Tyrone County Football and Hurling

[RedHand88]

Was there any evidence of a change in tactics from last year Fuzz? Did we go man to man at all, bring less men back or leave more forwards up the pitch? I've seen plenty of low scoring games when teams where playing man for man, especially in bad conditions and it seems to be the jumped upon narrative from many who weren't at the game (including Marc O'Se) who see the the scoreline and conclude that it was same old Tyrone. I'm interested to see if there was any green shoots to cling to or was it simply more of the same?

To be honest I didnt think they were as defensive as last year, though Ive to watch back the highlights back yet. There was none of the organised packed lines of defence we saw last year. A big problem was flat footedness whilst going forward. We seemed to be carrying the ball slowly to Galways 45, meeting a brick wall and going back and forward before trying a high ball into Mark bradley (never going to work). Just seemed totally bereft of ideas whilst attacking.

[southtyronegael]

I'm sure mickey would take it as a compliment and not regard it as Vicious abuse'.

[redhandefender]

Depressing start, players seem a bit lost. as someone said above I think there is still a big hangover from the Dublin crushing.

Tough tough ask Saturday night but as always over reactions flowing. Give them a chance.

Why anyone responds to southfermanaghgael anymore I will never understand

[Fuzzman]

Yeah Trap tbh I'm quite disillusioned and was saying at my young lads U11 game on Saturday morning that this is probably the best game of football will see this weekend. I used to enjoy watching Tyrone even back in the 80s and 90s when we were not getting to Ai semis, playing swashbuckling football where we moved the ball at pace and flair with great characters and goals through the years.
Maybe I've just joined the OLD MOANERS club but I really don't enjoy the games any more
No characters, no goal scorers, not even a reliable free taker and no sign of that improving.

That Ulster final we won 2 years ago I was miserable up until the final 5 mins. Worst final I've EVER been at and there has been a lot.

Of course the game has changed and you have to adapt but we must take some blame for that (us and Donegal mainly in my eyes). It's as if we've sold her soul to the "possession king" Devil and we can't get it back.

Harte has openly said he doesn't care about entertainment or nice football. His job is to make these men winners and that often means "closing out " the game and not giving away cheap possession. Are we even doing that?

I'd say a lot of us who felt so miserable and negative last August were waiting to see how this league would start off and would there be a change in tactics. Was there yesterday? Were we kicking the ball more into the forwards? Maybe a bit yes but if we were was it just very bad execution and then fear breaks out that you'll be called aside so they revert to passing backwards and sidewards and F**KING ARSEWARDS

I could have spent the day with my kids doing something fun but instead I got home at 9.30 tired, grumpy and feeling totally deflated. At least I'm mature enough now not to let it affect me too much any more but Jay$u$ lads we need to wake up and start calling a spade a spade and not just shrug our shoulders and put up with it.
Nobody wants to watch us play another year like that. I'd say the feckin players are fed up with it too. How could they enjoy playing like that. No sense of freedom or space to try something outrageous. Mugsy would never have got into this system now had he been 25 now. What does that tell us?

The comment from the Galway channel might be lazy but is it that far from the truth re PUKE football.
Just cos we didn't like the term when it first game out and who said it I think it does sum up my feeling towards it. I don't go to any club games any more as I live in Dublin so maybe I've not become as numb as some have from watching it all the time but to me and I don't say this lightly, I am embarrassed when i meet real GAA people who ask me where I'm from and when they hear Tyrone they start giving out about us and what is wrong we can't play open football like we used to years ago. I played ball on Friday night and a good few lads were asking me will Harte change it around this year.

Our run last year papered over a lot of craics as we ran up such big scores against teams below us in the rankings but the fact remains we are no more than a top 4 or 5 team at best at the moment and I'd rather we open up and play decent football in most matches and be enjoyable to watch rather than the tripe we were served again yesterday.

I have a feeling a lot on here do think the same but are too scared to write it down. We dont need to go overboard like a few posters on here and some of the others will say "Ahh Fuzzman, it was only a matter of time before you went down this road."
Yes it was only a matter of time as I'm fed up watching it year after year and not seeing anything change. Our large support has dwindled away in recent years and a lot of that is plain and simple. Its not fun to watch Tyrone any more.

On another note, did anyone see the Donegal game? Did they look to have changed their style? I didnt see it

[redhandefender]

Yeah Trap tbh I'm quite disillusioned and was saying at my young lads U11 game on Saturday morning that this is probably the best game of football will see this weekend. I used to enjoy watching Tyrone even back in the 80s and 90s when we were not getting to Ai semis, playing swashbuckling football where we moved the ball at pace and flair with great characters and goals through the years.
Maybe I've just joined the OLD MOANERS club but I really don't enjoy the games any more
No characters, no goal scorers, not even a reliable free taker and no sign of that improving.

That Ulster final we won 2 years ago I was miserable up until the final 5 mins. Worst final I've EVER been at and there has been a lot.

Of course the game has changed and you have to adapt but we must take some blame for that (us and Donegal mainly in my eyes). It's as if we've sold her soul to the "possession king" Devil and we can't get it back.

Harte has openly said he doesn't care about entertainment or nice football. His job is to make these men winners and that often means "closing out " the game and not giving away cheap possession. Are we even doing that?

I'd say a lot of us who felt so miserable and negative last August were waiting to see how this league would start off and would there be a change in tactics. Was there yesterday? Were we kicking the ball more into the forwards? Maybe a bit yes but if we were was it just very bad execution and then fear breaks out that you'll be called aside so they revert to passing backwards and sidewards and F**KING ARSEWARDS

I could have spent the day with my kids doing something fun but instead I got home at 9.30 tired, grumpy and feeling totally deflated. At least I'm mature enough now not to let it affect me too much any more but Jay$u$ lads we need to wake up and start calling a spade a spade and not just shrug our shoulders and put up with it.
Nobody wants to watch us play another year like that. I'd say the feckin players are fed up with it too. How could they enjoy playing like that. No sense of freedom or space to try something outrageous. Mugsy would never have got into this system now had he been 25 now. What does that tell us?

The comment from the Galway channel might be lazy but is it that far from the truth re PUKE football.
Just cos we didn't like the term when it first game out and who said it I think it does sum up my feeling towards it. I don't go to any club games any more as I live in Dublin so maybe I've not become as numb as some have from watching it all the time but to me and I don't say this lightly, I am embarrassed when i meet real GAA people who ask me where I'm from and when they hear Tyrone they start giving out about us and what is wrong we can't play open football like we used to years ago. I played ball on Friday night and a good few lads were asking me will Harte change it around this year.

Our run last year papered over a lot of craics as we ran up such big scores against teams below us in the rankings but the fact remains we are no more than a top 4 or 5 team at best at the moment and I'd rather we open up and play decent football in most matches and be enjoyable to watch rather than the tripe we were served again yesterday.

I have a feeling a lot on here do think the same but are too scared to write it down. We dont need to go overboard like a few posters on here and some of the others will say "Ahh Fuzzman, it was only a matter of time before you went down this road."
Yes it was only a matter of time as I'm fed up watching it year after year and not seeing anything change. Our large support has dwindled away in recent years and a lot of that is plain and simple. Its not fun to watch Tyrone any more.

On another note, did anyone see the Donegal game? Did they look to have changed their style? I didnt see it

you okay love?

[GetOverTheBar]

Not a great showing yesturday lads. Exact same as my comment after seeing Tyrone v St Marys in Coalisland and echo's RedHand88 comments.

Slow, ponderous, lack of adventure. Tyrone players are afraid to make mistakes in recent years and this shows little sign so far of changing. However, the elements weren't exactly brilliant either it must be said.

Just watched the Kerry/Donegal game this morning. I might have been better staying at home and watching that one deferred.

[The Trap]

Fair play to you Fuzzman. You gave it far more of a chance that I did and were a lot more patient. Now I don't even know if Tyrone have the players any more because the football almost seems to be coached out of them. However they do look good in their tight jerseys!
To change I believe and have believed that a whole new management team is required. The whole thing needs freshened up.

Donegal scored 3 14 yesterday playing with 14 men for as long as Tyrone against Kerry in Killarney. Conditions weren't as bad but they had a lot of new players on their team whereas Tyrone had almost a full team.

[GetOverTheBar]

To be fair, McBrearty and MacNiallais would walk onto the Tyrone team, both capable of putting the ball well over from 45 and beyond. Hard to defend that - something I think Tyrone have gone away from, percentage football I suppose. They done alot of Donegal scoring.

[Tyrone Gaa]

The contributers to this forum on this site maybe split on their loyalties to Harte but the County Committee in Garvaghy are behind him. This committee is the voice of the clubs. Mickey requested a 2 year extension and in their wisdom they give him 3 years.

He's one month into his 3 year extension, move on from the Harte Out agenda. I myself was against any extension but it's there now so as a supporter all I can do is get behind the team. I can't see Tyrone beating Dublin next weekend (I hope I'm wrong). That will then require all the energies from trying to win a league to let's stay in this league.

TTM did post an interview with MH, not much in it, there questioning wasn't difficult either I must say. But I don't think the anti TTM is warranted. They cover the games for those who don't travel to places like Galway or even Omagh but still want to have their say on forums like this.

[tothetop03]

Staying in Div 1 will be a major achievement....seen 2 mckenna cup games and yesterdays league game  have seen nothing to  suggest we will have a change of style..... thats me finished to the summer sick and tired of getting soaked and froze watching pure borefest football.... i hope mickey does not turn the whole county against himself in the next 3 years but i cant see that not happening to be honest...its just sad the shape it all is in to be honest....

[bogball88]

I always find it hard to show the right balance after a horrid performance like that.
I mean too many people OVER react and some are always defensive and too positive and can't say yes that was just not good enough.

If I'm totally honest with how I felt yesterday at 4pm I was angry and annoyed and had had a very bad 12 hours anyway having lost my phone and wallet. To travel that far to watch muck like that had me thinking this is the last nail in the coffin for me and away league games. I'd actually rather go down for the nights craic and then not bother going to the game at all as its just putting me in bad form.

The earlier goal did knock us a bit and so right away we were playing catch up but you could see from a very early stage that Galway were a lot more direct in their play. Willing to use the kick pass a lot more and move the ball quickly. We have this obsession with NOT losing the ball any more by using hand passing and then sure enough we over play it and then lose it. Reminded me of the Dubs match last year where we just kept making the same mistakes over and over again.

Of course its only the first game of the season and we were slow to get out of the blocks and its was horrible conditions BUT this was a 2nd rate Galway team (I mean they were missing a lot of their 1st choice players) and we were only really missing Colm Cavanagh. Yes big loss I know.
We have a HUGE lack of leaders in the team in my eyes, men who dont need advice from their manager but can see where things are going wrong and take the game by the scruff of the neck. Mattie is team captain now but we hardly saw him all day.

I watched the highlights of the Dubs v Kildare game last night and I was amazed how many of their big guns they had playing. Fenton had a stormer scoring 1.5 I think from MF.
I've gone from really looking forward to the battle of Omagh part II to now dreading it.

I realise its only round 1 of the league but to me that was one of our easier games on paper and we never looked like winning it. A home defeat to the Dubs and with Donegal and Monaghan showing they are not too far away from Mayo and Kerry I think it could be relegation talk rather than top 2.

Can you tell us a bit more about losing your phone and wallet? happens the best of us

[Fuzzman]

haha Bogman. Yeah it was an interesting 24 hrs alright.

Some nice Muslim African guy (his words) found it on shop street(Wallet and phone together in the one unit) and saw my No written on the wallet so rang me the next day (yes I bought a new phone the next day) and told me he had all my cards and money all safe and to come to his house to collect it which I did after the Galway game.
Absolute gent and I gave him something for his honesty.

He said maybe don't drink so much the next time. Haha but he also thought we need to change our style and that frank McGuigan should make a come back

[Therealdonald]

I think we're possibly over-reacting a bit about yesterday. For those that went and expected some kind of swash-buckling display, it aint gonna happen. Our defenders can't go man to man. Kerry last year showed this. We went man to man and got cleaned out. Our best defender McNabb is on the bench and probably won't start again. If the Dubs are the benchmark, then we should be basing our team at them and we don't. Go through our team and we don't match up individually, either skill wise or size wise. Someone mentions Mattie Donnelly and not being a leader, I take issue with that, he led his club from beaten finalists in the Intermediate final to relatively comfortable senior winners. There's possibly no greater leader in Ireland at the minute, but if those around him don't have the balls to follow him then thats not his fault. And he had a bad match yday, I acknowledge that. I just feel that our system is as a result of our relative poor backline. Consider how many CLUB forwards in Tyrone are genuinely worried or hesitant about matching up with any of our defence in a club or league game? There's none. None of our defence has that aura or hardness about them and thats what missing. Mickey Harte is right, he's not in the entertainment business, he's in the results and I expect he see's this himself and the system gives him his best chance. He gave a real god interview in the Irish Times over the weekend and it's probably his best in a while but he finishes by asking is it fair to judge this group by what went before them, instead judge them on their own merits. Is two Ulster championships the optimum they can achieve?

[Club boi]

I think we're possibly over-reacting a bit about yesterday. For those that went and expected some kind of swash-buckling display, it aint gonna happen. Our defenders can't go man to man. Kerry last year showed this. We went man to man and got cleaned out. Our best defender McNabb is on the bench and probably won't start again. If the Dubs are the benchmark, then we should be basing our team at them and we don't. Go through our team and we don't match up individually, either skill wise or size wise. Someone mentions Mattie Donnelly and not being a leader, I take issue with that, he led his club from beaten finalists in the Intermediate final to relatively comfortable senior winners. There's possibly no greater leader in Ireland at the minute, but if those around him don't have the balls to follow him then thats not his fault. And he had a bad match yday, I acknowledge that. I just feel that our system is as a result of our relative poor backline. Consider how many CLUB forwards in Tyrone are genuinely worried or hesitant about matching up with any of our defence in a club or league game? There's none. None of our defence has that aura or hardness about them and thats what missing. Mickey Harte is right, he's not in the entertainment business, he's in the results and I expect he see's this himself and the system gives him his best chance. He gave a real god interview in the Irish Times over the weekend and it's probably his best in a while but he finishes by asking is it fair to judge this group by what went before them, instead judge them on their own merits. Is two Ulster championships the optimum they can achieve?

Mc Nabb has lost his speed he once had and wont make it
Mattie Donnelly "Captained" Trillick yes but was he a good leader?? Genuine Question
Harte and his tactics are the reason supporters have turned away

Snapchat you actually mentioned GAA Volunteers and Harte in the same sentence lol. He's employed

Fuzzman you blame Tyrone and Donegal for the defensive dross we have to put up with. Donegal have changed managers twice since then and are at least trying to change, they scored 3-14 in Kerry with 14 men

And as far as you all yapping at the complainers, and over reactors, wait til Saturday night, when "maybe" Tyrone get within 5 points of a half strength Dublin outfit and you lot all of a sudden start to think that Tyrone maybe arent that far away from an AI lol. We'll see who over reacts then

Wake up men/women of the board. Tyrone are lining out programmed machines, not skilled footballers anymore like Dublin, Kerry, Mayo

[Tyrone Gaa]

I wouldn't get hung up on who the captain is. A good team has a number of captains/leaders with one of them players appointed to take the toss and pose for a photograph. You say McNabb is Tyrone's best defender, I'm not sure about that but I do think the problem is Mickey doesn't know who is in his strongest 15.

Rather than preparation for the league the McKenna cup may have caused a few headaches. Add the Moy pair into the mix after the Dublin game and there is more choices to be made. The days of using the league to experiment are gone, it's becoming a serious competition and increasingly valued by supporters. Attendances are getting bigger.