names and why has Andy not brought them in."
Thats fair enough. You are right. Some people on here seem to think or are claiming that there is basically and entire starting 15 of players out there who are not in the panel when in reality there is probably 20/25 players not on the panel that you could draught in in place of the lads that are say number 23/35 on the panel and they would get on fine but wouldn't make the starting 15 any better.

Blackspot09 (Meath) - Posts: 870 - 17/06/2021 15:38:05    2351667

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Replying To Blackspot09:  "Thats fair enough. You are right. Some people on here seem to think or are claiming that there is basically and entire starting 15 of players out there who are not in the panel when in reality there is probably 20/25 players not on the panel that you could draught in in place of the lads that are say number 23/35 on the panel and they would get on fine but wouldn't make the starting 15 any better."
one key skillset is to take a guy in , who has some rough edges, but over the course of 3, 4 or 5 seasons create a top quality county player out of him.. this initially requires an ability to spot a certain character or characteristics in a Player then through a huge commitment to coaching, develop that player(s) so that he may not be the solution that You as Manager get to use, but that he is nurtured for future Senior Teams

Thelongwoodslasher (Meath) - Posts: 384 - 17/06/2021 18:05:01    2351702

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Replying To brian:  "I understand the point you make here, and you're right it we won't know how guys can do unless they get game time.

However a manager has 8/9 games a year at a minimum (7 league, 2 championship) and if they don't get things right they're job will be on the line.

Take ourselves for example, we think we should be in division 1 of the league. Now if say we rest 4/5 of our front line players to give for example 5 newer players on the panel a chance to see how they get on and ended up going down to division three would people genuinely be happy about it? I don't think they would. So it's up to the manager to give these players a chance in training and challenge matches, see if they are good enough and make a call. Andy has always brought in players if they're showing form and measure up. Shane Walsh in 2019, Morris, Costello, Hickey and Harkin last year.

To equate it to a work environment, if you go for an interview you get 1 or 2 chances (interviews) to impress. Its on you to show you have something in you that the position you're going for needs. That you're as good as and better than what they already have and will improve their team. Its the same with a county team. The manager only has so long to evaluate if someone is up to scratch and make a call thereon."
Ok but this management has had 5 yrs to address a lot of our we'll say weaknesses.and last sunday we have gone back so far in my eyes its frightening.lets see we have smaller players of most inter county teams,and we persist with a running handpasding game.now does this work against some teams MAYBE.but in most cases we are running into traffic with bigger mobile teams swallowing us up with turnovers.we went up to play tyrone few yr ago with this game plan.had our goalie off after halftime on a wet miserable night where we had barry dardis sean tobin on the bench.this game wojld have suited them.but no we stuck with gameplan mcmahon wallaces these players like the hard ground so never were we goin to build on that game.keoghan in my mind is burned up from covering a half back line that has been diluted to accomadate a weak link.our full backs are not getting support because loose men out the field are getting to be able to spray balls into them with no pressure.again no strength out there to do this.the list goes on clever shrewd does not align with andy.

Borderroyal (Meath) - Posts: 488 - 17/06/2021 21:53:13    2351747

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Replying To brian:  "Give Andy another year enough of all this nonsense talk, pre covid world we were clearly making strides, the man cant catch a break either, Ronan Jones and Shane Walsh easily 2 of our best players break bones before the league even starts. The man bleeds green blood and his passion for Meath to do well is unmatched

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All i hear are excuses.

Every county has bad luck and injuries, you deal with the hand you're dealt with. Dublin have lost numerous players off their panel and got on with it.They lost players to the AFL, they're dealing with it. They've had players leave to take a year or two out and gotten on with it. Cork and Kerry have lost players to the AFL, so have Tyrone and Derry as well as dealing with injuries. Mayo have had huge squad turnover due to an aging panel, they're not whinging and complaining about it.

Nash if he'd stayed in Ireland was unlikely to have stayed playing football as he was on a Leinster academy contract and would've likely turned pro at rugby and played in another green jersey. We were never likely to have seen him in a Meath jersey so claiming he was a loss is not understanding the choices the lad had available to him. McBride is not an elite prospect and if he was why did Andy not use him last winter when he was available to him. McBride's AFL club allowed him play and Andy didn't think he was worthy of using.

1 brilliant year - in the league.... yes he was promoted but we were wiped out in the leinster final and they were ran into the ground in all three super 8 games. Shoulda, woulda, coulda won and if my granny had balls and all that. We weren't close in any of them and trying to suggest we were is a laugh. think the winner margins for ecah team were 8+ points. I'm going off memory on that so if it's inaccurate so be it.

Free taking is Andy's problem, he's the manager the buck stops with him. I don't think the county board have refused him any request he's made. In 5 years we've not had a consistent free taker, in the game v Westmeath not a month ago, we'd 6 or 7 different players attempting free's and 45's. That's pathetic and lies at the door step of the manager for not sorting it out.

Go back to the 80's Brian Stafford wasn't a free taker at all, but Sean Boylan got him Ollie Campbell's phone number, got them introduced and they over the phone worked on technique, pattern and approach to kicking the dead ball. I don't believe they ever meet but had several long calls and Brian developed his routine and was one of the best free takers we've ever seen.

Are we saying in 2021 that Andy couldn't organise something similar for his team. We've consistently left 3-5 scores on the field through the lack of a free taker in his 5 years. Brian Stafford, Trevor Giles and Cian Ward three outstanding exponents of kicking a dead ball, could all have been approached and asked for a bit of help with the free takers. But it doesn't look like they have been.

Look at Jack Flynn v Mayo and Matthew Costello v Kildare both taking long range frees.... no routine or standard approach to taking the free's other than put the foot through it and hope it has the distance and accuracy is a bonus.

The fault for that is on the manager for not preparing his team adequately for the challenges placed in front of them."
Nash might have chosen rugby but he would still be a massive loss either way. He played 2 seasons for Simonstown. Won 2 Keegans and transformed their teams both years, all while not focusing fully on GAA. And to say Cian McBride wasn't an elite prospect is so off the mark. He didn't play last year because he had a foot fracture that he picked up in a challenge game against Cavan. Even still he was 19 then and had played 0 football in the 12-18 months prior. He won two Leinster under 17's, involved in teams that beat Dublin 3 times, and beat Kildare twice. 6 foot 6, glided across the pitch with a massive leap and great hands. He had flaws but he was 18, he had unlimited potential which is what a prospect is to me. Ask yourself if last year we had Nash and McBride midfield with Jones gone to wing forward and Menton to wing-back would the team be better, I think it would clearly be a lot better. You've plenty of valid points but you took serious liberties in belittling the impact of Nash and McBride leaving had on the team, especially considering they are the exact type of player in the positions we need

LeitrimRoyal99 (Meath) - Posts: 1458 - 17/06/2021 22:37:30    2351758

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Replying To brian:  "Goalkeepers - who's fault is it he's tried 13+ in the 5 years (not 4) that he's been in charge. He's fallen out with half of them. I suppose that's there fault and there's not a common denominator in Andy McEntee. Who hauled Dominic Yorke off at half time in his first league match? And replaced him with a corner forward? Who brought a 38 year old who'd not played in goals in 5+ years back onto the panel? Who recalled Joe Sheridan who hadn't played as a keeper since he was a teenager. Its no wonder Paddy O'Rourke, Jack Hannigan, Robbie Burlingham walked away. McDermott and Beakey were brought in and never even got an opportunity. What's the common thread.. Andy McEntee...........

Free takers
See my previous post. He's not helped himself by bringing in or getting a kicking coach involved. Clubs work with their free takers on it. But Andy doesn't seem to think it's important.

Donal Lenihan is one of the best free takers in the county and yet Andy has consistently fallen out with him, failed to pick him and Donal's dropped himself off the panel twice... i suppose it's Donal's fault that v Westmeath he watched 6 or 7 have a go hero's attempt free's whilst he kicked his heels on the bench waiting on a chance.

Rotten Luck/Injuries/Covid
Every single team is dealing with it. Meath are not the only team affected by it. It's an excuse

Credit for young players
How has he brought them through.... is Andy not supposed to pick the best players available to him. Costello and Hickey are the u20 captain and vice captain this year i believe. Is Andy supposed to not bring them into the senior panel. Fionn Reilly (who's 25 next month) has been ignored for years by Andy until its was at the point Fionn couldn't be ignored any longer. How has he brought him through, his hand was forced and we lost 2/3 years of Reilly being involved with Meath."
All points spot on.

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1318 - 18/06/2021 09:20:31    2351786

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The issue with McEntee is not the players he has picked. He and by and large has about 70% of best players in Meath involved. He seems to have discarded a number very ruthlessly and fallen out with many. That would be fine if one could believe that they just didn't have what it takes. Suspicion remains though that maybe it wasn't the discarded players at fault.

The issue overall is the lack of preparation.

No free takers is utterly utterly embarrassing and be should go for that alone. It's a shocking indictment.

After that, the goalkeeping fiasco from day one. That's connected to the complete lack of a kickout strategy which again is breathtaking in its incompetence.

There is no visible attacking style. No visible defensive style. Just work like dogs seems to be the mantra. That's fine but I genuinely don't know how he gets buy in when you don't prepare the players properly and control the controllables.

Please excuse a rugby analogy- we are like watching an Italian rugby team, their forwards work like dogs to gain ground but they never took the time to train a scrum half so they can't get the ball out of the ruck quickly enough despite all the forwards exertions. They also never took time to train a place kicker so missed all their penalties and conversions. It's like knocking your head against a brick wall.

The very minimum requirements are :

1) fitness
2) kickout strategy
3) free taker

These are controllables. .

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1318 - 18/06/2021 09:36:00    2351788

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Replying To LeitrimRoyal99:  "
Replying To brian:  "Give Andy another year enough of all this nonsense talk, pre covid world we were clearly making strides, the man cant catch a break either, Ronan Jones and Shane Walsh easily 2 of our best players break bones before the league even starts. The man bleeds green blood and his passion for Meath to do well is unmatched

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All i hear are excuses.

Every county has bad luck and injuries, you deal with the hand you're dealt with. Dublin have lost numerous players off their panel and got on with it.They lost players to the AFL, they're dealing with it. They've had players leave to take a year or two out and gotten on with it. Cork and Kerry have lost players to the AFL, so have Tyrone and Derry as well as dealing with injuries. Mayo have had huge squad turnover due to an aging panel, they're not whinging and complaining about it.

Nash if he'd stayed in Ireland was unlikely to have stayed playing football as he was on a Leinster academy contract and would've likely turned pro at rugby and played in another green jersey. We were never likely to have seen him in a Meath jersey so claiming he was a loss is not understanding the choices the lad had available to him. McBride is not an elite prospect and if he was why did Andy not use him last winter when he was available to him. McBride's AFL club allowed him play and Andy didn't think he was worthy of using.

1 brilliant year - in the league.... yes he was promoted but we were wiped out in the leinster final and they were ran into the ground in all three super 8 games. Shoulda, woulda, coulda won and if my granny had balls and all that. We weren't close in any of them and trying to suggest we were is a laugh. think the winner margins for ecah team were 8+ points. I'm going off memory on that so if it's inaccurate so be it.

Free taking is Andy's problem, he's the manager the buck stops with him. I don't think the county board have refused him any request he's made. In 5 years we've not had a consistent free taker, in the game v Westmeath not a month ago, we'd 6 or 7 different players attempting free's and 45's. That's pathetic and lies at the door step of the manager for not sorting it out.

Go back to the 80's Brian Stafford wasn't a free taker at all, but Sean Boylan got him Ollie Campbell's phone number, got them introduced and they over the phone worked on technique, pattern and approach to kicking the dead ball. I don't believe they ever meet but had several long calls and Brian developed his routine and was one of the best free takers we've ever seen.

Are we saying in 2021 that Andy couldn't organise something similar for his team. We've consistently left 3-5 scores on the field through the lack of a free taker in his 5 years. Brian Stafford, Trevor Giles and Cian Ward three outstanding exponents of kicking a dead ball, could all have been approached and asked for a bit of help with the free takers. But it doesn't look like they have been.

Look at Jack Flynn v Mayo and Matthew Costello v Kildare both taking long range frees.... no routine or standard approach to taking the free's other than put the foot through it and hope it has the distance and accuracy is a bonus.

The fault for that is on the manager for not preparing his team adequately for the challenges placed in front of them."
Nash might have chosen rugby but he would still be a massive loss either way. He played 2 seasons for Simonstown. Won 2 Keegans and transformed their teams both years, all while not focusing fully on GAA. And to say Cian McBride wasn't an elite prospect is so off the mark. He didn't play last year because he had a foot fracture that he picked up in a challenge game against Cavan. Even still he was 19 then and had played 0 football in the 12-18 months prior. He won two Leinster under 17's, involved in teams that beat Dublin 3 times, and beat Kildare twice. 6 foot 6, glided across the pitch with a massive leap and great hands. He had flaws but he was 18, he had unlimited potential which is what a prospect is to me. Ask yourself if last year we had Nash and McBride midfield with Jones gone to wing forward and Menton to wing-back would the team be better, I think it would clearly be a lot better. You've plenty of valid points but you took serious liberties in belittling the impact of Nash and McBride leaving had on the team, especially considering they are the exact type of player in the positions we need"
Nash was a huge loss. McCabe was a loss. Will never understand why Nash would give up education and a chance to play rugby or gaa to play that rubbish sport but each to their own.

However, lets not be stuck in the past thinking that we need a big man in midfield to sort out our kickout issues. Kickouts are about two things in modern football - the accuracy and speed of the kickout, and the timing of the run. Dublin rarely win a highfielding kickout plucked out of the skies. Its usually the likes of Howard or other half forwards catching it on their chest out near the wings. If you see lads catching 30 yard + kickouts on their chest, then you know the team knows what they are at and have been well drilled.

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1318 - 18/06/2021 09:55:43    2351793

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Replying To Crinigan:  "
Replying To LeitrimRoyal99:  "[quote=brian:  "Give Andy another year enough of all this nonsense talk, pre covid world we were clearly making strides, the man cant catch a break either, Ronan Jones and Shane Walsh easily 2 of our best players break bones before the league even starts. The man bleeds green blood and his passion for Meath to do well is unmatched

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All i hear are excuses.

Every county has bad luck and injuries, you deal with the hand you're dealt with. Dublin have lost numerous players off their panel and got on with it.They lost players to the AFL, they're dealing with it. They've had players leave to take a year or two out and gotten on with it. Cork and Kerry have lost players to the AFL, so have Tyrone and Derry as well as dealing with injuries. Mayo have had huge squad turnover due to an aging panel, they're not whinging and complaining about it.

Nash if he'd stayed in Ireland was unlikely to have stayed playing football as he was on a Leinster academy contract and would've likely turned pro at rugby and played in another green jersey. We were never likely to have seen him in a Meath jersey so claiming he was a loss is not understanding the choices the lad had available to him. McBride is not an elite prospect and if he was why did Andy not use him last winter when he was available to him. McBride's AFL club allowed him play and Andy didn't think he was worthy of using.

1 brilliant year - in the league.... yes he was promoted but we were wiped out in the leinster final and they were ran into the ground in all three super 8 games. Shoulda, woulda, coulda won and if my granny had balls and all that. We weren't close in any of them and trying to suggest we were is a laugh. think the winner margins for ecah team were 8+ points. I'm going off memory on that so if it's inaccurate so be it.

Free taking is Andy's problem, he's the manager the buck stops with him. I don't think the county board have refused him any request he's made. In 5 years we've not had a consistent free taker, in the game v Westmeath not a month ago, we'd 6 or 7 different players attempting free's and 45's. That's pathetic and lies at the door step of the manager for not sorting it out.

Go back to the 80's Brian Stafford wasn't a free taker at all, but Sean Boylan got him Ollie Campbell's phone number, got them introduced and they over the phone worked on technique, pattern and approach to kicking the dead ball. I don't believe they ever meet but had several long calls and Brian developed his routine and was one of the best free takers we've ever seen.

Are we saying in 2021 that Andy couldn't organise something similar for his team. We've consistently left 3-5 scores on the field through the lack of a free taker in his 5 years. Brian Stafford, Trevor Giles and Cian Ward three outstanding exponents of kicking a dead ball, could all have been approached and asked for a bit of help with the free takers. But it doesn't look like they have been.

Look at Jack Flynn v Mayo and Matthew Costello v Kildare both taking long range frees.... no routine or standard approach to taking the free's other than put the foot through it and hope it has the distance and accuracy is a bonus.

The fault for that is on the manager for not preparing his team adequately for the challenges placed in front of them."
Nash might have chosen rugby but he would still be a massive loss either way. He played 2 seasons for Simonstown. Won 2 Keegans and transformed their teams both years, all while not focusing fully on GAA. And to say Cian McBride wasn't an elite prospect is so off the mark. He didn't play last year because he had a foot fracture that he picked up in a challenge game against Cavan. Even still he was 19 then and had played 0 football in the 12-18 months prior. He won two Leinster under 17's, involved in teams that beat Dublin 3 times, and beat Kildare twice. 6 foot 6, glided across the pitch with a massive leap and great hands. He had flaws but he was 18, he had unlimited potential which is what a prospect is to me. Ask yourself if last year we had Nash and McBride midfield with Jones gone to wing forward and Menton to wing-back would the team be better, I think it would clearly be a lot better. You've plenty of valid points but you took serious liberties in belittling the impact of Nash and McBride leaving had on the team, especially considering they are the exact type of player in the positions we need"
Nash was a huge loss. McCabe was a loss. Will never understand why Nash would give up education and a chance to play rugby or gaa to play that rubbish sport but each to their own.

However, lets not be stuck in the past thinking that we need a big man in midfield to sort out our kickout issues. Kickouts are about two things in modern football - the accuracy and speed of the kickout, and the timing of the run. Dublin rarely win a highfielding kickout plucked out of the skies. Its usually the likes of Howard or other half forwards catching it on their chest out near the wings. If you see lads catching 30 yard + kickouts on their chest, then you know the team knows what they are at and have been well drilled."]I'm aware of that. Was just in response to a post saying Nash and McBride weren't really good prospects for Meath

LeitrimRoyal99 (Meath) - Posts: 1458 - 18/06/2021 12:21:12    2351830

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McEntee is a good manager. Anyone who saw Meath play in the Leinster Semi final against Westmeath 2015 and saw the performances that Meath have produced under Mcentee can see the huge progression. They didn't play well at all against Kildare but I would imagine that is more to do with Covid than anything else. Please stop the negativity and get behind the team.

Rocknroyaler (Meath) - Posts: 8 - 18/06/2021 16:35:57    2351875

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Replying To Rocknroyaler:  "McEntee is a good manager. Anyone who saw Meath play in the Leinster Semi final against Westmeath 2015 and saw the performances that Meath have produced under Mcentee can see the huge progression. They didn't play well at all against Kildare but I would imagine that is more to do with Covid than anything else. Please stop the negativity and get behind the team."
Meath were actually sensational against Westmeath in the first half of that match . O'Dowd wasn't a success but at least you could see what he was trying to do, there was a clear attacking strategy. Also never genuflected to Dublin in any of his matches in charge and ran them relatively close compared to recent efforts.

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1318 - 18/06/2021 20:32:06    2351916

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Replying To Crinigan:  "Meath were actually sensational against Westmeath in the first half of that match . O'Dowd wasn't a success but at least you could see what he was trying to do, there was a clear attacking strategy. Also never genuflected to Dublin in any of his matches in charge and ran them relatively close compared to recent efforts."
Ahh now let's not whitewash history. Dublin were nowhere near as good then as they have been for the last while. 2013 we were in the game with them but that was Kilkenny, McCaffrey, Mannion not near their primes. No Fenton or Con. 2014 we got destroyed by them, and 2016 was a definite genuflecting. And again in 2016 Dublin weren't as far ahead of the rest of the country as they are now.

LeitrimRoyal99 (Meath) - Posts: 1458 - 18/06/2021 22:10:33    2351929

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Replying To brian:  "Goalkeepers - who's fault is it he's tried 13+ in the 5 years (not 4) that he's been in charge. He's fallen out with half of them. I suppose that's there fault and there's not a common denominator in Andy McEntee. Who hauled Dominic Yorke off at half time in his first league match? And replaced him with a corner forward? Who brought a 38 year old who'd not played in goals in 5+ years back onto the panel? Who recalled Joe Sheridan who hadn't played as a keeper since he was a teenager. Its no wonder Paddy O'Rourke, Jack Hannigan, Robbie Burlingham walked away. McDermott and Beakey were brought in and never even got an opportunity. What's the common thread.. Andy McEntee...........

Free takers
See my previous post. He's not helped himself by bringing in or getting a kicking coach involved. Clubs work with their free takers on it. But Andy doesn't seem to think it's important.

Donal Lenihan is one of the best free takers in the county and yet Andy has consistently fallen out with him, failed to pick him and Donal's dropped himself off the panel twice... i suppose it's Donal's fault that v Westmeath he watched 6 or 7 have a go hero's attempt free's whilst he kicked his heels on the bench waiting on a chance.

Rotten Luck/Injuries/Covid
Every single team is dealing with it. Meath are not the only team affected by it. It's an excuse

Credit for young players
How has he brought them through.... is Andy not supposed to pick the best players available to him. Costello and Hickey are the u20 captain and vice captain this year i believe. Is Andy supposed to not bring them into the senior panel. Fionn Reilly (who's 25 next month) has been ignored for years by Andy until its was at the point Fionn couldn't be ignored any longer. How has he brought him through, his hand was forced and we lost 2/3 years of Reilly being involved with Meath."
Brian you seem to know it all, Maybe you could fix our goalkeeping issues by the sounds of things or find that elite free taker that doesnt exist

redser123 (Meath) - Posts: 402 - 19/06/2021 18:16:59    2352052

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Replying To redser123:  "Brian you seem to know it all, Maybe you could fix our goalkeeping issues by the sounds of things or find that elite free taker that doesnt exist"
I think a lot of people could fix the goalkeeping issue. It's not rocket science. Just current management don't seem to be able to do it.

Elite freetakers are not born as elite free takers. It's called practice. How many hours and hours of training sessions have current management been over this past five years? 2,000 hours? Any output at the end of all those hours? What were they even doing? And then when it counts in competitive matches they don't even have a free taker even assigned! It's a whoever wants ago territory. Indefensible , laughable, even though you somehow seem to be trying to defend it.

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1318 - 19/06/2021 19:15:36    2352057

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Replying To redser123:  "Brian you seem to know it all, Maybe you could fix our goalkeeping issues by the sounds of things or find that elite free taker that doesnt exist"
But you have ask why dosent the free taker exist ? Had whos fault is that ?

bobkarlgees (Meath) - Posts: 1263 - 19/06/2021 19:16:52    2352058

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Replying To Crinigan:  "I think a lot of people could fix the goalkeeping issue. It's not rocket science. Just current management don't seem to be able to do it.

Elite freetakers are not born as elite free takers. It's called practice. How many hours and hours of training sessions have current management been over this past five years? 2,000 hours? Any output at the end of all those hours? What were they even doing? And then when it counts in competitive matches they don't even have a free taker even assigned! It's a whoever wants ago territory. Indefensible , laughable, even though you somehow seem to be trying to defend it."
Regarding Goalkeeper You say it's not rocket science but not many people on these forums are putting up any great names, can I ask who would be your choice? the best option by far would be paddy orourke but hes in Australia and made that ridiculous comment basically saying what's the point playing intercounty when Dublin are so good, the best keeper in meath after that is Andy Colgan and he is playing

Andy backed Thomas O'Reilly on the frees and he kept letting him down so naturally you have to try other players, i just dont get why andy gets killed for free taking, the players taking them have to Cop that blame it's up to them to put in the work

redser123 (Meath) - Posts: 402 - 19/06/2021 21:55:26    2352078

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Replying To redser123:  "Regarding Goalkeeper You say it's not rocket science but not many people on these forums are putting up any great names, can I ask who would be your choice? the best option by far would be paddy orourke but hes in Australia and made that ridiculous comment basically saying what's the point playing intercounty when Dublin are so good, the best keeper in meath after that is Andy Colgan and he is playing

Andy backed Thomas O'Reilly on the frees and he kept letting him down so naturally you have to try other players, i just dont get why andy gets killed for free taking, the players taking them have to Cop that blame it's up to them to put in the work"
Correct, we have tried more keepers than anyone in the country by a distance under current set up, literally could not have tried any more. End result being Hannigan who has also improved is the best option regarding who's available.

Regarding free takers you usually strike me as one of the few on here who goes to club games as well, these free takers don't exist and to blame that on management is ridiculous, you're absolutely right on both counts.

I genuinely fear for what will come after Andy, I suspect some here will be in for a seriously rude awakening. Look at our starting (and finishing) 15 v Kildare, if people honestly think they are massively under performing as a whole and we have a god given right to be in div 1 I don't know what to say. We are skin bare at this stage with lads missing, it's honestly laughable that so many are absolutely blind to how light we are currently, and as with the goalie situation, we could not have tried any more. By and large (1 or 2 exceptions I'd absolutely have in but hasn't worked at present for whatever reason), we have what's available to us.

Debate and warranted criticism is fine, but there is no logic to half the crap posted in here, as well as contradictions left right and centre and only serves as an opportunity for people to push their own agendas.

The poster you are replying to was literally advocating pulling the county team all together last year for the foreseeable, now is pushing to break the bank and go out and get a high profile outside man which will fix all our problems, or even better give us someone on the ex dubs player circuit that should do it.

Middle aged men playing the equivalent of football manager here, talking about Jim Gavin, Jim McGuinness, Jason Sherlock, handball coaches - honestly it's beyond parody

dunboynelad (Meath) - Posts: 227 - 19/06/2021 23:57:57    2352088

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Replying To redser123:  "Regarding Goalkeeper You say it's not rocket science but not many people on these forums are putting up any great names, can I ask who would be your choice? the best option by far would be paddy orourke but hes in Australia and made that ridiculous comment basically saying what's the point playing intercounty when Dublin are so good, the best keeper in meath after that is Andy Colgan and he is playing

Andy backed Thomas O'Reilly on the frees and he kept letting him down so naturally you have to try other players, i just dont get why andy gets killed for free taking, the players taking them have to Cop that blame it's up to them to put in the work"
It's true that it's the players fault to a degree as to why they can't take frees. For example the lad big lad from Ratoath against Mayo clearly has an outstanding right foot off the ground. He seemed to have no idea how to address the ball though and had no routine. The fault there lies with Ratoath, the player himself for not practicing or seeking advice or taking interest (maybe he doesn't want to take frees, who knows) AND Meath management - these lads are training enough, why hasn't he been thought a routine and been coached? You'd expect the best coaching at county level, you can't expect lads to be always inter county standard the night they join the panel - they can be coached however.

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1318 - 20/06/2021 08:20:56    2352100

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Replying To Crinigan:  "It's true that it's the players fault to a degree as to why they can't take frees. For example the lad big lad from Ratoath against Mayo clearly has an outstanding right foot off the ground. He seemed to have no idea how to address the ball though and had no routine. The fault there lies with Ratoath, the player himself for not practicing or seeking advice or taking interest (maybe he doesn't want to take frees, who knows) AND Meath management - these lads are training enough, why hasn't he been thought a routine and been coached? You'd expect the best coaching at county level, you can't expect lads to be always inter county standard the night they join the panel - they can be coached however."
Jack Flynn is a good footballer however he does not take the frees for Ratoath, Daithi MCGowan does. Daithi would do a really good job for Meath in box 8,9,11,14. Cant see why you would blame Ratoath for the Meath manager picking Flynn to kick the frees. Bizzare.

iceland123 (Meath) - Posts: 15 - 20/06/2021 11:13:14    2352121

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Maybe I missed something, but has there been any mention on this site of the biggest story in meatn football this week, the resignation of Bernard Flynn and his backroom staff from the meath under 20 management, it seems as a result of Andy mc entee reneging on an agreement re release of players. I actually have no problem with mc entee in doing what's best for his team but what are the county board at??? How could they let this develop in to this calamity, they were party to this agreement and should have sorted out the matter. The current top table should all consider the position, meath football limping from one crisis to another!!! To my original query, is hoganstand afraid to put up a story that paints the County board in a bad light??

Footnote (Meath) - Posts: 66 - 20/06/2021 11:49:01    2352126

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