James Horan Appointed Mayo Manager 2011

[moysider]

Relax about the FBD final boys. It's just a piss-up in New York. The real action will be at the corner of Seventh Avenue and 52nd Street more so than Celtic Park. Matter a damn who's on the sideline. Means less than a training session.

Maybe so Iolar, but I know a lad will have to go through a bit of shite at work to travel. The FBD which?? Maybe even have to pay for somebody to do his job while he is away. He has to go if he wants to stay onside. Yet the county management isn't even around. They probably can't get off work either. It s a joke. A waste of money. Not like FBD are paying for the show. The trip costs at least 25K for the board. We re not that flush anymore. The fact that the new management cannot be  involved makes the whole expedition a non event.

[AbbeySider]

Relax about the FBD final boys. It's just a piss-up in New York. The real action will be at the corner of Seventh Avenue and 52nd Street more so than Celtic Park. Matter a damn who's on the sideline. Means less than a training session.

Maybe so Iolar, but I know a lad will have to go through a bit of shite at work to travel. The FBD which?? Maybe even have to pay for somebody to do his job while he is away. He has to go if he wants to stay onside. Yet the county management isn't even around. They probably can't get off work either. It s a joke. A waste of money. Not like FBD are paying for the show. The trip costs at least 25K for the board. We re not that flush anymore. The fact that the new management cannot be  involved makes the whole expedition a non event

There might be a lot of assumptions in the last few posts as its speculation as to why he is not going. I dont know for sure why, but I know its a good move that he is not going. Since he is not going, id be surprised if any of the new management team will be involved, but again I cant be sure.

I do think it shows he is not jumping on a bandwagon and free loading for the sake of it in the Big Apple with a group of players, some of whom he is likely not to be working with in the future. As well as that, I think that he didnt manage that team to the FBD final so I guess there is no point jumping on board now and throwing the media a bone and showing his hand as to what his team may have been.

If he did go he would be associated with that group of players as a starting point instead of naming his own panel after making his own decision on it as well as looking at guys in trials

And it also proves and is an indication of his focus on his job at hand, trying to win a county senior final with Ballintubber. I think I read in the Mayo news that he is yet to sit down with his management team to formalise a plan for Mayo so there is no need for panic.

One final thing, the FBD final means diddly squat

[southsidejohnny]

Have to compliment Horanon his first good decision. Whats going to New York are not his squad. He will be in a clear position to put his own squad together when the dust settles after its all over. FBD is just a holiday. Many of those travelling will be for their swan song in a mayo jersey. That has to be good.

[ballinaman]

Kevin McStays article from the Mayo news on the appointment.

Kevin McStay. Tuesday 4th October

ONCE more on the merry-go-round. Firstly, congratulations to James Horan. I'm not at all surprised that he is the new Mayo manager. I had a sense all along that he would impress the selection committee because he's a very bright, articulate, straight-talking guy. He also held his counsel over the last few weeks, got a good backroom team together, and did a really good interview.
He should be commended for putting his name forward in the first place. It's a big position, he's a young man, and very inexperienced in terms of working with inter-county teams at any level. He deserves all our support right now.
He's stepping in at a very, very difficult time for Mayo football. We're coming off the back of one of the worst championships ever; being beaten by Sligo and Longford in the one season is worse than anything I can certainly remember.
James has a massive job of work in front of him. I'm sure when he woke up last Thursday morning he would have felt very privileged to be the new Mayo manager. But, of course, with great power comes great responsibility.
The big thing is that every day, every match, he's under scrutiny now. People looking in from the outside will think it's a gamble. James doesn't have a senior club championship under his belt and he hasn't worked with an inter-county team. But he does have energy and enthusiasm, and he's ambitious. That's all good. Plus, when you ask him a straight question, you get a straight answer. There's no waffling going on.

LYONS IS TAMED
I'M a colleague of Tommy Lyons on The Sunday Game, I know him well, and I've been in contact with him over the last few days. He's desperately disappointed. He put his heart and his soul into trying to get the Mayo job and presented a very strong case.
There seemed to be a sense in some quarters early last week, especially among Mayo supporters on websites and discussion boards, that the selection committee needed to 'do the right thing' and appoint Horan ahead of Lyons.
I wouldn't agree with that at all. James Horan was selected on merit. It was very much a neck-and-neck race right up until the last few hours and I know both James and Tommy felt there were in very strong positions.
I know the selection committee reached a unanimous decision to recommend James Horan but it couldn't have been easy for them to reach that point. These were two top quality candidates, who both wanted the job for the right reasons, with two strong backroom teams. And James just tipped the scales. Why? The fact that he's local, more local than Tommy Lyons, had to be a factor.
But the game-breaker for me in the whole process (and something that I think is a really great story for any journalist who goes after it) was the fact that John Maughan pulled out shortly after the selection committee was announced. Why that happened is still unknown, but only two men — John Maughan and James Waldron — can answer the question.

THINGS TO DO
THE new manager has got a lot of work to do. The first job is to look at the players available to him. There are a lot of fine footballers not involved who are worth a look. He needs to find players with the right attitude and the right temperament who, like him, are there for the right reasons. To win something serious.
He's a new manager so, of course, there are going to be new players. Will there be four, five or six for championship? Maybe. For the national league though he might be advised to only introduce maybe three at a time. This is a very competitive division where nothing will come easy. The new players need to be brought into a stable environment.
All the players in last year's championship squad are under scrutiny now, but that's not to say that he's going to toss thirty players out. The squad needs to be pruned and, generally, that involved older players. But James will have to talk to every player.
He also needs to kill off this idea of 'win an All-Ireland or burst'. His aim should be to make the August Bank Holiday weekend, the quarter-finals, every year, and take it from there. That should be well within Mayo's reach every season.
When the new season starts next January, my advice would be to try and win every game, everything. But there should be no major disappointment if we lose to the likes of Tyrone by a couple of points, as long as something is learned.

WHERE ARE WE NOW?
IT'S impossible to know. In April we looked like a top four team and by June we couldn't get into the top sixteen. The defeat to Sligo knocked the stuffing out of everybody but it was the National League final that did most of the damage.
In most reasonable years, Mayo would be a top eight team. My argument is that if you keep getting to quarter-finals, then things happen. You have to keep getting there. In years one, two and three, Mayo need to target the quarter-finals.
It's awful hard to say where we sit. In terms of player quality, one of the great ways of assessing things is to pick how many of the Mayo team would get on a good, recent Kerry team. Alan Dillon? Maybe Keith Higgins when he's going well? That's where we're at right now.

LOCAL MEDIA MATTERS
This is going to be a big issue for the new manager. There are three major provincial papers in Mayo, a local radio station, and lots of journalists from Mayo and ex-Mayo players working with national media outlets. People like to read and hear about Mayo football.
My advice would be to have somebody who deals with the media. It needs to be handled, not in an unnatural way or with barriers, but managed. Sure, give local media what they want, but in a controlled manner. It's very difficult to resolve but if I was the Mayo manager I would find a strategy to deal with the press.
The coverage can be hugely positive too, it's not all negative but he needs to find a way to deal with it. Briefings by other parties about team matters needs to be handled carefully. I have no doubt that County Board officials briefed against managers and officials in the past.
If James Horan wants to win anything, he needs everyone moving in the one direction. Everybody, county board, players, clubs, supporters and media, will have to buy into his vision. If he can articulate a vision, and get everybody to buy into it, then it's a good start.

TRADITIONAL VALUES
WITH every year that goes by without Mayo winning an All-Ireland senior title, our tradition is being eroded. My big fear is that if we don't win it soon, that tradition that was passed on to us by our parents, and people who played in, and were at, the 1950 and '51 finals, will die.
A lot of Mayo people don't go to games anymore, we've been told for the last four years to dampen down expectations, and people seem happy enough to watch Mayo on TV. The longer it goes without Mayo making the breakthrough, the more that tradition will erode.
Having said that, I think James Horan's appointment will give everybody a lift and he will get the bounce of the ball from Mayo supporters.
He was a marvellous forward in his day and this is the first time, in a long time, that Mayo have appointed a forward as manager. Ironic, isn't it? Especially when you consider that the managers in '50 and '51, Gerald Courell and Jackie Carney, were two of the finest forwards of their era. They were marquee forwards.
That has to be one of the most positive aspects of James Horan being the new manager. He'll have an eye for particular facets of forward play. He'll bring a different perspective to it.

MY ADVICE?
I have three pieces of advice for James. 1) Be your own man. 2) Get your objective of reaching the All-Ireland quarter-finals out there and kill this myth that it's an All-Ireland title or bust. 3) Develop a strategy for dealing with the media.
It's worth remembering too that, this time four years ago, the euphoria and expectation was to the power of ten after John O'Mahony, a marvellous manager who had won two All-Irelands, was appointed. And look where we ended up? My point? You never really know!

[IolarCoisCuain]

Relax about the FBD final boys. It's just a piss-up in New York. The real action will be at the corner of Seventh Avenue and 52nd Street more so than Celtic Park. Matter a damn who's on the sideline. Means less than a training session.

Maybe so Iolar, but I know a lad will have to go through a bit of shite at work to travel. The FBD which?? Maybe even have to pay for somebody to do his job while he is away. He has to go if he wants to stay onside. Yet the county management isn't even around. They probably can't get off work either. It s a joke. A waste of money. Not like FBD are paying for the show. The trip costs at least 25K for the board. We re not that flush anymore. The fact that the new management cannot be  involved makes the whole expedition a non event.

My God Moysider. I had no idea. I thought the whole idea of the New York trip was to give an incentive for the counties to play the FBD League in the first place - make some sort of effort in January and we'll sort the winners with a jolly in New York. If the FBD aren't stumping up for the trip then what on Earth is the point?

[moysider]

Relax about the FBD final boys. It's just a piss-up in New York. The real action will be at the corner of Seventh Avenue and 52nd Street more so than Celtic Park. Matter a damn who's on the sideline. Means less than a training session.

Maybe so Iolar, but I know a lad will have to go through a bit of shite at work to travel. The FBD which?? Maybe even have to pay for somebody to do his job while he is away. He has to go if he wants to stay onside. Yet the county management isn't even around. They probably can't get off work either. It s a joke. A waste of money. Not like FBD are paying for the show. The trip costs at least 25K for the board. We re not that flush anymore. The fact that the new management cannot be  involved makes the whole expedition a non event

There might be a lot of assumptions in the last few posts as its speculation as to why he is not going. I dont know for sure why, but I know its a good move that he is not going. Since he is not going, id be surprised if any of the new management team will be involved, but again I cant be sure.

I do think it shows he is not jumping on a bandwagon and free loading for the sake of it in the Big Apple with a group of players, some of whom he is likely not to be working with in the future. As well as that, I think that he didnt manage that team to the FBD final so I guess there is no point jumping on board now and throwing the media a bone and showing his hand as to what his team may have been.

If he did go he would be associated with that group of players as a starting point instead of naming his own panel after making his own decision on it as well as looking at guys in trials

And it also proves and is an indication of his focus on his job at hand, trying to win a county senior final with Ballintubber. I think I read in the Mayo news that he is yet to sit down with his management team to formalise a plan for Mayo so there is no need for panic.

One final thing, the FBD final means diddly squat

You re right. Horan is better off not being involved in this trip.

[Farrandeelin]

Relax about the FBD final boys. It's just a piss-up in New York. The real action will be at the corner of Seventh Avenue and 52nd Street more so than Celtic Park. Matter a damn who's on the sideline. Means less than a training session.

Maybe so Iolar, but I know a lad will have to go through a bit of shite at work to travel. The FBD which?? Maybe even have to pay for somebody to do his job while he is away. He has to go if he wants to stay onside. Yet the county management isn't even around. They probably can't get off work either. It s a joke. A waste of money. Not like FBD are paying for the show. The trip costs at least 25K for the board. We re not that flush anymore. The fact that the new management cannot be  involved makes the whole expedition a non event.

My God Moysider. I had no idea. I thought the whole idea of the New York trip was to give an incentive for the counties to play the FBD League in the first place - make some sort of effort in January and we'll sort the winners with a jolly in New York. If the FBD aren't stumping up for the trip then what on Earth is the point?

I thought the exact same and I commented that FBD probably pay for the 'junket' to the States in October to my dad this morning. So it is only a junket of a trip that must be stumped up by the winners of the competition's Co board. Seems funny alright.

[moysider]

Relax about the FBD final boys. It's just a piss-up in New York. The real action will be at the corner of Seventh Avenue and 52nd Street more so than Celtic Park. Matter a damn who's on the sideline. Means less than a training session.

Maybe so Iolar, but I know a lad will have to go through a bit of shite at work to travel. The FBD which?? Maybe even have to pay for somebody to do his job while he is away. He has to go if he wants to stay onside. Yet the county management isn't even around. They probably can't get off work either. It s a joke. A waste of money. Not like FBD are paying for the show. The trip costs at least 25K for the board. We re not that flush anymore. The fact that the new management cannot be  involved makes the whole expedition a non event.

My God Moysider. I had no idea. I thought the whole idea of the New York trip was to give an incentive for the counties to play the FBD League in the first place - make some sort of effort in January and we'll sort the winners with a jolly in New York. If the FBD aren't stumping up for the trip then what on Earth is the point?

I thought the exact same and I commented that FBD probably pay for the 'junket' to the States in October to my dad this morning. So it is only a junket of a trip that must be stumped up by the winners of the competition's Co board. Seems funny alright.

Seems very complicated alright. Don't know how much FBD put into it through the Connacht Council. Maybe Council expenses and the participating county does have to put their hands in their pockets. I heard  figures as high a 50k mentioned for Galway Co. Board for trip last year. You see the traveling county would expect to more than cover their cost with fundraisers over in fairness. 

[mannix]

it really is a waste of money, while I am sure new york based lads like to get the chance to play a big name it must cost a fortune between flights and accomodation.And do players who are not sure of their position with Team Horan really want to travel out here for a weekend? and take time off from work and college?

[ross4life]

From the HoganShhhtand...

Horan won't travel to Big Apple

James Horan will not be travelling with his new Mayo charges to New York for this weekend's FBD League final in Rockland.

Horan, who was only named as John O'Mahony's successor last week, won't be part of the travelling party which flies out on Thursday. Mayo defeated Galway in the home final back in February and will face the Exiles at Rockland's new playing facilities at 4pm local time (9pm Irish) on Sunday.

Interestingly, Joe Kernan took charge of Galway in the corresponding fixture last year, despite being only in the job a matter of weeks at the time.

This decision doesn't surprise me at all, as I didnt expect him to travel. Its a good move IMO.

I can't help feeling the only reason Joe took the Galway job was because of the two all expenses paid trips to New York

[Peter Solan the Great]

From the Mayo news


Meet the new Mayo team


Wondering who's who in the new Mayo set-up?

Profiles
Mike Finnerty

MANAGER
James Horan
SHORTLY after putting the youngest of his four daughters to bed last Wednesday night, the 38 years-old received the phone call from Mayo GAA Chairman, James Waldron, to tell him that he was the new Mayo manager.
After leading Ballintubber to their first ever Mayo SFC final the previous Sunday, the appointment capped an incredible few days for the two-time All Star who began his coaching career with underage teams in Castlebar and Ballintubber.
Horan, who lives in Castlebar, works as a Process Quality Assurance Manager with Coca Cola in Ballina.
The New Zealand born forward won three Connacht senior championship medals during a distinguished playing career with Mayo.

SELECTORS
Martin Connolly
THE Ballindine native (52) is one of the most experienced coaches in Mayo and was announced as a selector/trainer in James Horan's backroom team last week.
Along with Shane Conway, he led the Westport footballers to the Mayo Intermediate championship title last year and was also in charge of Burrishoole when they reached the County Senior Final in 2000.
A teacher at Rice College, Westport, the former Davitts, Westport and Mayo defender is also a Connacht GAA Council coaching tutor.
He also won an All-Ireland club championship medal with Thomond College, Limerick in 1977, along with Mick Spillane, Brian Talty and Pat Spillane.

Paul Jordan
IRONICALLY, the new manager worked under Paul Jordan as a selector with the Castlebar Mitchels senior team a few years ago. Therefore, it is no major surprise that the duo have been reunited again.
Jordan (45) has been installed as a selector/trainer and will bring his own unique style to the training ground and dressing-room.
He is a former Kilmovee Shamrocks and Castlebar Mitchels footballer, and won a county senior championship medal in 1993. He was also a talented soccer player with Urlaur Utd and in 1990 won the Mayo Player of the Year award.
He currently works in Baxter, Castlebar.

James Nallen
THE two-time All Star retired from senior inter-county football at the end of the 2009 season after playing 132 games for Mayo.
During a glittering career, he won six Connacht senior championship medals and played in five All-Ireland senior finals (including the 1996 replay). He also won six county senior championship medals and an All-Ireland club championship title with Crossmolina in 2001.
The 37 years-old transferred to Claregalway, where he lives, last year and works in the physics department of NUI, Galway.
This is his first coaching role and he will fill the role of selector.

STATISTICIAN
Tom Prendergast
THE manager has gone for one of his most trusted lieutenants to fill the stats role in the new set-up. Prendergast soldiered with Horan for many years in the Ballintubber colours and they won County Intermediate medals together in 1990.
They have also worked together  with the Ballintubber senior team in recent seasons and Prendergast's analytical nature and encyclopedic knowledge of the game made him an obvious choice for the position.
From a family steeped in football history, Tom Prendergast is a son of Murt Prendergast (RIP), and a a nephew of Paddy and Ray (RIP).

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING
Ed Coughlan
THE Cork-born, Liverpool-based sports science graduate arrives with an impressive reputation having worked extensively with high-performance athletes in the UK.
The 36 years-old also worked earlier this year with John Maughan's Crossmolina squad and Tourlestrane in Sligo, and his game-conditioned training methods will test the Mayo players to the limit.

MEDICAL TEAM
Dr Sean Moffatt
HAVING assisted Ray Dempsey at both Mayo minor and U-21 level in recent years, the Ballina-based practitioner makes the step up to the senior ranks.
Dr Moffatt played for many years with the Ballina Stephenites, and also represented Mayo at both minor and U-21 level.

Liam Moffatt
THE former Crossmolina footballer and manager will be responsible for looking after the Dublin-based Mayo players which will probably mean that he will co-ordinate their training and medical requirements.
Moffatt (35) is currently studying Sports Science at DCU and is also a member of the St Vincent's senior management team.
A former Mayo minor, U-21 and senior defender, he has a wealth of experience and also won an All-Ireland club championship medal with Crossmolina in 2001.

Joe Dawson
A NATIVE of Westport, Joe is a sports massage therapist.
He is an accomplished long-distance athlete and represented Ireland at schools cross-country-level. He has also played soccer for Westport Utd and Mayo.

Paul O'Grady
THE consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar has a wealth of sporting experience having worked with both the New Zealand rugby and Republic of Ireland soccer teams in the past.

[stephenite]

But the game-breaker for me in the whole process (and something that I think is a really great story for any journalist who goes after it) was the fact that John Maughan pulled out shortly after the selection committee was announced. Why that happened is still unknown, but only two men — John Maughan and James Waldron — can answer the question.

Jesus, I'd speculate that Kevin knows exactly what went on. Knives are out for Waldron now I'd say

[moysider]

But the game-breaker for me in the whole process (and something that I think is a really great story for any journalist who goes after it) was the fact that John Maughan pulled out shortly after the selection committee was announced. Why that happened is still unknown, but only two men — John Maughan and James Waldron — can answer the question.

Jesus, I'd speculate that Kevin knows exactly what went on. Knives are out for Waldron now I'd say

I m sure he does. It s out there. No point kniving/knifing Waldron. He s finishing up his term before Christmas. Maughan has been persona non grata among a lot of the top brass in the county for some time. I think the only way he could have got the job this time was if there was no other credible candidate.
I get the impression from reading between the lines that Kevin is a bit pissed that his friend Tommy did not get the job.
In a way I'm surprised Sir John stayed in the contest as long as he did. Surely he knew his standing at the top table, and indeed among the clubs in general, wasn't great. Who would he have been expecting on the interview committee? Would a Knockmore or Ballina delegate on that interview board have made any difference?
Kevin is right. There is a story there regarding Maughan dropping out ( common knowledge locally but  Sunday paper could use it on a quiet winter week)  but to say that was the defining reason Horan was preferred over Lyons is skipping ahead a few lines. I remember most people thought at the time Maughan opting out was going to make Lyons even more secure.
Almost forgot. The interview committee was public knowledge before Maughan sat down with Waldron in a pre- interview audition. He was sat down and it appears he told he was wasting his time going any further. But he should have seen the writing on the wall earlier. The trouble now with all the spin, is that Horan is being made look like a 3rd choice that got lucky, which could weaken his position before he even starts. Kevin should know better. The time to ask questions about the appointment procedure was when it was happening - some people on here did do that - not when the thing is done and dusted. Especially when the winner did nothing wrong and was transparent all through the process.

[highking]

But the game-breaker for me in the whole process (and something that I think is a really great story for any journalist who goes after it) was the fact that John Maughan pulled out shortly after the selection committee was announced. Why that happened is still unknown, but only two men — John Maughan and James Waldron — can answer the question.

Jesus, I'd speculate that Kevin knows exactly what went on. Knives are out for Waldron now I'd say

No need for knives Stephenite. His 5 years are up at the end of the year....

[stephenite]

But the game-breaker for me in the whole process (and something that I think is a really great story for any journalist who goes after it) was the fact that John Maughan pulled out shortly after the selection committee was announced. Why that happened is still unknown, but only two men — John Maughan and James Waldron — can answer the question.

Jesus, I'd speculate that Kevin knows exactly what went on. Knives are out for Waldron now I'd say

No need for knives Stephenite. His 5 years are up at the end of the year....

Yeah, didn't realise that. Cheers.

Still, McStay and Maughan would be fairly tight so there's some motivation to expose some part of the process and someones role in it

I read Kevin's account exhorting someone in the media to dig a bit further as evidence of some sort of shenanigans but having read Moysiders comments that a lot of it is known locally then maybe there's not too much in it. If there is, either Keith Duggan or Kieran Shannon will be writing about it fairly shortly