So Jim McGuinness got rid of them before they released books this time! That's very forward thinking for such a defensive manager :)

In all seriousness this seems like the media filling in pages until the championship starts.

gormdubhgorm (Dublin) - Posts: 990 - 01/05/2014 13:26:40    1582933

Damothedub
Quite right Damo another master plan how comes it seems to be only Donegal that have master plans but if it's like 2012 that will be ok don't worry about the mess we walk in and out of ,as the saying goes when you dig yourself into a hole ,dig yourself out again and we are well used to doing that. I can't wait for CELTIC park and see how we perform I would expect this team to prove a point this year and I'd be happy with An Ulster title.

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 01/05/2014 13:26:53    1582934

Can I just say that a lot of the innuendo regarding Mark Mc Hugh , I find worrying.
Until He or Jim Mc Guiness make a public statement regarding the matter could posters please stop atgtempting to justify their devotion to jim by questioning the character of Mark

derryman (Derry) - Posts: 3246 - 01/05/2014 13:26:56    1582935

I have to say I do not understand the criticism that JMG gets.

As has been pointed out, taking Donegal from where they were to being All Ireland Champions in nothing short of remarkable. He did not have the depth of panel of the Dublins and Kerrys of this world but he was able to harness what he had, set it up in a way that after the 2011 run out they were untouchable in 2012.

This is a very fine achievement and not many, if any, other managers could have achieved that. It was understandable that they would not hit the heights last year giving their exertions but while there is speculation and sniping going on constantly I still would not be surprised to see the animal that was Donegal 2012 awaken again come Championship time. I don't think McGuiness would still be there id he thought they were on a hiding to nothing.

But to finish where I started can someone tell me why he gets so much flak? Is he an unlikeable character?, has he done something terrible in a previous life?, Is it because he is from Ulster? or is it simply jealousy? (nobody as good as the Irish at putting the achievements of one of thier own down).

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 01/05/2014 13:40:42    1582949

01/05/2014 12:52:18
SamOnErrigal
County: Donegal
Posts: 166

1582906
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.



Hey Sam , the bit on Dublin you wouldnt mind sending that onto Ulsterman and The Master as they feel were such a power we should be divided , its gas on here the minipulation of statistics and movement of the goalposts depending on topic is an art form .

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 01/05/2014 13:52:18    1582956

A lot of innuendo being posted here. Not good at all.

derryman (Derry) - Posts: 3246 - 01/05/2014 13:55:41    1582958

TheMaster
County: Mayo
Posts: 10941

1582924 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.

Think you need to watch the defensive interception by Eamonn which started the move to the first goal I the final Old Man.

2 McGees- All Ireland Winners. :)

Samsforthehills (Donegal) - Posts: 1075 - 01/05/2014 14:43:16    1582981

derryman
County: Derry
Posts: 3232

1582935
Can I just say that a lot of the innuendo regarding Mark Mc Hugh , I find worrying.
Until He or Jim Mc Guiness make a public statement regarding the matter could posters please stop atgtempting to justify their devotion to jim by questioning the character of Mark


Derryman, don't be worrying about our devotion to Jim and questioning mark Mc Hugh character, if you knew donegal football you will know what's been posted here is very accurate, it's not in our interest to slate mark Mc Hugh but if it is at the expense of Jim Mc Guinness ten its only right the truth be told, this is for discipline reasons, nothing else and again if you knew donegal football you would understand this, you should just be worrying about the 25th May

ben1977 (Donegal) - Posts: 364 - 01/05/2014 14:45:32    1582984

Damonthedub I think the only way Dublin should ever be divided is if the people of Dublin decide that they want to divide. Success comes and goes and the current strength of Dublin, especially if they are to get a few more AIs out of the current set up, will have some suggesting they should be divided. But this is nonsense in the same way folk complained about Ulster teams style of play when they were getting success.

The way that I could see Dublin dividing is that if the game remains massively healthy in the county meaning that you have a situation given its population that you have so many players not making the County set-up that could walk onto any other team in Ireland that Dublin decide themselves that they would like to divide for the sake of those playing the game in the County. However I think a few years down the line when the current wave breaks that all such talk will disappear.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 01/05/2014 14:46:24    1582985

Naysayer
County: Antrim
Posts: 316

1582949 I have to say I do not understand the criticism that JMG gets.

As has been pointed out, taking Donegal from where they were to being All Ireland Champions in nothing short of remarkable. He did not have the depth of panel of the Dublins and Kerrys of this world but he was able to harness what he had, set it up in a way that after the 2011 run out they were untouchable in 2012.

This is a very fine achievement and not many, if any, other managers could have achieved that. It was understandable that they would not hit the heights last year giving their exertions but while there is speculation and sniping going on constantly I still would not be surprised to see the animal that was Donegal 2012 awaken again come Championship time. I don't think McGuiness would still be there id he thought they were on a hiding to nothing.

But to finish where I started can someone tell me why he gets so much flak? Is he an unlikeable character?, has he done something terrible in a previous life?, Is it because he is from Ulster? or is it simply jealousy? (nobody as good as the Irish at putting the achievements of one of thier own down).

Jealousy, and we are a nation of begrudgers.

He is a great manager and an even better person. You would be proud to have him as a representative of your county.

Samsforthehills (Donegal) - Posts: 1075 - 01/05/2014 14:56:36    1582995

Naysayer.
JMcG has been taking flake since the day we played Antrim in Ballybofey 2011. Could not get the early ferry out the day after we got beaten by Dublin 2011 (THAT SEMI ) so stayed an extra day. Bought around 7-9 newspapers and Donegal really got slagged off. Headlines like ::: pathetic Donegal br the former Dublin player Curran. ,good riddance said another paper The writer in The Irish Examiner quoted JMcG as saying :::we will be back bigger and stronger next year. What do you think he said :: HEAVEN FORBIDS. But fair play to JIM we did come back bigger and stronger and overcame all odds and Sam went to the hills.
I only met the man once, in Cricklewood at the Donegal do in 2012 came over to myself and a few other lads from other parts of Ireland and talked to us for about half an hour Fine gentleman He Is and I suppose a lot of it is down to jealously Mc eniff tried for close on 20 years to win Sam yet JIM done it in less than 2years Plus we won two Ulster titles through the pleminary round which never was achieved before. Same goes for that A I. He must be held in high esteem somewhere as he got a coaching jod in Glasgow with CELTIC. ( Donegal B team) ha ha
I'm judging J McG on his achievements with this present panel and don't forget he took Glenties to two county finals which Glenties won both Factor in a div two plus an appearance in the u21 final of 2010 which we lost due to missing a penalty in the last minute. That happened all in the last ten years. So he has been quite successful and as good as manager we have had if not the best.

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 01/05/2014 15:22:45    1583013

Ben 1977
you should just be worrying about the 25th May

I am not particularly worried about it. What er will be will be.
However Mark is a young lad that has given his all for Donegal football.
It would be very sad to see him being vilified by those same supporters who idolised him 18 months ago.
Unfounded Rumour and innuendo are all too common in the sport we all love. Cant we just wait for a statement from mark or jim before we crucify the lad.

derryman (Derry) - Posts: 3246 - 01/05/2014 15:29:04    1583019

Well said Ben
I think Derryman should be well used to these internal disagreements as it has happened a lot in Derry. I think that is why they have not won Ulster since 1998 Derry had and have some great players and if Donegal were gone out of the championship I'd love to see Derry or Tyrone win Sam Or indeed any Ulster county. But I believe the Donegal posters about this discipline thing and I take their word for it. Rang home at the weekend and wondered why MMcH was not playing so what I was told then I'm not surprised what has happened. I tell ye all something else in my opinion :: no other manager would have dropped M Mc H so whatever decision JMcG takes it's for the good of the panel. All us Donegal boys here in London agree ::if you are not putting it in the leave the panel or let the manager make you leave.

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 01/05/2014 15:36:16    1583027

The master
Say if teams went man on man whatever about our back line what about M Murphy with just one back marking him have no sweeper in front of the full back and how would it go. I think we would be seeing more goals from MM like he scored in the first minute of the 2012 final. Same applies to a lot of defences and counties ,would be a different game and many a full back line would be exposed. There more than the Magee's getting cover from the half forwards., think about the 2011 final, where was DoSullivan for Kerry and he made a poor job of it allowing K mcM get the score that mattered. Same applied in 2005 final for the Tyrone goal( p Canavan) p Galvin ,again a half forward and last man in defence. So the McGees are not the only two that got caught out and they did not get caught out on AI final day I thought they were immense in the second half of the final

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 01/05/2014 15:54:04    1583044

The master
Say if teams went man on man whatever about our back line what about M Murphy with just one back marking him have no sweeper in front of the full back and how would it go. I think we would be seeing more goals from MM like he scored in the first minute of the 2012 final. Same applies to a lot of defences and counties ,would be a different game and many a full back line would be exposed. There more than the Magee's getting cover from the half forwards., think about the 2011 final, where was DoSullivan for Kerry and he made a poor job of it allowing K mcM get the score that mattered. Same applied in 2005 final for the Tyrone goal( p Canavan) p Galvin ,again a half forward and last man in defence. So the McGees are not the only two that got caught out and they did not get caught out on AI final day I thought they were immense in the second half of the final

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 01/05/2014 15:54:47    1583046

The Master-

Neil marked all the big players before the blanket defence was introduced - he played corner back when Paddy Campbell was in at full back and thats a good couple years ago now. This is where he got the name for himself rather than the famed blanket defence.

Eamonn though has been in and out of the team though due to work commitments and usually played in the half back line in previous years. I would actually play him at centre back.

SamT2012 (Donegal) - Posts: 66 - 01/05/2014 15:57:56    1583048

SamOnErrigal is right TheMaster. Any of the top forwards will give their markers a tough job one on one and with good ball in that matches their runs. Its simply the physics of the game. The forward is the one who decides what direction he is going to run and his marker can only follow him - if the ball going in to that forward is where he wants it then the defender is in trouble. I dont care how good you are thats the bottom line. The ball going in, the run that the forward makes, and what he does when he gets the ball are all part of the equation.

But the McGees are up there with the best around in my view. Neil is an especially good man marker. You talk about defensive systems etc but just watching games and seeing times when there are 50/50 or 60/40 balls played in to the forward, Neil will win most of them. When you are up against the best forwards though, the best way to keep them quiet is to stop them getting the ball

benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1428 - 01/05/2014 16:16:41    1583059

SamOnErrigal, nobody is doubting M murphy as a full forward though. It is the McGee lads as orthodox defenders. For instance, would either mcgee have marked murphy out of it for the rest of that game in an orthodox defence like cafferkey did? I dont believe so.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 01/05/2014 16:22:52    1583064

Definitely not the end for Mark McHugh, He is in my opinion the most naturally gifted sweeper in Gaelic football.

No major fallout in the Donegal camp, he wasn't playing well and probably still felt he should be starting.

A break away will probably help him find his passion for the game again.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 01/05/2014 16:34:37    1583069

TheMaster
County: Mayo
Posts: 10948

1583064
SamOnErrigal, nobody is doubting M murphy as a full forward though. It is the McGee lads as orthodox defenders. For instance, would either mcgee have marked murphy out of it for the rest of that game in an orthodox defence like cafferkey did? I dont believe so.
______________________________________________________________

I'll reiterate my point. How much good ball did Murphy get going into him? Not much. In any case he won a couple of frees and fisted a point. I'm absolutely certain that McGee would have done just as good given the scraps that Murphy was living on

benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1428 - 01/05/2014 16:38:03    1583070