County Manager Merry go round

[Silver hill]

How many people knew about this Louth talent before Harte became manager of them? They had a better/longer championship this year and a worse league campaign. 2025 will likely show how much Louth has actually kicked on under Brennan or year one under him was more about the ground work that was already done by Harte.

Harte went into Louth at a good time. They were division 4 when traditionally they had mostly yo-yoed between divisions 2 & 3. So he was starting from a low base. He did raise standards though and done a good job there especially in getting them into division 2 and keeping them there in their first season. A bit similar to Rory Gallagher when he took over the Derry job when the only way was up since they would have been traditionally a division 1/2 side languishing in division 4.

Football is played totally different to when Mickey Harte had his most successful years and sometimes you've got to know when to fold them.

As for successors, I would be very surprised if Derry went back to Rory Gallagher at this stage. They've already had one PR disaster with Mickey Harte and reappointing Gallagher would be another huge own goal. There are plenty of other good options about as the job must be an attractive one to get this time around.   

'.....plenty of other good options...' ?
Not sure about that? Apart from Malachy O'rourke it's a very shallow talent pool out there. Plenty of chancers and bluffers on the circuit but Rory Gallagher was possibly the best coach in Ireland last year. Jim Gavin isn't realistic. James Hogan isn't good up in that bracket either as well as being unrealistic re the travel etc.

[cornerback]

How many people knew about this Louth talent before Harte became manager of them? They had a better/longer championship this year and a worse league campaign. 2025 will likely show how much Louth has actually kicked on under Brennan or year one under him was more about the ground work that was already done by Harte.

Harte went into Louth at a good time. They were division 4 when traditionally they had mostly yo-yoed between divisions 2 & 3. So he was starting from a low base. He did raise standards though and done a good job there especially in getting them into division 2 and keeping them there in their first season. A bit similar to Rory Gallagher when he took over the Derry job when the only way was up since they would have been traditionally a division 1/2 side languishing in division 4.

Football is played totally different to when Mickey Harte had his most successful years and sometimes you've got to know when to fold them.

As for successors, I would be very surprised if Derry went back to Rory Gallagher at this stage. They've already had one PR disaster with Mickey Harte and reappointing Gallagher would be another huge own goal. There are plenty of other good options about as the job must be an attractive one to get this time around.   

'.....plenty of other good options...' ?
Not sure about that? Apart from Malachy O'rourke it's a very shallow talent pool out there. Plenty of chancers and bluffers on the circuit but Rory Gallagher was possibly the best coach in Ireland last year. Jim Gavin isn't realistic. James Hogan isn't good up in that bracket either as well as being unrealistic re the travel etc.

I'm also pretty sure RG took over after Derry were promoted into Division 3.

[STREET FIGHTER]

How many people knew about this Louth talent before Harte became manager of them? They had a better/longer championship this year and a worse league campaign. 2025 will likely show how much Louth has actually kicked on under Brennan or year one under him was more about the ground work that was already done by Harte.

Harte went into Louth at a good time. They were division 4 when traditionally they had mostly yo-yoed between divisions 2 & 3. So he was starting from a low base. He did raise standards though and done a good job there especially in getting them into division 2 and keeping them there in their first season. A bit similar to Rory Gallagher when he took over the Derry job when the only way was up since they would have been traditionally a division 1/2 side languishing in division 4.

Football is played totally different to when Mickey Harte had his most successful years and sometimes you've got to know when to fold them.

As for successors, I would be very surprised if Derry went back to Rory Gallagher at this stage. They've already had one PR disaster with Mickey Harte and reappointing Gallagher would be another huge own goal. There are plenty of other good options about as the job must be an attractive one to get this time around.   

'.....plenty of other good options...' ?
Not sure about that? Apart from Malachy O'rourke it's a very shallow talent pool out there. Plenty of chancers and bluffers on the circuit but Rory Gallagher was possibly the best coach in Ireland last year. Jim Gavin isn't realistic. James Hogan isn't good up in that bracket either as well as being unrealistic re the travel etc.

I'm also pretty sure RG took over after Derry were promoted into Division 3.

Think your correct here!

Did DMcE take them from 4th to 3rd??

[cornerback]

How many people knew about this Louth talent before Harte became manager of them? They had a better/longer championship this year and a worse league campaign. 2025 will likely show how much Louth has actually kicked on under Brennan or year one under him was more about the ground work that was already done by Harte.

Harte went into Louth at a good time. They were division 4 when traditionally they had mostly yo-yoed between divisions 2 & 3. So he was starting from a low base. He did raise standards though and done a good job there especially in getting them into division 2 and keeping them there in their first season. A bit similar to Rory Gallagher when he took over the Derry job when the only way was up since they would have been traditionally a division 1/2 side languishing in division 4.

Football is played totally different to when Mickey Harte had his most successful years and sometimes you've got to know when to fold them.

As for successors, I would be very surprised if Derry went back to Rory Gallagher at this stage. They've already had one PR disaster with Mickey Harte and reappointing Gallagher would be another huge own goal. There are plenty of other good options about as the job must be an attractive one to get this time around.   

'.....plenty of other good options...' ?
Not sure about that? Apart from Malachy O'rourke it's a very shallow talent pool out there. Plenty of chancers and bluffers on the circuit but Rory Gallagher was possibly the best coach in Ireland last year. Jim Gavin isn't realistic. James Hogan isn't good up in that bracket either as well as being unrealistic re the travel etc.

I'm also pretty sure RG took over after Derry were promoted into Division 3.

Think your correct here!

Did DMcE take them from 4th to 3rd??

Yeah, relegated in Year 1, promoted in Year 2 and then stepped aside.

[Keyser soze]

OMG the levels of begrudgery on this thread is something else, and I for one am loving it, the very essence of what the GAA is all about in my book.

[blanketattack]

Harte delivered Derry's first national silverware in 16 years.

It's more than Stephen Rochford, Padraic Joyce, Kieran McGeeney, etc have won as managers.

Stephen won a National Title with Corofin.

I mean intercounty managers.

[Captain Scarlet]

It's mad because there is large group of Kildare fans who mention Geezer and Jimmy McGuinness in the same sentence...

Like I think his time was winding down in Kildare and he was terrible at in-game calls. Then the Seanie Johnson craic was the nail in the coffin for me.

Now people will say that he had us doing well, and we were, he also had peak Johnny Doyle, and other class acts like Dermot Earley. The current crop as not near the same level.

Overall as many teams are on the hunt there are not many great lads out there. Like I'd be amazed if Dessie didnt move on from Dublin. Derry are on the hunt and God knows who else will need a new man.

[twohands!!!]

How many people knew about this Louth talent before Harte became manager of them? They had a better/longer championship this year and a worse league campaign. 2025 will likely show how much Louth has actually kicked on under Brennan or year one under him was more about the ground work that was already done by Harte.

I'm pretty sure I remember Oisin McConville going on about it on one of the GAA podcasts or on the radio.

Remember him saying that the levels of footballing talent at Dundalk IT improved significantly in his first few years there and he expected it to bear fruit before too long at county level.

If McConville was mentioning this in the media, it was hardly a massive secret that Louth were likely to go on an upswing.

This was definitely before Harte took over because I remember at the time thinking Harte had some idea of this because there were people surprised he went to Louth.

[JoG2]

The mental gymnastics going on to downplay Harte & Devlin's contribution to Louth is fairly mad

Louth, not Meath, Cork or Kildare, were sleeping giant of the GAA, who knew? Well, who didn't know!

[JoG2]

The mental gymnastics going on to downplay Harte & Devlin's contribution to Louth is fairly mad

Louth, not Meath, Cork or Kildare, were sleeping giant of the GAA, who knew? Well, who didn't know!

Thats it! Can take a team so far but can't compete with the top coaches and managers at the business end of the year ... 2008 to 2020 never beat Dublin, Kerry or Mayo in the championship... with Louth hockeyed by Dublin and following year with new manager gave a very respectable show against the Dubs... as for this year's championship.. jees!

We'll let's see, in one corner we have a wee yappy troll who has reinvented himself more times than David Bowie, in the other corner, 1 of the top forwards about, Sam Mulroy, "I could spend all day on the training pitch with Gavin, he's that good. He's the best I've ever seen coach.".. Now, I'm not sure who's opinion I'd side with, a real puzzle, I'm torn, I truly am

[trueblue1234]

The mental gymnastics going on to downplay Harte & Devlin's contribution to Louth is fairly mad

Louth, not Meath, Cork or Kildare, were sleeping giant of the GAA, who knew? Well, who didn't know!

Thats it! Can take a team so far but can't compete with the top coaches and managers at the business end of the year ... 2008 to 2020 never beat Dublin, Kerry or Mayo in the championship... with Louth hockeyed by Dublin and following year with new manager gave a very respectable show against the Dubs... as for this year's championship.. jees!

So what top coaches are out there that have experience of beating Dublin and Kerry over the last 10 odd years that would be in the running?

[trueblue1234]

The mental gymnastics going on to downplay Harte & Devlin's contribution to Louth is fairly mad

Louth, not Meath, Cork or Kildare, were sleeping giant of the GAA, who knew? Well, who didn't know!

Thats it! Can take a team so far but can't compete with the top coaches and managers at the business end of the year ... 2008 to 2020 never beat Dublin, Kerry or Mayo in the championship... with Louth hockeyed by Dublin and following year with new manager gave a very respectable show against the Dubs... as for this year's championship.. jees!

So what top coaches are out there that have experience of beating Dublin and Kerry over the last 10 odd years that would be in the running?

That's for Derry to figure out. Logan and Dooher did it. So did Jimmy and Padraig Joyce

Well they

The mental gymnastics going on to downplay Harte & Devlin's contribution to Louth is fairly mad

Louth, not Meath, Cork or Kildare, were sleeping giant of the GAA, who knew? Well, who didn't know!

Thats it! Can take a team so far but can't compete with the top coaches and managers at the business end of the year ... 2008 to 2020 never beat Dublin, Kerry or Mayo in the championship... with Louth hockeyed by Dublin and following year with new manager gave a very respectable show against the Dubs... as for this year's championship.. jees!

So what top coaches are out there that have experience of beating Dublin and Kerry over the last 10 odd years that would be in the running?

That's for Derry to figure out. Logan and Dooher did it. So did Jimmy and Padraig Joyce

The mental gymnastics going on to downplay Harte & Devlin's contribution to Louth is fairly mad

Louth, not Meath, Cork or Kildare, were sleeping giant of the GAA, who knew? Well, who didn't know!

Thats it! Can take a team so far but can't compete with the top coaches and managers at the business end of the year ... 2008 to 2020 never beat Dublin, Kerry or Mayo in the championship... with Louth hockeyed by Dublin and following year with new manager gave a very respectable show against the Dubs... as for this year's championship.. jees!

So what top coaches are out there that have experience of beating Dublin and Kerry over the last 10 odd years that would be in the running?

That's for Derry to figure out. Logan and Dooher did it. So did Jimmy and Padraig Joyce

The mental gymnastics going on to downplay Harte & Devlin's contribution to Louth is fairly mad

Louth, not Meath, Cork or Kildare, were sleeping giant of the GAA, who knew? Well, who didn't know!

Thats it! Can take a team so far but can't compete with the top coaches and managers at the business end of the year ... 2008 to 2020 never beat Dublin, Kerry or Mayo in the championship... with Louth hockeyed by Dublin and following year with new manager gave a very respectable show against the Dubs... as for this year's championship.. jees!

So what top coaches are out there that have experience of beating Dublin and Kerry over the last 10 odd years that would be in the running?

That's for Derry to figure out. Logan and Dooher did it. So did Jimmy and Padraig Joyce

Given they were unavailable and there's no one else on the list. What was the next best thing to do? Maybe go for a manager who had kept his county involved at the business end of the season for decades?

The only issue was it was Harte and Derry. Not a good mix. It has feck all to do with MH's track record.

[Captain Obvious]

How many people knew about this Louth talent before Harte became manager of them? They had a better/longer championship this year and a worse league campaign. 2025 will likely show how much Louth has actually kicked on under Brennan or year one under him was more about the ground work that was already done by Harte.

I'm pretty sure I remember Oisin McConville going on about it on one of the GAA podcasts or on the radio.

Remember him saying that the levels of footballing talent at Dundalk IT improved significantly in his first few years there and he expected it to bear fruit before too long at county level.

If McConville was mentioning this in the media, it was hardly a massive secret that Louth were likely to go on an upswing.

This was definitely before Harte took over because I remember at the time thinking Harte had some idea of this because there were people surprised he went to Louth.

The senior managers before Harte at Louth whom I believe previously managed their underage teams weren't able to harness that talent. From Dundalk IT to senior county level is a big step up also.

[Blowitupref]

The mental gymnastics going on to downplay Harte & Devlin's contribution to Louth is fairly mad

Louth, not Meath, Cork or Kildare, were sleeping giant of the GAA, who knew? Well, who didn't know!

Absolutely.

Mickey Harte and his management was appointed Louth manager in November 2020. How they did in the three years before they arrived.

2020 -  Championship first round defeat to Longford in Leinster.   NFL relegated to Div 4

2019 -  Championship beat wexford,lost to Dublin in Leinster, round 1 qualifier defeat to Antrim. NFL 4th in Div 3.

2028 -  Championship first round defeat to Carlow in Leinster. Qualifiers beat London and lost to Leitrim. NFL relegated to Div 3

In Harte's and his management final year with Louth they led them to their first Leinster final in 13 years and they finished 3rd in Div 2. Left on a sour note but left Louth in a very good position for Ger Brennan to step in.

[imtommygunn]

Yeah objectively he did a very good job. There seems to be a lot of emotion when talking about him but objectively you have to say he did very well for Louth.