Messages

What has happened to Chelsea? Jose on borrowed time now it seems.

Cian O Neill is the new manager. Good appointment.

Good CV as a selector and trainer has he ever managed a team before?

I have to say I'm a massive fan of this generation of Mayo footballers. In some aspects of the game - tackling, midfield exchanges, athleticism - they're as good as any team I've ever seen, and they tend to swat off inferior opposition in the way top class sides really should. They're a truly relentless shower of b**tards once their tails are up.

And once Parsons emerged (re-emerged) this year I was so impressed with how they addressed their full-forward line problems by committing Aidan O'Shea to a role where he'll only touch the ball maybe 10-12 times in game. It actually takes a lot of balls to take the heartbeat of your team and use him, in effect, as a limb.

But, particularly in game 1 vs Dublin, it was a bit disconcerting that the team seemed so determined that he had to be option 1, 2 and 3. They made him a "limb" but were determined to keep him as the "heart". It was plain wrong. Mayo's athleticism means that they will routinely wreck just about anyone by simply running at opposition. The problem they've faced against the cream of the crop in recent years is that those big opponents also happen to be athletic, and tended to push Mayo down blind alleys.  So Mayo needed variation. They needed a long ball option. But rather than accept that AOS touching the ball 6-8 times in a game would keep every opponent on their toes and probably provide the variation they need to floor anyone, for some reason they felt the need to kick every last feckin ball at him.

And as a result, Philly McMahon is now the best player in Ireland. He didn't have to concentrate, he just had to reply to the onslaught of crap ball.

Anyway, it would seem that the Mayo players are putting this problem at the feet of the management. Well, here's my beef. The players are the ones who kick those balls (most of them weren't passes), and if players as experienced and influential as Keith Higgins, Colm Boyle, Lee Keegan, Seamus O'Shea and Kevin McLoughlin choose to inanely follow this tactic, then they shouldn't have any say in who should be managing their team. They should be looking hard and long at themselves, not their mentors.

Genuinely I hope this works out for Mayo; at this point in my life I'd almost rather they win an All-Ireland than Down. But having watched experienced Mayo players make decisions and follow a script, in that game, that would have upset me greatly if they had have done it for me at Junior B level, I'm not sure we're ever going to see it. Not with this bunch.

- - -

As a footnote, Mayo (IMHO) don't actually have defensive problems. I'd even suggest they've a better defence man-for-man than any team in Ireland. The only teams that even slightly trouble their defence are those littered with star forwards. This is not a problem, it's what should happen. Mayo's problems are at the other end. Their defence will always give give them a chance. Their attacking play does not.

Very few will agree with that footnote opinion.

Did they really regress that much with H & C though ?? They lost a replay to the all Ireland winners, same as last year!! Every team is ambitious I would say but to think these guys know what it takes to win an all Ireland is highly dubious. Maybe these lads know of another forward or two that could take them there. Because that's what's been missing imho . We'll wait to see who becomes manager I guess, he has a job on his hands!!

More than scoring forwards from play they need, will the next Mayo management be able to sort out the defensive issues that the last two managements couldn't?

On Mayo Gaa Twitter account that the managers have resigned.
http://www.mayogaa.com/news/366628/statement_re:mayo_senior_football_team

we wish to remove any obstacle that the players might perceive as preventing them from winning the All-Ireland.

Any ideas on what obstacle this was? The next manager must win the All Ireland next year or he will also be forced to resign?

Does any of Kevin McStay daughters play GAA?

If the Mayo players get their wish to replace this management with a better one and Mayo end up doing worse than this year what then?

Joint managers? Really?

Does noone every learn from previous mistakes with these things?

Sure it worked grand in Mayo. Oh wait.......

Didn't the current Mayo joint senior managers win the U21 All Ireland with Mayo?

Fine strike to take the lead. England pushing for the winning score now can Wales hold on?

Level fair play Wales.

The final selection.

[To say Dublin 2011 (no more than Kerry last year) where coming from nowhere is very short sighted. You really are short sighted if you think so.]

Dublin had form in the 70's, 80's and the 90's. Titles all won in those decades. They had a base, a legacy. To say Dublin 2011 (no more than Kerry last year) where coming from nowhere is very short sighted. You really are short sighted if you think so.

Where did i say this? i was talking about the turnaround Dublin have made since 2009. For example no senior All Ireland final appearance for sixteen years and now have won three senior All Irelands in five years.

Kerry not the same as they had won the All Ireland in 2009 and reached the final in 2011.

2012 was Dublins first minor All Ireland title won since 1984

2003 was the only U-21 All Ireland Dublin had won however they have now won three U-21 All Irelands in the last six years.

2011 was not only Dublins first Senior All Ireland win but also their All Ireland final appearance since 1995. Three Senior All Irelands won now in the last five years with many more to come.

In fairness whatever the reason for it thats some turn around and how many here seen it coming in 2009?

Laois and Westmeath winning Leinster. Just fancy that nowadays.

At least Laois and Westmeath had won underage All Irelands before those senior Leinster wins and Dublin weren't as good as now. Louth should have won Leinster five years ago and most neutrals were upset by the manner of that defeat in the final.

*An error in Cillian O'Connor's tally failed to add an extra point during an earlier game in the 2015 Connacht Championship meaning that the Mayo forward has been added an additional point leaving him on a final tally of 3-34 (43).

Can anyone confirm this and who was given the point instead at the time?