The reality is this year is going to be our worst in ten years. There is no way a county with the playing population of Leitrim can cope with the sheer amount of players not involved with the panel. That's before you even discuss the quality of the individual players that aren't on it. The years of S&C and experience that have been built up is gone and will be replaced by novices and players who would only be 3rd or 4th in line for their positions if we had everyone. Jim Gavin or any manager wouldn't be able to deal with this.
It is even worse when you consider that we are in Division Three this year. The team we will be forced to field would probably only be in the lower reaches of Div 4.
The lack of communication from the county board/management regarding the panel is leaving a vacuum of information which is leading to rumours and speculation. Cavan, Roscommon and Longford for ex. have all released their wider panels to the media which at least stops the rumours.
Can anyone tell me if Radek Oberwan, Cillian McGloin, Oisin McLoughlin or Jordan Reynolds are on the panel? As all would start if they were.
What we are also going to have to contend with is that Tom Prior, Barry McNulty and Jack Foley are all involved with Sigerson teams and their game time will have to be managed throughout the league. Shane Quinn is also rumoured to be leaving mid league.
If Keith Beirne has also stepped away we are on a hiding to nothing. I'm having an educated guess but I would say our team will resemble something like this in Ballinamore on round One. Any Thoughts?
Killian Gaffey
Adam Reynolds Mark Diffley Cathal McHugh
Jack Foley Shane Quinn Harkin
Radek Oberwan* Barry McNulty
Jack Flynn Keith Keegan Tom Prior
Darren Cox Keith Beirne* Riordan O'Rourke
I've said it before but as a county we do not have a problem with producing players we have a serious problem in retaining them. If we had all our players I'd be fairly confident we would be there or there abouts in Division 3. Which is all the more depressing.
Replying To joeman123: "Patronising is too strong.Most of his comments on Leitrim are fair, realistic and positive.That is a rarity on this site.
A lot of commentators here have used a lot of energy here criticising the CB and particularly managers for Leitrim's lack of success.When we did achieve something last year it was put down to luck.There was hardly any comment about the underage improvement/success.
Having said that any team was loses the spine of its players will struggle .The new management should be given the time and encouragement to build what is essentially a new team.The previous management was lucky that they had a lot of players who had 5 ,6. and more years experience playing for Leitrim. In fact very few players weren't available. I know lists have been put up about players who emigrated/travelled,however our core best players were available. This is not the situation now, hence Mickey Graham running away when he realised the seriousness of the problem."
Martinjoe and Joeman123 were the last two surviving members of the Andy Moran fan club. That's a joke lads BTW, I hope it's taken that way.
Leitrim were due to play Wexford on Saturday in Adamstown, heard nothing from it.
Replying To Leitrim1234: "The reality is this year is going to be our worst in ten years. There is no way a county with the playing population of Leitrim can cope with the sheer amount of players not involved with the panel. That's before you even discuss the quality of the individual players that aren't on it. The years of S&C and experience that have been built up is gone and will be replaced by novices and players who would only be 3rd or 4th in line for their positions if we had everyone. Jim Gavin or any manager wouldn't be able to deal with this.
It is even worse when you consider that we are in Division Three this year. The team we will be forced to field would probably only be in the lower reaches of Div 4.
The lack of communication from the county board/management regarding the panel is leaving a vacuum of information which is leading to rumours and speculation. Cavan, Roscommon and Longford for ex. have all released their wider panels to the media which at least stops the rumours.
Can anyone tell me if Radek Oberwan, Cillian McGloin, Oisin McLoughlin or Jordan Reynolds are on the panel? As all would start if they were.
What we are also going to have to contend with is that Tom Prior, Barry McNulty and Jack Foley are all involved with Sigerson teams and their game time will have to be managed throughout the league. Shane Quinn is also rumoured to be leaving mid league.
If Keith Beirne has also stepped away we are on a hiding to nothing. I'm having an educated guess but I would say our team will resemble something like this in Ballinamore on round One. Any Thoughts?
Killian Gaffey
Adam Reynolds Mark Diffley Cathal McHugh
Jack Foley Shane Quinn Harkin
Radek Oberwan* Barry McNulty
Jack Flynn Keith Keegan Tom Prior
Darren Cox Keith Beirne* Riordan O'Rourke
I've said it before but as a county we do not have a problem with producing players we have a serious problem in retaining them. If we had all our players I'd be fairly confident we would be there or there abouts in Division 3. Which is all the more depressing."
You say Jim Gavin or any other manager wouldn't be able to deal with it, I think a better appointment would have kept O Rourke, Bernie, O Donnell and a couple of more who are sat at home. I said Poacher was a bad appointment from the off with little experience in management and his last coaching positions were massive failures.
Replying To williesboy: "You say Jim Gavin or any other manager wouldn't be able to deal with it, I think a better appointment would have kept O Rourke, Bernie, O Donnell and a couple of more who are sat at home. I said Poacher was a bad appointment from the off with little experience in management and his last coaching positions were massive failures."
You must know something that the rest of us doesn't know and that's fair enough. Look, Poacher wasn't on my target list either but as someone else said here, the manager shouldn't really come into this if a lad is really motivated and physically able to play.
Replying To williesboy: "You say Jim Gavin or any other manager wouldn't be able to deal with it, I think a better appointment would have kept O Rourke, Bernie, O Donnell and a couple of more who are sat at home. I said Poacher was a bad appointment from the off with little experience in management and his last coaching positions were massive failures."
To be fair tho willie we weren't really in a position to be picky with management. We were left in a dire situation and barely any outside manager worth his mustard was going to take us after MG left and the rumours surrounding why he left. Give Poacher a chance it really isn't his fault the panel is as depleted as is.