Antrim Football Thread

[bannside]

Not so sure the players arnt there Minder. Maybe not in terms of winning national titles, but we should be punching a lot higher with the players we do have.

We have more players than ever featuring prominently at Sigerson level, six or seven at least, and a few years ago we had nowhere near this.

St Galls should have won an all ireland club title, a bit of stage fright beat them, but they completely outplayed Nemo and Salthill.

Id say the right management team would bring this Antrim squad on a long way. But it would have to be leadership that has proved itself, not a rookie experiment, plucked on a whim, but one the players would give their full respect to.

Plus the fact that our whole style of Basketball/Football has to change. We need a completely different style, and Id say get Kevin Mc Glinchey and Benny Hasson on the edge of the square, and pump them in long and hard, with a couple of tidy forwards playing off them.

My Antrim team would be completely different to the one that poses for same at present.

[blasmere]

Not so sure the players arnt there Minder. Maybe not in terms of winning national titles, but we should be punching a lot higher with the players we do have.

We have more players than ever featuring prominently at Sigerson level, six or seven at least, and a few years ago we had nowhere near this.

St Galls should have won an all ireland club title, a bit of stage fright beat them, but they completely outplayed Nemo and Salthill.

Id say the right management team would bring this Antrim squad on a long way. But it would have to be leadership that has proved itself, not a rookie experiment, plucked on a whim, but one the players would give their full respect to.

Plus the fact that our whole style of Basketball/Football has to change. We need a completely different style, and Id say get Kevin Mc Glinchey and Benny Hasson on the edge of the square, and pump them in long and hard, with a couple of tidy forwards playing off them.

My Antrim team would be completely different to the one that poses for same at present.

Who's he?, I assume you mean everyone's favourite player who now writes a newspaper column

[bannside]

Not correct Blasmere. But a good man manager might get the best out of the player you mean.

Personally i think a mc gort giving his all would be an asset, and a different managerial approach might work.

Begs the question, should a manager treat All players equally, or would a really good manager go the extra mile to facilitate one or two who need a bit of extra attention.

Would say that all successful managers would have had a few primas, but sometimes those prmas can be the difference. Cant imagine Graham Geraghty or Joe Brolly would be easy characters in a dressing room, and I can think of loads more, but they have the medals in their pocket, and their managers did the business because they found the formulae to work with the large egos

Pat O Shea in his autobiography knew his biggest obstacle would be the handling of Darragh O Se, the man who controlled the dressing room. He found a method. He won back to back all Irelands.

Likewise, Joe Kernan knew the secret to keep Geezer onboard, and he in turn kept the players in check. Mc Geeney didnt like the way his pal Grimley was shafted, and the rot had set in and big Joe was on borrowed time.

I`d get Mc Gort onside, find him a role, and allow him a bit of scope to assist with the persuit of excellence he craves. ( A bit of reverse psychology).

Maybe there would be no working with the man at all, but Id say a good manager would find a way. Both would know where the line was drawn, and maybe it would need drawn in a different place to others. The same as two of the greatest soccer managers of all time, Busby v Best, and Jock Stein v Jimmy Johnstone.

Oh, and yes, they were both instrumental in winning the coveted European Cup, and allowed their managers to pass into folklore.

And then theres Jody!

[bannside]

Whoops, meant Jack O Connor, not Pat O Se, in above post. Pat O Se we need to get Dara a lot fitter than he looked in the league final to get the best out of him. Thought he blew up a bit and faded last fifteen/twenty.

But Kerry arnt wound up in May, and they will be a totally different poposition in Sept.

[Minder]

Well they are some ridiculous comparisons Bannside,O 'se,mc geeney etc and mc gourty ! They .have all performed at inter county level,mc gourty hasnt and is basically a club player. . . . . . . . As for this "pursuit of excellence" that he likes to associate himself with,actions speak louder than words

[bannside]

Take your point Minder, O Se and Mc Geeney been there, done it etc etc.

Make no mistake though, Mc Gourty can play football, and would almost certainly make an Armagh or Kerry if he put his very best foot forward. We havent too many of that calibre in Antrim, and its unfortunate that Jody/Kevin couldnt get it on.

Dont know the ins and outs of why it broke down, no doubt Mc Gourty crossed the line, but it was the same line Busby and Stein had to deal with, if you can see the relevance of the point I am trying to make.

I dont know if Mc Gourty can be managed, maybe not, but I would suggest that a respected management team, like Moran and McGuckin, for example, might hold his attention longer and get the best out of the player. Having said that I think the only person to put things right is Mc Gourty himself, and I am confident he would put his best foot forward for the right management team. He`s a clever enough person to know that he shouldnt completely piss away a great talent he has been given.

[Minder]

Bannside,if you think Shaws Road would get on the Kerry team you must he on some great drugs

[bannside]

Minder, footballs full of opinions and i think Shaws a his best would be a big asset. Dont think we should debate the issue though, enough said already on the player. Jody couldnt find a way of working with him, maybe a better man management style might have got more mileage. But I dont claim to know the player that well personally, maybe theres no working with him at all. On his best form that Ive seen though, he would make most top inter county sides, if selection was based on ability.

Hoof, I wouldnt be working overtime to conceal my identity, PM me with your details and I`ll reciprocate. Theres a quare word for a Sunday morning! At any C`ship matches over the weekend?

[pebble-dasher]

mc glinchey from st johns!? if it is your definately on the wind up john joe sorry bannside because that boy mc glinchey is a 6ft 8 midget, and has feet on him like flippers.  However i do agree with you that there are definately the players in antrim to be achieving higher although commitment is the biggest issue. 

i think that cargin and st galls are playing today in rasharkin in the u21 championship semi, think it would be a good game but i duno wat time its at.

[bannside]

I like big Mc Glinchey as an out and out fielder. He wouldnt have a great engine, thats been his downfall, but could play the big full forward role, catch and supply, IF COACHED. Thats the bit you mightnt be taking into consideration, Pebble.

Incidentally I saw a very good midfield performance from him two weeks ago in the league, and in my memory bank from a few short years ago recall him and Benny lording it against all comers at u-21, in midfield.

Stand on the edge of the square and pump in a hundred balls night after night at training. Field and supply, field and supply, field and supply. At 6 feet 6 with hands to match I am certain he could fulfil that role.

As I said before we cant continue to carry twelve 5 feet 8`s any more, and MUST change our dinky basketball style that has failed us for decades. And Fcukin well stick big Benny in there too. At least it might represent some kind of GAME PLAN.

[Glensman]

Hadn't realise Joe Cassidy had pulled the pin with Bellaghy.

Someone was saying he knocked over ten points for Ballycastle in the Feis football over the weekend.

[Gold]

he should play for the county!

[ONeill]

What's all this malarky about an ageing Rossa great getting a 12-week suspension for verbal abuse of a ref?

[NAG]

Top notch stuff Hardy!

when will the word be out on what next year will bring us?

[playwiththewind1st]

I'm worried about the latest member of the board. Do you think he's on to give off about the Antrim players stealing his song?
Strange coincidence.

I thought he was dead. Mind you, even on that basis, he could walk straight onto the county football team & we'd notice an immediate improvement.