Derry Club Football & Hurling original

[braveheart]

Derry u20s took a hammering today. They were the great white hopes for our county Team. Do questions need to be asked? Why did this team have so many Hamstring injuries?? Why have Tyrone progressed better??? I'm not surprised when you look at the management team. Unfortunately I can't see things changing soon.

[Derry Optimist]

For years,despite evidence to he contrary,I have always looked upon a brighter  future for all Derry football teams.As my friend "BRAVEHEART" SO ACCURATELY SAYS OUR 2019  U2O TEAM WAS TO BE OUR GREAT WHITE  HOPE!!

INDEED THEIR PERFORMANCE AGAINST Mayo in last year's All Ireland semi final seemed to add substance to that opinion.Now teams which we beat at minor level,including players who performed really well against Mayo last year are trounced at u20 level this year.

Where are the great u20 players whom we were told were ready to make the step up to the Senior County team?It seems to me that the gap between Derry and Tyrone is getting wider and wider.That is not progress in my opinion.

As a consequence of being liable to be called up to the Trades Description Commission I hereby resign my Derry Optimist portfolio and apply instead for the moniker Derry Pessimist! If any one can give me any credible explanation for this pathetic turn of events I would be delighted to hear from them ad then maybe,just maybe,I will reconsider my position.Otherwise I will only be looking forward to meeting St Peter at the pearly gates!

[braveheart]

For years,despite evidence to he contrary,I have always looked upon a brighter  future for all Derry football teams.As my friend "BRAVEHEART" SO ACCURATELY SAYS OUR 2019  U2O TEAM WAS TO BE OUR GREAT WHITE  HOPE!!

INDEED THEIR PERFORMANCE AGAINST Mayo in last year's All Ireland semi final seemed to add substance to that opinion.Now teams which we beat at minor level,including players who performed really well against Mayo last year are trounced at u20 level this year.

Where are the great u20 players whom we were told were ready to make the step up to the Senior County team?It seems to me that the gap between Derry and Tyrone is getting wider and wider.That is not progress in my opinion.

As a consequence of being liable to be called up to the Trades Description Commission I hereby resign my Derry Optimist portfolio and apply instead for the moniker Derry Pessimist! If any one can give me any credible explanation for this pathetic turn of events I would be delighted to hear from them ad then maybe,just maybe,I will reconsider my position.Otherwise I will only be looking forward to meeting St Peter at the pearly gates!

Sad time's. Minor level means very little. I am a huge believer that you don't need the best teams to succeed. Having the best management's in place is much more important. We,in Derry,falter at this fence

[Wildweasel74]

We went 10 pts behind last day. Once behind today Tyrone never let us back  in it! Why we always chasing the game before we start playing. Tyrone were beat by Armagh 2yrs ago. On paper we were the stronger team but give up am awful amount of goals. Am sure a number of these lads play County but Tyrone, Cavan, monaghan, and Armagh has as many good players coming through as us. U 20/21 a better basis for senior players than minors

[ONEDerry]

For years,despite evidence to he contrary,I have always looked upon a brighter  future for all Derry football teams.As my friend "BRAVEHEART" SO ACCURATELY SAYS OUR 2019  U2O TEAM WAS TO BE OUR GREAT WHITE  HOPE!!

INDEED THEIR PERFORMANCE AGAINST Mayo in last year's All Ireland semi final seemed to add substance to that opinion.Now teams which we beat at minor level,including players who performed really well against Mayo last year are trounced at u20 level this year.

Where are the great u20 players whom we were told were ready to make the step up to the Senior County team?It seems to me that the gap between Derry and Tyrone is getting wider and wider.That is not progress in my opinion.

As a consequence of being liable to be called up to the Trades Description Commission I hereby resign my Derry Optimist portfolio and apply instead for the moniker Derry Pessimist! If any one can give me any credible explanation for this pathetic turn of events I would be delighted to hear from them ad then maybe,just maybe,I will reconsider my position.Otherwise I will only be looking forward to meeting St Peter at the pearly gates!

Sad time's. Minor level means very little. I am a huge believer that you don't need the best teams to succeed. Having the best management's in place is much more important. We,in Derry,falter at this fence

So a management team that won Ulster last year ran Mayo close and lost in a final this year are a failure ? Some people are hard to please or have maybe some connection to a former manager who won nothing and had a good cry to the newspapers. Derry had a number of players injured for this or carrying injuries. Some doom and gloom merchants about.  We do need to look at how lads our developed for senior and the injuries especially hamstrings need to be questioned in terms of what's being done.  We have lost a couple of players to Australia from from our underage who definitely could have had an impact at senior and maybe in other counties the incentives would have been there to stay.

[Derry Optimist]

In the modern game you either go for short kick outs or alternate that by long kick outs.Those are the basis norms for retaining or winning possession and hence develop an attacking strategy.Unfortunately Derry do not appear to have the option of a long kick out simply becuse we do not have tall,strong,pacy midfielders who can win primary possession.In the Laois Qualifying game Derry were good in the first half because they conceded possession for our kick outs thus enabling our more talented players to come into the game.When Laois decided to change their tactics in the second half and went long we were playing second fiddle all of the time because we could no longer win primary possession.

Unless we have primary possession winners in the middle third from long kick outs we are too easily marked out of a game. Another weakness in our playing personnel was exemplified in our u20 defeat this year. Once  three of our five  leading players were not fit the back up was not of a sufficient quality to make up the obvious talent deficit.

Is the stark reality that, despite some underage progress, we have not unearthed quality ball winners in the general mid field area.In addition some of our more talented minors unfortunately are too small and light to be competitive at Senior inter county level.

No amount of S and C will ever make a small player tall or a taller player a good ball-winning midfielder unless he has the natural talent in the first place.If some poster can name any two or three potential midfielders in addition to the hard working Conor McAtamney I would be delighted to hear their names.

[braveheart]

For years,despite evidence to he contrary,I have always looked upon a brighter  future for all Derry football teams.As my friend "BRAVEHEART" SO ACCURATELY SAYS OUR 2019  U2O TEAM WAS TO BE OUR GREAT WHITE  HOPE!!

INDEED THEIR PERFORMANCE AGAINST Mayo in last year's All Ireland semi final seemed to add substance to that opinion.Now teams which we beat at minor level,including players who performed really well against Mayo last year are trounced at u20 level this year.

Where are the great u20 players whom we were told were ready to make the step up to the Senior County team?It seems to me that the gap between Derry and Tyrone is getting wider and wider.That is not progress in my opinion.

As a consequence of being liable to be called up to the Trades Description Commission I hereby resign my Derry Optimist portfolio and apply instead for the moniker Derry Pessimist! If any one can give me any credible explanation for this pathetic turn of events I would be delighted to hear from them ad then maybe,just maybe,I will reconsider my position.Otherwise I will only be looking forward to meeting St Peter at the pearly gates!

Sad time's. Minor level means very little. I am a huge believer that you don't need the best teams to succeed. Having the best management's in place is much more important. We,in Derry,falter at this fence

So a management team that won Ulster last year ran Mayo close and lost in a final this year are a failure ? Some people are hard to please or have maybe some connection to a former manager who won nothing and had a good cry to the newspapers. Derry had a number of players injured for this or carrying injuries. Some doom and gloom merchants about.  We do need to look at how lads our developed for senior and the injuries especially hamstrings need to be questioned in terms of what's being done.  We have lost a couple of players to Australia from from our underage who definitely could have had an impact at senior and maybe in other counties the incentives would have been there to stay.

Granted. A good response. Imo a few of this group could easily have made the transition to the senior team this year but it looks like they were held back so that they could win another Ulster u20. The amount of hamstring injuries coming out of the crazy training sessions was worrying,my own clubmen included.

[theticklemister]

Back in the 90s and noughties we had a host of big fecking lumps of men in the middle.

I use to laugh me balls off when Pascal Canavan contested midfield with Tohill.

But more than often Tyrone beat us even with these big men. Big men don't win ye matches, they just have bigger boots

[petermce]

Good to see the club football back. I hope the county board catch themselves on and realise that the 12 week break is ridiculous.

[oakleaflad]

Damian McErlain has stood down as Derry Senior Football Manager.

[BackInTheGame]

Surprised, to be honest

[lenny]

Damian McErlain has stood down as Derry Senior Football Manager.

Well done Damien on getting promotion this year. Hope you stay involved with u20 or u17. Malachy O'Rourke or Jim mcguinness available.

[Estimator]

Damian McErlain has stood down as Derry Senior Football Manager.

Well done Damien on getting promotion this year. Hope you stay involved with u20 or u17. Malachy O'Rourke or Jim mcguinness available.

With the CB crying poverty a few weeks ago, I'd doubt if we could afford either of those two options as individuals never mind the backroom staff involved.

[tbrick18]

Damian McErlain has stood down as Derry Senior Football Manager.

Well done Damien on getting promotion this year. Hope you stay involved with u20 or u17. Malachy O'Rourke or Jim mcguinness available.

With the CB crying poverty a few weeks ago, I'd doubt if we could afford either of those two options as individuals never mind the backroom staff involved.

We could sell Celtic park and fund who ever we wanted.


I'd love to see us get Malachy O'Rourke, I just don't see us being able to come up with the money (unless a sponsor decides to cover it). But more importantly, why would O'Rourke want to take us? A div 3 side next year, with no real championship credibility at the moment. If we was to get the role, he'd need free reign, financial backing and at least 5 years.

I'm surprised Mcerlain resigned tbh. Seems like a decent sort, though I would question his tactical ability and always thought he left a few off the panel for no good reason (Heavron for example).

[Derry Optimist]

For ability,man management skills and proven track record and a thorough knowledge of Derry football I suggested four years ago and two years ago in this website  that    Malachy O'Rourke should be appointed Derry football manager.Surely it should be a case of third time lucky!