says in todays paper mchugh left on his own accord

McHugh communicated his decision to leave to manager Jim McGuinness on Tuesday and this was confirmed last night by selector Damian Diver.

"He has left the panel," said Diver. "He hasn't been enjoying his football. He has been troubled by a hamstring injury and his form has been indifferent. He just wasn't enjoying it and wanted to take time out. It can be hard to keep it going mentally. He felt that he wanted a break and take some time to find himself."

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 01/05/2014 09:58:54    1582808

Whatever hard slog Jim has these guys doing, it is taking its toll.
They had no legs at all v Monaghan and looked over bulked up.

And now if a star player like McHugh is saying he is not enjoying his football anymore and needs a break, how long before another joins him.

I will be very surprised if Donegal have a major impact on this years Championship. Just cant see it at the moment.

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4166 - 01/05/2014 10:18:14    1582819

Best thing to happen to this panel of players in my opinion. The Cassidy affair was got over but Jim was crucified over it by the media and again for his stand in the dressing room after the AI when he would not allow a certain journalist in on the interview. In my book that is the type of manager we want in Donegal. How many times did we not go to Croke park and the team got walloped Now a lot of that was down to poor discipline IMO think of the cost travelling up to Dublin, brining young ones and the disappointment at the end plus a long journey home.
I'd excuse last year, lots of injuries and what 2012 took out of the team. I'd always say that J McGuiness is doing his best for Donegal football and has done his best. If JMcG was out of a job tomorrow do you not think a whole host of counties would be after him to take over the county team. ???

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 01/05/2014 10:29:06    1582826

Fionn Dublin
Would not take that as an excuse and probably he did not enjoy his spell on the bench Sunday. Probably thinks he should be the first name on the team sheet. Have you read what some of the Donegal based posters have said, they know what's going on in the county and can you read between the lines Or read Joxer's posters (Dublin) What conclusions do you get from it all ??when he did not make the team on Sunday I had a good idea something was up.

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 01/05/2014 10:35:23    1582831

Not enjoying his football because he's not getting a game. Surprised it took so long too.

Feel sorry for jim. Three other lads are completely fringe players. If it happened in Dublin wouldn't be a peep.

johnnos bulls (None) - Posts: 527 - 01/05/2014 10:40:25    1582834

I remember reading Jack O'Shea in the Sunday Times on Donegal during the summer of 2012. He said he couldn't see anyone stopping them that year.(& he was proved right) He also said though that because all the success was down to the intensity with which McGuinness was preparing them, that he thought they might contend again in 2013 (in the end they didn't) but that would be it for them. They wouldn't be able to stay competing at the top level for more than a couple of years before players had enough.
It's hard to argue with that assertion at the minute.

KildareKelly (Kildare) - Posts: 593 - 01/05/2014 10:40:38    1582835

SamOnErrigal,
If McHugh is just throwing his toys out of the pram for not starting then Donegal don't need a player like that in their team or squad.

But you have to admit they had no legs v Monaghan in Croker last weekend. Their much talked about fitness regimes will take their toll eventually on this group of players.

And based on what I have seen so far this year, I cant see Donegal getting to the top table in Sept.

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4166 - 01/05/2014 11:03:24    1582848

Eh Sam , the Donegal posters have posted , Form , Discipline , Club v County as reasons , Id say thats confusing , as is the whole affair , one of my dislikes of Donegal is the absolute need to put SPIN on everything and anything Jim related . Hes just a coach like anyone else should be open to scrutiny , to us mere mortals in the counties outside you guys appear to walk from one mess to another , but hey what do we know Im sure we are all wrong and its part of a master plan .

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 01/05/2014 11:15:38    1582852

Have to add my voice to the small backing chorus who think McHugh is vastly overrated. To be honest I was mystified in 2012 as to what his wonderful contribution was, and I'm still mystified. No great loss

an tseabhac (Kerry) - Posts: 441 - 01/05/2014 11:16:02    1582854

Kinda agree with Liamo and an Seabhac on this one.

Never thought he was exactly irreplaceable and slightly over hyped imo. Don't get me wrong a decent footballer but not in the bracket of Lacey, Murphy, McFadden or McGlynn in terms of importance to the Donegal cause.

If he isn't fully committed and buying totally into how Jim McGuinness wants the players to behave like, as is being suggested by Donegal posters, then what else is there to do?

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13795 - 01/05/2014 11:29:16    1582864

Question is were they thrown out or walked??

Some Donegal folk have taken offence to my thinking that the Mcgee brothers are over rated.Decent footballers but not the top class defenders they were praised to be (in my opinion). Reasoning for their poor showing last year was the safety net of Mark Mchugh getting injured which left them vulnerable against Monaghan and Mayo.

So if Mchugh stays off the panel it will be interesting to see how does the Donegal full back operate in his absence when it comes to the squeaky bum time in the championship

woops (Kerry) - Posts: 2073 - 01/05/2014 11:40:09    1582870

Agree with tseabhac, he was actually pretty average at the business end of the season in 2012 and done most of his damage in the early games. The sweeper role suits him as he is a good reader of the game, but if teams push onto him and force him into a man on man situation he was generally very quiet. However, donegal dont have a huge squad, so the lack of players that are up to the grade could hurt them.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 01/05/2014 11:43:42    1582875

woops
County: Kerry
Posts: 992

1582870 Question is were they thrown out or walked??

Some Donegal folk have taken offence to my thinking that the Mcgee brothers are over rated.Decent footballers but not the top class defenders they were praised to be (in my opinion). Reasoning for their poor showing last year was the safety net of Mark Mchugh getting injured which left them vulnerable against Monaghan and Mayo.

So if Mchugh stays off the panel it will be interesting to see how does the Donegal full back operate in his absence when it comes to the squeaky bum time in the championship


His brother will play the same roll as he did last year in the Ulster final.

The Donegal boys are typically a hard bunch to control McGuiness has done a good job at this.

I expect this event to galvanise the team and I expect Kevin Cassidy to go to town on Jim in this weeks Gaelic life as he tried to do last week.

muckla (UK) - Posts: 370 - 01/05/2014 12:10:24    1582884

McHugh has been indifferent this year, not alone for Donegal but also for his club, Kilcar.

His heart isn't in it at the moment, for whatever reason & hat being the case he is better off out of it.

However I do feel that there is a case of throwing his toys out of the pramhere. He wasn't happy with being on the bench against Monaghan but when he came on he was anonymous, unlike Neil Gallagher who made a real difference.

As for the other three, they were fringe players & never made much of an impression one way or the other.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 01/05/2014 12:12:28    1582887

Woops-

Neil Magee is an outstanding man marker, I know you will say what happened last year but i think we can safely say nothing went right for donegal last year. Before the blanket arrived Neil was who we put on the top forwards (Paddy Bradley, Benny Coulter, B Brogan, S O Neill, Gooch) and i think you will find he mastered them all. I think a small problem with his recent performances as a man marker is the amount of times we see him running up past the half way line and getting caught out of position.

Eamonn Magee is more of a roaming player so I wouldnt have him up there with Neil as regards man marking, but in recent years he has taken care of colm o neill, johnny doyle, alan brogan, eoin bradley to name big names.

I admit though last year whatever the reason they were very loose

SamT2012 (Donegal) - Posts: 66 - 01/05/2014 12:42:40    1582902

Ritchie
What I mean by A Fergusan /B Cody /JMcG is they all sent very good players packing especially Cody. As for A Fergusan was he not on the verge of being sacked at United.
Also as regards Dublin being a fort balling power :: how many AI have they won over the last 35 years. FOUR is the Aanswer. One more than Tyrone, two more than Down, two more than Galway, two more than Donegal So those counties can't be far behind Also consider Dublin play all their games at home so it's not a great return by Dublin over the years. Who win AI's back in the early part of the 1900's up to the 50's I would not worry too much. What you can see is Ulster teams have really come on in the last 20 years or so and if you don't believe me ask the POWER HOUSE next door to you. (Kerry) they can tell you all about football and Ulster teams ( Down/Tyrone etc ) I still say no other manager other than JMcG would have brought that panel of players to win Sam
On another point look at the STRONG panel you had in Cork :::: result:: one All Ireland.

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 01/05/2014 12:52:18    1582906

Ok fair enough guys point taken about the Mcgee bros but I still think they can be suspect!!
before anyone shoots me about the kerry full back line well I do think its kerry's weakest line

woops (Kerry) - Posts: 2073 - 01/05/2014 12:56:37    1582910

McHugh is a big loss, the other's aren't.

We'll deal with the issue inhouse and move on.

Next.

Samsforthehills (Donegal) - Posts: 1075 - 01/05/2014 13:01:16    1582916

ritchie
County: Cork
Posts: 104

1582806 SamOnErrigal

Did you seriously compare Jim Mc Guiness to Brian Cody and Alex Ferguson ???????

Have ya lost the complete run of your self. If either of those gentleman had the season Jim had last year they would have been replaced.

Yes because They've never had a bad season themselves have they? Donegal got to a provincial final and a quarter final. 3 years ago that was the definition of a successful season.

Try not to talk about things that don't concern you or you don't know anything about. You'll only end up looking like a fool.

Samsforthehills (Donegal) - Posts: 1075 - 01/05/2014 13:05:39    1582919

Again woops I agree on the mcgees. They marked a lot of top players? No the donegal system did. 6 on 6 with their forwards playing as forwards and it would be a different story, in my opinion anyway.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 01/05/2014 13:11:41    1582924