(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post
Just the 1-20 on a wintery January Sunday for Jimmy McGuinness' ultra defensive gaelic football-ruining monsters.... Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9519 - 28/01/2024 19:04:50 2522800 Link 5 |
Jimmy McGegenpress. Gaelic football has been a bit stale in his absence. Has plenty of tricks up his sleeves for whatever opposition Donegal play.
GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7651 - 30/01/2024 11:19:04 2523256 Link 1 |
Never understood that narrative around Jim McGuinness ruining football. He was very defensive in his first year to build a foundation; anyone that seen Donegal when they won the All Ireland would know they were anything but defensive. The same around Derry last year put up some massive scores. Ulster teams leading the way with attacking football if the first round of the league is anything to go by with Fermanagh being the only exeption drumalee11 (USA) - Posts: 329 - 30/01/2024 11:56:09 2523267 Link 1 |
Derry owe Donegal another beating in April but it has the makings of a good game. In the past 25 years Derry and Donegal have met around 13 times in the championship with Derry winning 4. PattyONeill (Derry) - Posts: 246 - 30/01/2024 12:19:16 2523277 Link 0 |
Showed Pat Gilroy how to set up a team. cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5194 - 30/01/2024 12:30:39 2523282 Link 2 |
Incredible. Anything else interesting from this alternate reality of yours? Jim is a great football manager and it's brilliant to see him back. Looking forward to seeing how Donegal develop this year. WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2187 - 30/01/2024 13:26:51 2523300 Link 1 |
Glad to see Jimmy back where he belongs and the same with Micky, glad to see him back in Ulster football where things are going to be interesting. Can't keep good men down.
Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2150 - 30/01/2024 13:46:35 2523307 Link 2 |
Yeah it'll be a tight game I'd say. The three-in-a-row Ulsters is very difficult. In recent memory, even on occasions when Donegal looked favourites to do it they fell short. Monaghan in 2013, and Cavan in 2020 deservedly beat them. Derry to me look like a team that require very little coaching to be honest. They all know the game plan so well and are a very slick outfit. For me the missing ingredient for them is another marquee forward to take the pressure off McGuigan a bit. If they could unearth another killer, capable of scoring 1-3 or 1-4 in a game they'd be hard stopped. Failing that, can Mickey Harte introduce some new tweak or tactic that gets them to the holy grail? Time will tell. Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9519 - 30/01/2024 13:53:21 2523311 Link 0 |
Always fascinating to hear what's being discussed in the schoolyards of Cavan! Did you overhear your Da saying that?
Onion_Sack (Dublin) - Posts: 256 - 30/01/2024 16:35:38 2523342 Link 1 |
Just that Lockjaw, Mickey Harte could just be the final piece of the puzzle for them to win the big one again, the game in April will be fascinating if we are both going well coming into it, I think Mickey will be more focused on the All Ireland than Ulster though. You get these lazy narratives about lots of things, like people saying Kerry play this great brand of traditional kick passing attacking football, they are as defensive and hard as anybody when they have to be. The difference Jim has made to Donegal already is there to see, give him a few years to mould this team together and we can maybe start dreaming of winning Sam again. Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3032 - 30/01/2024 17:30:10 2523354 Link 0 |
While obviously Jimmy is a crafty tactician, in my head the great advantage he gave to Donegal was getting a new level of fitness out of his players and giving them the self-belief to become champions. Plus having Michael Murphy who was a truly special forward. Suas Sios (None) - Posts: 1558 - 31/01/2024 11:18:10 2523454 Link 0 |
I read something similar by Spillane not so long ago who suggested that Jim's success first time around could be attributed to the fact that his team had superior fitness levels to other counties. But that this time, most elite counties are pretty similar in terms of fitness, and that he could find it harder to make the same impact. I wouldn't agree with that analysis at all. Yes, being super fit will obviosuly be beneficial. But you still need footballers and a system in place that allows them to flourish. There are early encouraging signs that he is deploying an aggressive press this time around, rather than a deep lying defensive block. (This must really annoy the "Jimmy ruined football" brigade. Also. Murphy was/is a superb footballer granted, but it was far from a one-man show. Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9519 - 31/01/2024 11:30:31 2523456 Link 0 |
Has anyone ever won an All-Ireland and qualified for a World Cup in the same year? SurelyToGod (Donegal) - Posts: 437 - 31/01/2024 11:46:36 2523460 Link 0 |
Ralph Keyes and Kenny Murphy did it in Jan 1991. Won the All Ireland with Cork Con. Then played for Ireland in World Cup later that same year. There are more but would have to think about it!
Onion_Sack (Dublin) - Posts: 256 - 01/02/2024 21:17:12 2523759 Link 0 |
Saw some comments online about Jim's high press and how it would be foolish to attempt against the "bigger teams". Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9519 - 02/02/2024 09:47:54 2523795 Link 1 |
Simple minds are easily confused. They also fear what they cannot comprehend. peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1036 - 02/02/2024 10:29:33 2523806 Link 0 |
There are a lot of begrudgers dying for him to flop. The online comments about him when he left the soccer jobs were dreadful. Jim Mc has done more in 15 years than most people would do in a lifetime. A risk taker and a very ambitious man, something not accepted by a lot of people in Irish society. Just a side note. The high field press isn't a new thing. People in certain circles seem to think Jim has brought something new to the game. That isn't the case. TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8157 - 02/02/2024 10:52:14 2523811 Link 1 |
This is it. There's a bizarre want in this country for taking people down a peg if they've expressed "notions". Must be to do with strict Catholic upbringing our parents and grandparents were exposed to. Live humbly, be happy with what you have etc etc The high press isn't new. Defending from the front has been a mantra for years. It's just that I would say Jim has demanded greater intensity and conviction in doing it. We will undoubtedly see Donegal punished at some stage by adopting this approach. (It even happened last weekend when Cork got a goal but because Donegal won comfortably it hasn't been commented on that much) and you can be sure the online cretins will be out in force guffawing like honking geese if it does. It's risk vs reward and time will tell if Donegal ultimately will be successful or not. Should be fun to watch though, which probably still won't please Jim's begrudgers, but I'm sure he sleeps soundly enough regardless. Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9519 - 02/02/2024 11:41:57 2523822 Link 0 |
For sure and he will have to find a happy medium against the better teams. When Horan left the Mayo job i wanted McGuinness.
TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8157 - 02/02/2024 12:27:31 2523835 Link 0 |
I think Jim would have got Mayo over the line for and All Ireland, maybe two who knows, whether we win another one with him this time or not at least he has brought us all together again and given the county a mighty lift after the mess of recent times. I just hope he stays with Donegal now for a long time. Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3032 - 02/02/2024 15:59:38 2523881 Link 0 |