The Future for Laois Football

[Laois Rising]

Unfortunately the minor and U20 teams that have come through over the last few years have not contained those 2/3 special players that stand out head and shoulders over the rest of the team. These are the lads who will make a difference in improving a senior county team. Laois are producing plenty of decent underage players but these lads will not step up to improve a senior county team unfortunately.

Take our u20 this year. Very respectable showing in making a Leinster semi-final. However, outside of Shaun Fitzpatrick maybe I'm not too sure how many other players from that side will hugely improve the Laois team over the next few years. A lot of those players on a par with players from u20 sides of the last couple of years. We have an abundance of players who very capable of playing intercounty football (granted not at a high level). We just haven't seen those exceptional talents emerging from our underage teams since probably the days of the late 00s. Players that everyone in the county knew of as special talents from a very young age and excited to see progress to playing intercounty football.

I have definitely seen some green shoots with the standard of the minor championship and some of the performances on show in games. I also despair at the demise of Portlaoise as a force. For Portlaoise to be beaten in an underage game it should be as a result of a herculean effort on the part of the other team. They should not be canon fodder as they have proved in the games played this year.
   

[Butch Cassidy]

I don't believe we need stand out players (although would be welcome) but we need lads who have the pace and power to compete, that's what we've been lacking especially around the middle.. We have scorers but work rate and pace it's what we lack. Hopefully with the right structures and a full S&C coach in place, the young lads might develop over time.

You're right re Portlaoise, I don't see them dominating any underageage group and you'd also expect to see 2 Portlaoise teams in every grade but sadly not the case. Anyone from Portlaoise here shed any light on how it's going?

[Spiritof86]

Martin Murphy in the running for Laois job .

[thegreeenandgold]

Martin Murphy in the running for Laois job .

So good Offaly got rid of him 

[Blow-in]

Martin Murphy in the running for Laois job .

Not true

[The PRO]

Paul Kelly is apparently strongly tipped to get it. Ex Naas and Thomas Davis manager. Don't know much else about him.

[Butch Cassidy]

Wasn't he ousted before the county final? Did a good job though with both clubs.

Good appointments at minor and u20 level too, hopefully they get everyone on board

[The PRO]

Wasn't he ousted before the county final?

Ousted or stepped down? Depends who you talk to really🙂
There was a story at the time about money and using another club's facilities which I can't fully remember!

[Joeythelips]

Wasn't he ousted before the county final? Did a good job though with both clubs.

Good appointments at minor and u20 level too, hopefully they get everyone on board

Who are the minor and u-20 appointments?

[Butch Cassidy]

Ger Slevin over the minors (believe he was with them all the way up) and Kieran Kelly ove the u20s.

What other names linked with the senior job?

[High Fielder]

Just get it done already before another Championship is over and the new coach has no idea what's available to them. Kite flying a name, particularly one as specific as Paul Kelly, obviously means someone knows something. Irrespective,  nobody is holding their breath here. I can honestly say, based on the evidence in front of us, that this is well down our list of priorities

[Laois Rising]

Seeing players in club championship football doesn't reveal a huge amount. A player can stand out at club level but you then you have to factor in the opposition and quality of marker on that player. Sure Laois today are doing a fine job of identifying players after each round of games in their team of the weeks!! I'd rather Laois take their time and get the best person available for the job than rush to have someone in by the quarter finals and make a poor appointment. While the hurlers season didn't quite go to plan in 2023 I think they made a good appointment in Maher and hopefully next year that prove that. It might take a little coaxing to get a manager of substance onboard but taking the time to do that is vital-Laois need someone of quality in there to get things forward moving for 2024. As Derry and Down have shown, with the right people you can turn things around quickly enough in the space of a few years.

[Target Man]

If the story going around at time about why Naas and Paul Kelly parted ways are true I wouldnt like to see him as Laois manager.

Of the names I've seen linked so far Eoin Kearns and Brian Flanagan would be the best candidates imo

[High Fielder]

Seeing players in club championship football doesn't reveal a huge amount. A player can stand out at club level but you then you have to factor in the opposition and quality of marker on that player. Sure Laois today are doing a fine job of identifying players after each round of games in their team of the weeks!! I'd rather Laois take their time and get the best person available for the job than rush to have someone in by the quarter finals and make a poor appointment. While the hurlers season didn't quite go to plan in 2023 I think they made a good appointment in Maher and hopefully next year that prove that. It might take a little coaxing to get a manager of substance onboard but taking the time to do that is vital-Laois need someone of quality in there to get things forward moving for 2024. As Derry and Down have shown, with the right people you can turn things around quickly enough in the space of a few years.

So if an external coach comes in, it doesn't matter if he's never seen or heard of any of the players? Seriously? I would think whoever gets the job would need to be appointed ASAP, because the first thing he'll have to do is try to assemble a panel. From what I'm hearing, that's just the first mountain to be climbed. Any appointment we make is going to be a gamble, unless we throw a ball of money at someone. Unlikely. Best just get on with it

[Spiritof86]

Flanagan is an interesting one . More than decent record with Kildare u-20s . re. In his three years in charge, Kildare U20s took home two Leinster Championships, as well as reaching two All-Ireland finals and winning one . Not sure what would entice him to been part of a long term Laois project though .