Topics

Sean Kelly has been approached by some in FG to run for the Aras

He said he'll consider it if John Bruton doesn't run instead.

Has he really a hope? or is this just media nonsense?

Lads,

Looking for some help here, some comments etc ...



Hoping to organize a day or 2 day long GAA Performance Seminar in September over a weekend for approx 20 - 30 coaches.

It would be aimed at the level of Intercounty Coaches, potential Intercounty Coaches or Senior Club coaches

I've got a top coach in mind, but as he's a professional and is busy, before I go arranging it with him I need to see if there'd be interest in it, and what kind of figures people would pay for world-class information?

I'm looking at covering things like ...
- Strength and Power for GAA
- Speed training for GAA
- Planning and Structuring a Season
- Nutrition and Supplementation
etc
And how they are done at a professional level and how they can be applied to GAA.


Was thinking of holding it in Mid/South Monaghan, some weekend from late August to Mid September.

The reason for that is I figure the furthest people will travel is 1.5 hours so a 1.5 hour radius from Monaghan would take in most of Dublin, Meath, Tyrone, Armagh, Cavan, Louth, South Derry and Monaghan of course. (Serious coaches would probably travel further anyway)

If anyone is interested I like them to post ...
1. - What topics/areas they're most interested in
2. - Where (location) is best suited to them (even though I'm thinking Monaghan)
3. - Where they're from (in case there was an interest in running it twice)
4. - How much they'd prepared to pay, or what they think is reasonable




Any other questions just pm me

['Big Two' monopolise Munster football selection]

Aplogies if it's been posted ...

'Big Two' monopolise Munster football selection

The best Munster football team of the past 25 years is dominated by players from Kerry and Cork.

The selection is an initiative between the Munster Council and the Irish Examiner to mark the GAA's 125th anniversary celebrations. Ten Kerry players have been selected, with the other five positions being filled by Corkmen. There are no representatives from any of the other four Munster counties, with the likes of two-time All-Star Declan Browne (Tipperary), Seamus Clancy (Clare) and John Galvin (Limerick) failing to make the cut.

Four current Kerry players have been named - Marc O Se, Darragh O Se, Declan O'Sullivan and Colm Cooper. Interestingly, Marc O Se was chosen ahead of his uncle Paidi, who is the holder of eight All-Ireland medals.

Current Cork manager Conor Counihan has been chosen at centre half back.

The best Munster football team of the past 25 years is: John Kerins (Cork); Marc O Se (Kerry), Sean Walsh (Kerry), Niall Cahalane (Cork); Seamus Moynihan (Kerry), Conor Counihan (Cork), Stephen O'Brien (Cork): Jack O'Shea (Kerry), Darragh O Se (Kerry); Declan O'Sullivan (Kerry), Larry Tompkins (Cork), Pat Spillane (Kerry); Colm Cooper (Kerry), Eoin Liston (do), Maurice Fitzgerald (do).

What do Dublin do?

I thought Gilroy was on the right track but he's had a set back.

So what do they do now?
Get rid of Gilroy? Don't think that's the answer.
Who is the backroom team?

Scrap most of the team and start from scratch?

Look at an outside man longer term? Boylan as U21 manager?

[Gone]

Well after Wicklows win today I guess the calls will come for Ross Carrs head now ...



Gone
Tomas O'Flatharta

Going?
Seamus McEnaney
Ross Carr
Peter McDonnell

Sweaky Bum Time?
John Joe Doherty
Jack O'Connor - (If the rumours are true...)

Time to be doing something
Tommy Carr
Liam Sammon
John O'Mahony
Mickey Moran
Eamon McEnaney

Untouchable
Mickey Harte
Pat Gilroy
Mick O'Dwyer
Kevin Walsh
Keiran McGeeney
Liam Bradley

Very elementary mistake ...

"He flirts around the edges of these confines yet wields more influence on the action than any before him. The Down players and manager Damien Cassidy don't remember the All-Irelands won when O'Dwyer was a defender in 1960 and '61 or a corner forward in '68. He does though."

... then again the D4 boys need to write about something now the rugger has finished for a while.

[Training for GAA Players]

ARMAGH THURS 29TH JANUARY

Training for GAA Players

Title: Making Athletes More Explosive and International Rules Training Plan

Venue: Ardmore Recreation Centre

Time: 7.00pm – 10.00pm

Facilitator: Mike McGurn

Mike has a wealth of experience working with top class athletes on their strength & conditioning. The former Ireland Rugby guru, now with Welsh side Ospreys, has enjoyed huge success in rugby league with the St. Helens team which won the treble of Challenge Cup, Super League and the World Cup Championship in 2001. Mike more recently help prepare the Irish Team for the International Australian Rules. He has also worked as a consultant for Leeds United, Everton, and numerous senior County GAA teams.

Course Content: This practical session will explore the training methods to be used to make the individual/team more explosive therefore being adequately prepared for peak performance.

Relevancy: Suitable for coaches involved in training and preparation of teams/individuals who train more than 3 hours per week.


______________________________________________________________________________________


Just saw that and following the preseason thread I thought I'd raise it for the members in the Northern half of the country - looks interesting ....

I'll try and go to this as I'd be interested to hear his thoughts or opinions on the International Rules and the differences between Rugby, GAA, AFL and International Rules

[Sport's quiet man]

Sport's quiet man

By Brendan Crossan
08/11/08


Acclaimed sports consultant Fergus Connolly has helped some of the biggest names in sport, but as Brendan Crossan finds out, he seldom courts the spotlight...



FERGUS Connolly is a reluctant interviewee. The 31-year-old sports performance consultant normally doesn't give interviews or pose for photographs.

A mutual friend put him up to the idea of allowing the Irish News to shine a light on some of his work with Nicolas Anelka, Gavin Henson, Bernard Dunne Derry's gaelic footballers,

In the past, the publicity-shy Scotstown native has turned down several requests to be interviewed by this newspaper.

After 40 minutes of conversation you have a clear understanding of the former schoolteacher's philosophy.

It's not the Fergus Connolly show.

It's not Fergus Connolly who climbs into the boxing ring. It's not Fergus Connolly who scores goals in the English Premiership. It's not Fergus Connolly who plays centre for Wales.

For Connolly, it's all about the athlete, not the so-called 'sports guru' who emerges from the shadows every now and then to feast on a slice of the adulation.

Neither does Connolly want to be an intriguing mystery. There are some people who are more comfortable in the background.


Imagine for a moment the profile he'd undoubtedly receive if he was more PR savvy. Even so, Connolly's work alone is making its own way in the world of top level sport.


Connolly made a huge impression on the Derry footballers last season after being ecommended by trainer John McCloskey.

Ask Paddy and Eoin Bradley, Conleith Gilligan, Kevin McCloy or Joe Diver their opinion of the

low-profile Connolly and each of them will provide glowing appraisals of his work.

"I went to Derry to try to make athletes better athletes," he says.

"I did a lot of work with the likes of Paddy and Eoin Bradley, Conleith Gilligan, Kevin McCloy and Joe Diver, but I don't make them better footballers.

"For instance, Joe Diver is a phenomenal athlete. Outstanding. So too is Paddy Bradley.

"If Derry get things right there's no reason why they shouldn't win something because they have so much talent."

He was recently appointed to the Welsh Rugby Football Union as their sports science co-ordinator.

New Derry manager Damian Cassidy was keen to retain his services, but Connolly couldn't refuse the WRFU's offer.

He has also helped prepare super bantamweight challenger Bernard Dunne for his next fight against Cristian "El Terrible" Faccio in Castlebar next week.

Connolly has travelled extensively and written many papers on sports performance.

He absorbed many lessons during his time studying America's NFL before shadowing the world-renowned All Blacks conditioning coach Ashley Jones as well as working closely with Super 14s outfit Canterbury Crusaders.

He attended seminars at European soccer giants Bayern Munich and AC Milan and gained invaluable insight and worked with English Premiership club Bolton Wanderers before moving home last year. So what actually is it that Connolly does?

Take boxer Bernard Dunne as a case-study. The Dubliner was forced to re-appraise his preparations after suffering a devastating knock-out to Kiko Martinez last year.

"Bernard wanted to improve his power and strength," explains Connolly. "He was fast enough, he just didn't want to lose any speed."

The basic aim was for Dunne to become stronger at his fighting weight by converting some of his body fat to muscle. The boxer's body fat has been reduced by five per cent [14 per cent to nine per cent].

Connolly, who has worked closely with wily boxing trainer Harry Hawkins and Michael McGurn, swears by coconut oil in helping to reduce an athlete's body fat and puts great purchase in the Omegawave machine which provides wide-ranging scientific tests on athletes.

Connolly's is very much a holistic approach that delves into the psychological, physical and physiological.

"It's not just about writing out a weights programme; it's about writing the right programme that is suited to that particular athlete. It's about managing an athlete's nutrition, diet and recovery among other things.

"But you're always looking for somebody who's hungry and driven," he says. "It was very clear after sitting down with Bernard what he wanted. He is very talented, but very, very driven."

Connolly's first love remains gaelic football. He envisages a return to the local game.

And when he does, we will all know a little more about Fergus Connolly's work.

"When you get the opportunity to work with the likes of Warren Gatland, Shaun Edwards, Ryan Jones and Shane Williams, it's great," he says. "But gaelic football is my sport. It's still the best sport out there. I will come back to it eventually, but not at the minute."




Interesting ... then found this then when I googled him
http://www.fergusconnolly.com/newsite/

[______________________________________________________]

Interesting commentary.
I'd agree with most of it too fomr what I know ....

______________________________________________________

Duggan calls for review of Dublin football
18 September 2008


Former Dublin footballer Dr Pat Duggan has accused some of the county's biggest stars of lacking leadership and being disloyal to their clubs in a six-page discussion document issued to clubs in the capital.

The Dr Crokes clubman, who has been a prominent figure on the club scene for many years, also claims in the document entitled 'What is wrong with Dublin football?' that some players lack ambition and are happy to be on the Dublin panel purely for the buzz it brings and to enjoy the fringe benefits while having "no ambition or realistic chance of ever playing championship football."

Duggan pulls no punches in his analysis before offering up a number of suggestions that he believes could help to remedy an ailing situation if implemented.

He wrote: "Having been involved in the Dublin club/county scene for the past 25 years in may roles from mentor/manager, administrator to medical official, I wish to outline my thoughts on where Dublin football is at the moment.

"One senior football All-Ireland in 25 years together with minimal success at under 21 and minor level in recent years points to a critical situation.

"Having been involved in a medical capacity with most of the management teams over the past 25 years, I can only say the level of professionalism by all of them is second to none.

"So let us be clear on one thing. The problem with Dublin football does not lie in the quality of the management teams."

Addressing the issue of the leadership shown by players, he added: "Of major interest to us involved in club football is the alarming fact that many of our senior inter-county players also have a poor record in terms of showing leadership in their clubs.

"Not alone do many not provide any leadership, but some in fact are the most difficult players to manage at club level."

______________________________________________________

[1. The title of the team books (or films) for the Dublin team for next year and for the rest of the counties ....]

Now that the cover was blown on the Blue Book I'm accepting submissions for

1. The title of the team books (or films) for the Dublin team for next year and for the rest of the counties ....

I.e. Leitrim -
- "The boys from Brazil"
- "The Nutcracker"

2. Individual Player book titles ....

I.e. Tommy Walsh
- King Kong/Incredible Hulk


etc etc.

Well there's one for every other county and I see Gilligan is being nominated now too so it should get interesting ...

Can you interview a man who is being charged with disrepute or do you deal with the interview and charge at the one meeting?

Anyway ... names in the hat as of now in suggested order of betting are ...

- Damien Cassidy - no backroom team suggested
- John Brennan - no backroom team suggested ... possibly with Henry Downey?
- Baker Bradley - possibly with Kevin Madden?
- Brian McGilligan - no backroom team suggested

Others?

[Mayo will win nothing without me - Mortimer]

Mayo will win nothing without me - Mortimer


27 August 2008

Mayo's Conor Mortimer has hit out at his critics within the Western County in a local newspaper over suggestions that the county will never win anything as long as the Shrule/Glencorrib forward is in their front line.

The Mayo News newspaper put it to Mortimer this week that some supporters in Mayo believe that they will never land a national title as long as he is in the side, to which the player responded: "They'll win nothing without me either."



Mortimer has been top-scorer for Mayo on their journeys to the All-Ireland SFC finals of 2004 and 2006, where they were both drubbed by Kerry. This year saw them beaten in the Connacht final by Galway and eventually ousted from the Championship by Tyrone in the qualifiers.

However the DCU student believes that he has proven himself to the fans in Mayo, saying: "(The criticism) doesn't bother me. What do they expect?

"Since I started playing with Mayo I've been the top scorer every year. I'm in and around the end of most moves."



*************************************************************



Talking points


With Mayo finished for 2008, two players pause to reflect

The Interview
Mike Finnerty

THEY couldn't be more different. One arrives early, the other is running late. One answers every question instinctively without fear or favour while the other is eloquent and considered. One keeps his head down and just gets on with it while the other  courts the spotlight with his hair, boots and attitude.
Meet Conor Mortimer and Andy Moran, Mayo footballers and 2008 Vhi Cúl Camp ambassadors. An hour in their company teaches you that they are two very different young men with one shared ambition. Football has brought them together and winning an All-Ireland medal is why they do what they do.
But with Mayo now out of the championship for another year, they are only too happy to talk about past experiences, their present mood, and their plans for the future.


MF How did you feel after Mayo lost to Tyrone in the Qualifiers?
AM I think the major thing we have to get right is our attitude. If anyone is going to tell me that Monaghan or Fermanagh or Kildare or any of these boys are better than us, I'm just not going to buy that. You should see us at training when things come off. It's phenomenal. When we get on the field at the minute it's just not happening and that's down to the players.
CM I think when you lose a few big games you start to wonder, 'Are we good enough to be there?' We haven't beaten the teams that were put in front  of us. We haven't won a big championship match in two years. We have the players, there's no doubt about that, we've worked hard, but we're not getting the results.

MF How would you assess the 2008 season?
CM Even though we didn't win anything I wouldn't write off our season. I think we improved from last year. And Connacht medals don't mean anything to me anymore. The one I want to win is an All-Ireland.
We did okay in the league and we could have beaten Galway and Tyrone. But we didn't. I don't know to be honest if Tyrone won that game or we lost it. I think we lost it.
We had a game-plan that we stuck to for 40 minutes and then we got dragged back, defending our own goal, and ended up with one forward. You can't do that.

MF In hindsight, would Ciaran McDonald have made a difference?
AM Talent-wise, I don't think there's any question about Ciaran Mac's ability. But the 29 lads that were there wanted to be there, really wanted to play for Mayo. It's hard to know...
I think, if he was playing against Tyrone, we probably would have won. But we had got to the stage where we were being over-reliant on Ciaran McDonald and it wasn't working.

MF What would he have brought against Tyrone?
CM He can lay ball all day long. The supply was coming against Tyrone but in fits and starts.
AM But the problem is when MacD gets shut down.

MF What about people that say Mayo are not good enough?
AM No way. We lost so many this season by a point or two. The Galway games, the Kerry game, Derry, Tyrone... Psychologically, we have to get stronger. Next year I'm going to be 25 and it's time for me now to step up.
It's unfair to pick out the likes of Alan Dillon and Conor Mortimer because these are the guys that are doing it consistently for us. It's the likes of myself that have to grow up and perform. Mayo has to be number one next year for me, not Sigerson, not club. Mayo.

MF How would you assess your own performance in 2008?
AM Personally, I'm bitterly disappointed with my championship performances. I didn't look after myself well enough earlier in the year to perform during the summer. I think I've actually done too much over the last couple of years, I've over-trained a bit. I have to re-assess things now for next year.
We're all in it for one reason; to win an All-Ireland. Playing third-level league games and Sigerson weekends doesn't help you realise that goal because you just can't keep peaking. Championship has to be your peak performance but my peak performance happened in March. That's ridiculous. And it's nobody's fault except my own.
CM Mentally and physically I was fine. I was happy with the Sligo and Tyrone games, and I felt I was middlin' against Galway. We only played three championship games.
There's not an awful lot of scoring, 'kick the ball over the bar' forwards in Mayo. You have your workers and your tacklers, and my job is to score. At the end of the day that's what I'm good at. My tackling and my right foot aren't great, but I'll score. I thought I was okay against Tyrone when I got ball. Any ball I got, I won a free or kicked a score.

MF Have you thought much about the Tyrone game since?
AM I've had nightmares about it. I felt as bad as I ever have in my life after that game. I didn't know where to go or what to do. A lot of people make a lot of effort to go and see us and I don't think it's fair on them. I don't think it's fair on Alan [Dillon] and Conor having to kick all the scores every day, and on James Nallen to come back near the end of his career and having to do the business for somebody else.
I just wasn't physically able to play the role I was asked to play. I had done too much work earlier in the year and I wasn't able to cover the ground.
CM I was disappointed but I think, after the years of losing, the hurt doesn't be as bad, especially after the Galway game. Being from Shrule, losing that was like losing an All-Ireland final. Still, walking out of Croke Park, knowing that you should be there the following weekend, is hard to take.
If we had kept playing in low balls against Tyrone, we would have won frees and we would have won the game. A team is like a machine. If one cog isn't working there'll be a problem along the line.

MF What needs to be done to move things on for 2009?
AM The management sat down last year and decided that they were going to build. I think we've definitely got better. Okay, we lost games but look at the way we lost. In 2004 and 2006, against Kerry, as soon as lost went behind we threw in the towel. That didn't happen this year.
We have young fellas like Keith Higgins, leaders and winners, coming through. But psychologically we have to get stronger. You don't lose six or seven games by a point if you're mentally strong. Maybe if you win one of them, the tide will turn.

MF Do the players think that John O'Mahony is the man to manage Mayo next year?
AM Absolutely, there's no doubt at all. I think coming down on the train there the last day – there was about 12 or 13 of us on the train – and I think there was a general consensus ... I don't usually talk about it because I'd be a bit closer to him [John O'Mahony] than most other guys ... but there was a general consensus. There's no doubt about it, they all wanted him to stay.
And I think the way it's working, we could have got to an All-Ireland final again this year, but what good would it have done this? We could have got beaten by 20 points again.
I think what we're trying to work towards here is, and this is the way I'd feel about it, that when we get there the next time, that we're ready for it. That we're not going there and we're coming out with our tails between our legs again. The next time that we get there, that we're ready for it and we're going to win. That'd be my way of [thinking]. I think that's the way a lot of the guys feel, and that's the way the management feel.
But the big disappointment this year is that I actually thought we were ready for it this year. I actually thought when we met in the McWilliam [Park] Hotel, right here, the day after the Galway game, I thought this was going to be the year, because of the way the boys were talking. And we trained awful well in the two weeks prior. The boys in general, there was a great buzz at training, and it was good. We just didn't perform. The thing about it is, there's absolutely no need to panic. We had great times under Mickey [Moran] – in Mickey's year we got there, and we still got flaked.
CM We're the only county that have [had] four managers within five years. There's something going wrong somewhere. There has to be something wrong. Once you go out over that line, it's 15 guys – or 20 guys, because there's five guys coming in. They're the guys who are going to win the game or lose the game. It's nothing to do with the manager or the selectors or whoever else is there.

MF Would you change anything about this year if you could?
CM We should have won the Connacht final. We didn't because we weren't good enough on the day. We always seem to start sluggishly against Galway...
AM I thought we were going okay until Trevor [Mortimer] went off injured.
CM Galway have quality forwards and once a few them got loose, they were going to score.

MF Tell me about the late free you [Conor] took against Galway?
CM The problem is that nobody else will take it, you're not going to see anybody running over to take it.
AM The way the wind was blowing, from that side of the field, it suited a left-footed kicker. I actually called Conor and told him to go out and take it.
CM I didn't really think of drilling it for a score at the time. I didn't think it was the last kick of the game. I just bounced the ball and kicked it. I'd kicked points from there before and some days they go over and some days they don't. I haven't lost sleep over it.

MF Can you see how people think you don't care about playing for Mayo?
CM I can't really. I do all the training, I enjoy it, and my life revolves around playing football.

MF Some people would feel that Mayo will win nothing with you on the team. That you're not a team player. What would you say to them?
CM They'll win nothing without me either.
AM I agree with Conor. Saying we'll win nothing with him on the team? We'll score about six points.
I think it's unfair on Conor and Alan Dillon. I've been scoring freely for my club and for my college for the last couple of years but then when I go into county football, I'm just not doing it. That's my responsibility.
Ninety per cent of our supporters are the best in the country but there are 10% who would say that about Conor. But they're the 10% that don't know their football and who you won't see at a league game.

MF Do you think the criticism you get is fair?
CM It doesn't bother me. What do people expect? Since I started playing with Mayo I've been the top scorer every year. I'm in and around the end of most moves.

MF When was the last time you felt alive on a football field?
CM In The Tyrone match when we went a few points ahead. Everyone was buzzing around, everyone was in the zone. We were playing to our potential.
AM The last time I felt that I could go out and dominate a game was the second half of the Galway game. I felt that I was going to win every ball. It's a good place to be but I haven't been there for Mayo for a while now.
CM The ball has to be kicked in. If ten balls are kicked in, you'll win five, and you'll get some scores. You look at the top guys, Cooper, McDonnell, these fellas, they'll lose four or five balls in every game but if you keep giving them good ball, they'll score.

MF John O'Mahony has made it clear that he doesn't want any hype or expectation around this Mayo team. What do you think of that?
AM I don't normally disagree with Johnno but I think Mayo need the hype. I think we are the best team in Ireland but we still have to prove that. I think we've been patient for two years. I think within our group we need to think we're the best team in Ireland. And we need to prove it. We are so positive behind closed doors it's unreal but maybe it's part of our psyche that we need a bit of hype too.
CM I thought there was a little bit of a buzz here and there this year but you only get hype if you deserve it. I'd say bar Kerry, to a certain degree, we're as good as any team out there. A bit of confidence is really all we're missing.

MF Have you thought about next year?
CM Of course. I don't enjoy the winter training but I don't mind the league, at least you're playing games.
I'm getting older now too and there a lot more things in my life. I'm finishing college next year and I have to get a job, make ends meet.
But if we improve 10% on this year we'll win Connacht next year. The best way to go is through the front-door and I don't see why we shouldn't.
Personally, I've been doing the same thing for seven or eight years for Mayo now and I don't see any need to change. It doesn't bother me what people think. I train all year around and that's why I'm on the team. I'm not there for the sake of it.
AM The first thing I need to do is get away from it for a while. But if I get the chance to play for Mayo next year, it's a big year for me. I need to prove that I'm good enough to be at that level. In 2009 I hope to prove that I am.

I was hoping we could compile a list of the weird and wonderful coaching strategies employed by John and in fact other coaches throughout the country ... some of them are classics.

There was the skips story about Derry - but I'm not sure if that was true or if it was blown out of proportion ... was it?

Then there was the Donegal Brazil nuts idea back in 2002 was it?

What are the other ones?

Talk about a bad referee .... no common sense and just on a complete ego trip.

He handed Kerry the advantage just after sending O'Se off and gave them 3 easy free kicks inside 40m in the next 10 mins whereas Cork couldn't get a free round the middle.
Panicked completely with the O'Mahony incident.
On another occasion when he booked Cooper he then threw the ball up? what was that for? If it was a Cork free why not give it to them, if he retaliated then book him too.
A penalty that he had to give since he screwed Cork for 25 minutes earlier and didn't give one to Donaghy when Kavangh was putting the sadlle on him in the first half ...

I could on ... just a very poor game and not a ref I rate anyway ... looks like a real primary school teacher - why not talk to the players and calm them down rather than treating them like school children ....

.... bring back Pat for the replay and we might have a decent game.

(I really wish we could clone Pat)