Not all kerry players of course. They have had some of the best players in the game over the years. But ive always felt that just coz a player is from kerry he is rated higher than if he was from a different county. I couldnt believe people were so surprised at Down's win at the weekend. Look at kerry's starting 15 and it was far from outstanding. I would say Marc O Se, Mike McCarthy, Declan O Sullivan, Gooch are genuinely top class. Donaghy can be when he's on his game but he blows hot and cold. But the likes of Tommy Griffen, Tom O Sullivan, Killian Young, Aidan O Mahony, Scanlon, Quirke, Donncha Walsh, Bryan Sheehan would not be considered anything special if they hailed from a different county. Over the last number of years the 3 O Ses and Galvin have carried kerry over the line so many times. Without them they are an ordinary outfit. Liam Hayes had a point

redandgreen (None) - Posts: 691 - 02/08/2010 19:27:28    733330

Hayes did have a point but no county has 15 great players.

The word great is over used and abused. In the last 15 years or so it could apply to Maqurice Fitz, Canavan, and probably Gooch.

There are a host of excellent players, dara and Tomas O'Se, McDonald, hundreds of them, but not true "greats".

To that extent he does have a point.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 02/08/2010 20:34:16    733437

Yes Id agree with that to a point.

Kerry are in for a transitional period I feel.

Tomas O Se wont go on forever.

Mike Mc Carthy is bound to wrap it up now.

When you think about it Saturdays result was no major surprise & perhaps came 12 months later than expected.

Cast your mind back 12 months & Dublin were supposed to deliver the result that Down did.

Kerry, a far stronger outfit to boot, were having their epitaph written by many.

The All Ireland sucess that followed appears to have been the last sting of a dying wasp.

sam57 (Louth) - Posts: 1502 - 02/08/2010 20:38:22    733442

Every player mentioned would walk on the Mayo Team thats for sure. They have All Ireland medals in there back pocket.

richiej (UK) - Posts: 1430 - 02/08/2010 20:46:14    733455

Aidan o'Mahoney is a serious player when fully fit but other than that you're not totally wrong. But the point is you mentioned 6 or 7 top class players there that are superior to everyone else in the country - hence why they've been so successful!!

banner_boy (Clare) - Posts: 1285 - 02/08/2010 20:59:13    733476

Galvin surely is a 'great', one of the best players I've seen. As for other players, especially Donnacha Walsh (I've always thought he's totally useless), I'd agree with you. I'd put Sheehan in the same bracket as Cian Ward.

throw_it_over (Galway) - Posts: 769 - 02/08/2010 21:19:41    733520

richiej
County: UK
Posts: 400

733455 Every player mentioned would walk on the Mayo Team thats for sure. They have All Ireland medals in there back pocket.

Yes totally agree, sum of the kerry subs would walk into the mayo team , dunno why sum mayo people come on this and slag other counties when were in crisis.

winjustonce1 (Mayo) - Posts: 57 - 02/08/2010 21:27:34    733538

To be fair i never liked donaghy always overated but sheehan is a very good player.

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 02/08/2010 21:36:18    733556

they think they just have to show up and the other team to let them win

delboydub (Dublin) - Posts: 665 - 02/08/2010 21:41:12    733567

richiej, winjustonce1

Whether those mentioned would get on the mayo team or not is not the point. Set up a different thread if you want to talk about that. My point was that a very average player from kerry is considered great just because of where theyre form. And saying that they have all ireland medals in their pockets is neither here nor there. They have those medals because they were fortunate to have such great players around them (ie o ses, galvin, o sullivan, gooch) over the last few years. There are many many players in this country who would have medals too if they happened to be born in kerry (including many mayo players). Saturday proved that without tomas o se and galvin kerry are actually very ordinary

redandgreen (None) - Posts: 691 - 02/08/2010 22:02:06    733607

Ah, is this the inevitable backlash from the weekend? Like all great sports sides, Kerry have a clutch of great players and a number of very good players. That is the nature of team sports. I would say though that all of the very good players would make it into most inter-county starting 15's. Interesting that these players are being questioned after a notable defeat rather than when they were winning All-Irelands.

Tongo (UK) - Posts: 1795 - 03/08/2010 08:03:41    733608

the simple face is that kerry were missing 6 that started last years all-ireland, could any other county cope with this, most of the kerry panel would make the starting 15 of any other county

Tomlangan (Mayo) - Posts: 406 - 03/08/2010 09:51:29    733669

a tad harsh on a depleted Kerry team, yet with some fantasic players on one of the best full forward lines in the country.

buckshot (Donegal) - Posts: 185 - 03/08/2010 11:03:45    733748

personally i never rated tom o sullivan until last year when he was outstanding. tommy griffin is the best midfielder in kerry yet his reputation has dipped since he moved to full back. i've never rated donnacha walsh and killian young plays purely because of his pace. in kerry club football these players rarely stand out

mikeoc (Kerry) - Posts: 567 - 03/08/2010 11:04:40    733751

Maybe that is your problem, a team is about the collective work of players.............its not just about individuals shining through-going for glory. These lads have been playing on the road for a long time and have won more games than any other team in Ireland in the last decade. They have all served the Kerry team well and while they may not have all stood out collectively in one year, they have all played their role in Kerry's success e.g. Aidan O Mahony was in his peak in 06 and 07, other players stood out in different years, with Tom O Sullivan, old guy that he is winning Man of the Match in last years QF.

As for Liam Hayes, well that little overrated person has consistently stated that numerous Kerry players are average to then conterdict himself when Kerry win the AI...look at his article after last years AI and look at this articles before the QF last year. There are many journalists both north and south of the boarder who write excellent analysis and critiques of games; tis their criticism of Kerry players that I take note-why they openess to praise when deserve, critique when relevant and regardless of what county they come from are not evidently bias.

As for Kerry relying on the O Ses and Galvin-well we got to the AI final in 08 without Galvin and we have won the AI without some of the O Ses too. Still though there will always be people in the game that judge a player only on the game they lost and now look at the career span-we lost one game this year to a good young and vibrant Down team. We are mostly an old team with many on the wrong side of 30 yet we were still able to put it up to Cork-the now favourites for the AI-; short memories!!

kerrykerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1779 - 03/08/2010 11:12:59    733764

I agree that kerry have lost alot of major players recently and that is main reason they have gone downhill. The drop in form from the big man up front also had a major impact. he hasnt performed at all this year. I mean kerry only scored 3 points from play on saturday and that really isn't good enough.

dstuction (Donegal) - Posts: 1209 - 03/08/2010 11:19:43    733777

most people missing the point of the thread and the kerry posters going all defensive at the least suggestion that - Oh My God - some of their players are NOT the best in the country. Some things never change around here

redandgreen (None) - Posts: 691 - 03/08/2010 20:58:23    734859

redandgreen
County: All
Posts: 651

734859 most people missing the point of the thread and the kerry posters going all defensive at the least suggestion that - Oh My God - some of their players are NOT the best in the country. Some things never change around here

Well if most people are missing the point of the thread, maybe you need to be less ambigious and clearly state what you mean-And Oh My God - how dare a supporter support his county players.....God Forbid, if someone can't have a different opinion without labels and dismissive comments being thrown at them.

kerrykerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1779 - 03/08/2010 21:50:46    734936

For by Gooch the rst have just built their reputation on the back of Gooch.

Cavan_gael (Cavan) - Posts: 100 - 04/08/2010 12:08:56    735354

Dellboypolecat
County: Tyrone
Posts: 12283

733556
To be fair i never liked donaghy always overated but sheehan is a very good player.

I agree with you there iv never been a fan of Donaghy. Saturday really showed his a one trick pony and has no football in him at all. Alot of people in Kerry think he should be Kerry captain because hes a great leader but Saturday when Kerry needed someone to stand up and be counted he was no were to be seen.

kerryhurling (Kerry) - Posts: 274 - 04/08/2010 12:45:23    735430