Tyrone County Football and Hurling

[driveherin]

Sean Cavanagh should be renamed Jesus Christ - runs about constantly with his arms outstretched, and has done for years!
As for Tyrone -  We are in for another year of it! MH obviously wont let SO'N have any influence (well I hope that's whats happening!)

[LeoMc]

Clutching at straws here but is there any chance that we could possibly be working on something different in training and it may take a few defeats and a couple of bad performances until we get it right? After all, we have been programmed to play a certain way for a long time now and any change will not come easy.

I am hoping that is the case but it will be very difficult to get he balance between giving the defenders responsibility and not exposing them to a roasting. This Saturday has to be our benchmark.

Which 6 defenders would you trust to go man to man on the Dublin forward line?

[BennyHarp]

Clutching at straws here but is there any chance that we could possibly be working on something different in training and it may take a few defeats and a couple of bad performances until we get it right? After all, we have been programmed to play a certain way for a long time now and any change will not come easy.

I am hoping that is the case but it will be very difficult to get he balance between giving the defenders responsibility and not exposing them to a roasting. This Saturday has to be our benchmark.

Which 6 defenders would you trust to go man to man on the Dublin forward line?

I'd probably go with some of the new lads and give them the opportunity to prove whether they are up to it or not - Full back line of McKernan, Hampsey and Cassidy with T McCann, R Brennan (to follow Kilkenny) and possibly HP McGeary. We'd know a fair bit about those lads by 9pm on Saturday evening, though we do run the risk of giving them future nightmares. I would still pull a few men back to support but leave at least 4 in our attacking half - possibly Harte, Sludden, Bradley and maybe McShane. Meyler for me could do a Kilkenny role if given enough game time to develop into the position.

[Fuzzman]

Swings and roundabouts folks. We were flying in the early stages of the league last year and the fell apart..I'd be happy enough if we stayed in Div 1, ending up with a settled 15 and a bit more adventure in our play.

It's a long year, no need to panic yet.

I think its gonna be a very long year indeed so when do you start panicking then TM?
Do you not think we've been at this level now for too long?
I get it that we don't have the players we used to but is the a bigger reason for that?
Is this style of football not not embedded in the Tyrone club scene and youth teams and so we are no longer putting emphasis on attacking play and expressing yourself like players like Canavan, S.ONeill, McGuigans etc.
We are encouraging players to focus more on running and playing the percentages.
Phrases like transition, recycling, possession are now held in higher regards than flair, individualism and skill.

Kerry are still producing players like Clifford, O'Donoghue and Geaney as are the Dubs and we continue playing half backs and half forwards all together as if its the same position and we're told there are no positions any more.

It's plain and simple for me and those who can open their own eyes and not be easily influenced by others that winning ugly is not all its cracked up to be and whilst Tyrone are well capable of winning 3 Ulsters in a row this year, there is just something missing. My kids U11 games should NOT be FAR more entertaining that an intercounty game where the guys are almost professional at this stage.

[longballin]

Sean Cavanagh now saying Tyrone players were "slave to a system" last year. Can no-one speak up before they leave the squad?

[Tyrone Gaa]

Sean Cavanagh now saying Tyrone players were "slave to a system" last year. Can no-one speak up before they leave the squad?

Every man and his dog knows Mickey operates a dictatorship within the camp, it's his way or the highway. Ask Roisin Jordan. If a player steps out of line there gone, or at least that's the perception. I'd love to see that tested. 1 of our key men give an RTE interview for example or miss prayers before games just to see what the punishment is.

[driveherin]

Sure Moy play the exact same system!!!

[longballin]

Explains why theyre in Intermediate football

[RedHand88]

Explains why theyre in Intermediate football

They're literally at the highest possible level they can be within intermediate football.

[tyroneman]

Swings and roundabouts folks. We were flying in the early stages of the league last year and the fell apart..I'd be happy enough if we stayed in Div 1, ending up with a settled 15 and a bit more adventure in our play.

It's a long year, no need to panic yet.

I think its gonna be a very long year indeed so when do you start panicking then TM?
Do you not think we've been at this level now for too long?
I get it that we don't have the players we used to but is the a bigger reason for that?
Is this style of football not not embedded in the Tyrone club scene and youth teams and so we are no longer putting emphasis on attacking play and expressing yourself like players like Canavan, S.ONeill, McGuigans etc.
We are encouraging players to focus more on running and playing the percentages.
Phrases like transition, recycling, possession are now held in higher regards than flair, individualism and skill.

Kerry are still producing players like Clifford, O'Donoghue and Geaney as are the Dubs and we continue playing half backs and half forwards all together as if its the same position and we're told there are no positions any more.

It's plain and simple for me and those who can open their own eyes and not be easily influenced by others that winning ugly is not all its cracked up to be and whilst Tyrone are well capable of winning 3 Ulsters in a row this year, there is just something missing. My kids U11 games should NOT be FAR more entertaining that an intercounty game where the guys are almost professional at this stage.

I get where you are coming from alright, what was I trying to say (maybe poorly) is that I'm hopeful the addition of SoN combined with the clear fact that last years set up wansn't good enough for the top table, represents an intention to playing more attacking football.

I also think it's far too early to tell if that is the case yet as any transition from the old ultra defensive set up will take a few months work on and it will probably be the UC before we see the end product.

If we are still being served up the same diet as before come May/June then yes - absolutely - time to worry.

[longballin]

Explains why theyre in Intermediate football

They're literally at the highest possible level they can be within intermediate football.

they are and expect to see them drive on from there... no more relegation with that squad of players

[reddgnhand]

Serious question. Should MH be allowed to continue forever? Its 10 years since he last won a big game. Would this happen in any other county?

[longballin]

Even Mick O'Dwyer knew there was a time to go and afterwards said he should have realised sooner.

[Norf Tyrone]

Serious question. Should MH be allowed to continue forever? Its 10 years since he last won a big game. Would this happen in any other county?

This is the exact question I've been asking.

[bgal10]

Standard over the top negativity from tyrone fans as usual. Sunday was a poor performance but it happens. Fact of the matter is, we are probably the 4th or 5th best team in the country and are going for 3 ulster titles in a row (something which no tyrone team has ever achieved before).
We got beaten by a superior Dublin team in the All Ireland semi-final last year (a team that some say is the best ever). Before that game, everyone was raving about Tyrone's counter attacking play.  People can keep harping on about the negative football and lack of free flowing forward play. The basic fact is, we don't have those elite inside forwards that Dublin, Mayo and Kerry possess. We don't have a Cillian O'Connor, a Paul Geaney or any 1 of the numerous Dublin forwards. Do people think if we still had Stephen O'Neill, Peter Canavan, Owen Mulligan all available that we would still be playing the same system we do now? You have to play to your strengths.
Also, the idea of Tyrone having this unwatchable system of football is something that has been originated by the media and jumped on by the majority of the public. Never let the facts get in the way of a good story as they say.
People can say that the forwards aren't getting a chance to shine...personally I think this is nonsense. The elite players will always find a way to score.
Do the people on here seriously think that if Mickey had stepped aside, we would have beaten Dublin last year? Or if he stepped aside now, we would go one better than last year and win Sam? 3 semi finals in the last 5 years with 2 ulster titles is probably about right for the current group of players, considering the presence of the current Dublin team and a Mayo team who aren't far behind.
We are what we are and that is a very good team who are probably a couple of elite forwards away from properly challenging the top 3.