the_watcher (Antrim) - Posts:111 - 18/02/2016 12:54:50 18

Nostalgia's not what it used to be

Breffni39 (Cavan) - Posts:10079 - 18/02/2016 13:45:15 1

Unfortunately, football isn't what it used to be.

the_watcher (Antrim) - Posts: 128 - 18/02/2016 14:00:57    1826341

Yeah there was never a bad game back in the day.

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12304 - 18/02/2016 14:21:00    1826348

I didn't say that, but the open field and the style of football led to more individual class being able to light up an otherwise drab game. Flair players are now seen as a luxury and managers dont want them. which to me, is a sad reflection.

the_watcher (Antrim) - Posts: 128 - 18/02/2016 14:47:50    1826356

Ah come on Lockjaw Donegal's win was completely down to there system how could you say anything else? These same players only a year before took a hammering off Armagh then took Dublin to two points with a completely different system that then won them Sam the following year. No team had ever come across such a system that when the ball was being thrown up Donegal forwards were running back into defence it was unreal. For me it was the 100% the system that won them Sam.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts:7056 - 18/02/2016 13:14:33

I'm not saying the system didn't play a huge part in it - it did. But to say our 2012 win was "completely" down to the system is foolish & wrong. Would Carlow have won the 2012 All Ireland playing the exact same system?

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9746 - 18/02/2016 15:02:05    1826364

I honestly believe you won that all Ireland cause of your system, teams hadn't a clue how to beat it cause they'd never seen nothing like it before.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 18/02/2016 15:33:44    1826384

I honestly believe you won that all Ireland cause of your system, teams hadn't a clue how to beat it cause they'd never seen nothing like it before.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts:7057 - 18/02/2016 15:33:44

Dublin had 3 years to learn from it (2011 - 2014) and we still battered yez in the semi in 2014. Still down to the system? Or maybe we just actually have some good footballers?

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9746 - 18/02/2016 15:40:14    1826388

100% Jim thought we could win playing all out football he learned his lesson there and then. In '12 Kerry Cork and Mayo did exactly what we did in'14 which was completely playing into donegal's hands. Come on lockjaw you know there's not a chance in hell that Donegal would beat Kerry Mayo or Dublin without there system.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 18/02/2016 17:16:32    1826440

Ah you's have good footballers no doubt about that but you wouldn't get near Sam without your system.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 18/02/2016 17:19:17    1826442

No team will win Sam without a system Clondalkin. No team will win Sam with just good footballers. Donegal were best team in 2012 , they had both in that year.

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts: 4347 - 18/02/2016 21:05:46    1826507

No team will win Sam without a system Clondalkin. No team will win Sam with just good footballers. Donegal were best team in 2012 , they had both in that year.

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts:4065 - 18/02/2016 21:05:46 1826507

Agreed. Donegal had the best of both.

The_Fridge (Tyrone) - Posts: 2093 - 18/02/2016 21:53:53    1826521

Yes clondalkin you seem to think it wise that every manager put their team out to play like u-10's. Every county team in Ireland goes out to play in some sort of system or other, even your beloved Dublin. Jim devised a plan that suited the players at his disposal and it won us 3 Ulsters and an AI. Possibly should have won another AI but that's another story. For me, that is to be applauded and not derided. It's not Jim's fault that other counties have no originality and continuously try to ape a strategy that they haven't the tools or the resources to adopt successfully.

In 2012 we had the best goal keeper (Durcan), the best full back (McGee), the best centre half back (Lacey - POTY), the best midfielder (Gallagher), the best playmaker (Murrphy) and the top scorer in the Championship (McFadden). So yes, you are correct in saying it was all down to the system. Go back to sleep lad.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9746 - 19/02/2016 09:39:31    1826531

Lads that like hearing the truth , if you didn't produce the system you's did you would have won nothing , the system you's had was completely alien to that was ever seen on a Gaelic football pitch in its history; Yes teams ha e different tactics like a big man in full forward or one sweeper but nothing to what Mcguiness came up with, come on man when the ball was being thrown up his forwards ran the opposite way , some minerals from Mcguiness but that team wouldn't have won nothing without there system. They were a team going nowhere until there system. They were found out after '13 you's should never have made the '14 final Armagh should have bet you we should have done what Mayo Armagh Monaghan Kerry have done and we would of won comfortably, and the worst Kerry team in 30 years bet you's ffs. If Donegal went man on man you's would be bet out the gate.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 19/02/2016 10:23:55    1826544

Rubbish . They were and are a top team Clondalkin . They shredded Dublin in 2014 . They have beat Cork , Kerry, Mayo and Dublin in championship football in recent years . They have some of the best footballers in the land such as Murphy, McGee, McFadden, McBrearty and McHugh.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6178 - 19/02/2016 10:59:10    1826564

Lockjaw- You could consider yourselves lucky to have won the first one as Dublin missed a couple of clear-cut goal chances early on when well on top and it had nothing to do with a system but very poor shooting by Dublin. You were of course good value for one All- Ireland over those two years. Folk are getting carried away with the word system. To win you need good footballer with a very good work rate and who can play as a team with a decent manager and good helpers on the sideline. To have a good team you need to be able to defend well, be able to generate opportunities and be able take your scores- you need a couple of very good leaders on the field as well. Of course to win All-Irelands you need a very good manager with good helpers- though Kerry were very poor on the side line in 2015. Some 'systems' demand so much from players that it makes winning more than one AI very difficult. At present the top teams (two matches in league) are Dublin, Donegal/Tyrone and Kerry because of their history.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 19/02/2016 11:03:04    1826565

Green grass I'm saying they have good footballers but without there system they'd never have won Sam.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 19/02/2016 11:08:47    1826569

Lads that like hearing the truth , if you didn't produce the system you's did you would have won nothing , the system you's had was completely alien to that was ever seen on a Gaelic football pitch in its history; Yes teams ha e different tactics like a big man in full forward or one sweeper but nothing to what Mcguiness came up with, come on man when the ball was being thrown up his forwards ran the opposite way , some minerals from Mcguiness but that team wouldn't have won nothing without there system. They were a team going nowhere until there system. They were found out after '13 you's should never have made the '14 final Armagh should have bet you we should have done what Mayo Armagh Monaghan Kerry have done and we would of won comfortably, and the worst Kerry team in 30 years bet you's ffs. If Donegal went man on man you's would be bet out the gate.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts:7061 - 19/02/2016 10:23:55 1826544

Yes and aren't we fortunate that Jim did what he did with his system. It was a masterstroke!

"shoulda" "woulda" "coulda" "ifs" "buts"

If my aunty had balls she'd be my uncle!

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9746 - 19/02/2016 11:17:25    1826573

Clondalkin - ' if ' ' if ' if '

' if ' Dublin didn't have all the advantages in the GAA world , maybe you's wouldn't be so good . Oh wait you's definitely wouldn't . Anyway most of the Dubs supporters on here are genuine who know their ball so wouldn't tar them with your brush .

Ryan McHugh

Frank McGlynn

A Thompson

Karl Lacey

Neil McGee ( not as much )

These guys are defenders who score regularly - if so called defenders score frequently , does that not make them ' natural ' footballers ? Ryan McHugh got two goals a few weeks back : what does that say about his natural ability .
I won't even name our forwards - no need too .

Clondalkin - TBF you don't really know do you ?

TheRightStuff (Donegal) - Posts: 1688 - 19/02/2016 16:07:05    1826674

For all your obsession with Donegal's 'system', you fail to recognise that Donegal's players had the class to carry out that system. Try watching the majority of inter county teams mimic it... Doesn't work. Your simplistic nonsense fails to recognise some key things. We had brilliant forwards in McFadden and Murphy, one of the best midfielders in Ireland in Neil Gallagher. A 3 time All Star full back in Neil McGee, a four time All Star in Karl Lacey, Frank McGlynn who is just pure class, and Paul Durcan who alongside Cluxton has been one of the finest goalkeepers of a generation. So your lazy, begrudging and ill-informed obsession with the "system" is a vein attempt to class our players as very ordinary. I hope you're convincing yourself anyway, that's the main thing sure...

Donegal_abroad (Donegal) - Posts: 1403 - 19/02/2016 16:12:07    1826676

The carried it out cause everyone else hadn't a clue what was going on , funny now that they've been found out there getting bet all the time, funny also that all these players became so called legends but no one in Ireland heard of them before '11 I wonder why that was? Could it be in a 15 on 15 game they weren't that good ? I only heard of Murphy and Lacey before the rest became known.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 19/02/2016 21:51:11    1826742

What did lee keegan score from play v donegal from wingback last year off your defensive wing forward?? 1 2? and the same wing forward couldnt stop oshea from swatting him away and burying a goal at the other end?? The system is dead, long live the system!

old yellar (None) - Posts: 2630 - 20/02/2016 08:33:11    1826750