Messages

And with all games played for the year now is the time to investigate it.

I hope if they find somethnig radically wrong they don't have to close the ground for 6 months to fix it.

O'Neill - you really don't like United!

"That English media hype bullshit annoys me, he has potential to be a great player, nothing more nothing less, he has won nothing in his profession. As Roy Keane would say you judge a player at the end of his career and assess what he has won and contributed to the game."

Yes Dinny, point taken. I believe Rooney will fulfil that potential.

Should it not be called the Underbitches?

Two fantastic players and the game will miss them. Donnellan was often the difference for Galway on their big days. His display in the '98 final was huge. I hadn't seen a lad from Connacht do this before. Galway were supposed to be the sacrificial lamb on the altar of Micko's greatness but this young upstart ran the crap out of them. Straight down the barrel of the gun to rob a phrase from Martin McHugh/Seán O'Neill. When he was motoring he was some sight.

Joyce is one of my all time favs and will remain so (despite his dive in '99 in Markievicz!). He was one of if not the most celebrated forwards in the game and even with the demands of intercounty football he never forgot about his club and that to me is what a true GAA star should be like. Immensely talented and not lacking in bottle even if things were going a bit wrong. Evidence of this is the AI final in 2001 when in the first half he looked like he'd kicked the game away only to produce magical stuff in the second. Another enduring image for me is also against Kildare (sorry Dinny) on the shocking wet day. It was scrappy, Galway or their opponents not playing great but he was roasting his man and demanding the ball at every turn from his teammates. Real leadership. And like all the best players, a citeog.

Donagh - I agree entirely. it was a big mistake by Marsden to get himself sent off.

As for Sligo - this year O'Hara being sent off v. Westmeath + giving Westmeath a point for a ball 5 foot wide cost us the game.

The referee's timekeeping in the '97 Connacht Final cost us at least a replay in my view.

"This shite is as bad as those who were doubting Wayne Rooney a few weeks back - typical fickle press-led bullshit. All players lose their form at some stage"

There's little comparison between the two. Rooney is genuinely a great player and even when he had a dip in output in terms of goals/assists his workrate was superb. The reason for the dip in form was a reaction to his rushed comeback for the World Cup and was therefore largely physical. A run of games would sort him out and it did.

Gerrard is standing up and letting players run away from him when Liverpool/England lose possession which is a huge no-no.

If ye think Gerrard can play centre of midfield in a 4-4-2 then a lot of you are more deluded than I can imagine. There's a couple of reason's why he scored 23 goals last season the most important one being that he doesn't bother doing much defending, i.e. he is really a deep playing striker. That puts it in context. The reason he was "winning the games for Liverpool" is because the rest of the players did the hard, unfashionable work for him.

"Ferguson would probably paint his arse yellow and walk naked from Manchester to Liverpool to get him in a United jersey."

You might be right. Ferguson has made more and more bad decisions in recent years.

I don't think United would be interested in someone who would be overpriced for the bench (before the flaming starts who would you drop?) and anyway - there's no way they'd have the money for him.

Liverpool should sell Gerrard at Christmas before people cop on that he's actually not that good/finished - the same way Ferguson got rid of Beckham in the nick of time (he should have sold him a couple of years earlier when he stopped trying against Madrid in a CL game at OT). Gerrard simply doesn't have the stomach and professionalism to be the player 'pool fans claim he is. Some clowns in Spain with more money than sense would be the ones to offload him to, i.e. Real Madrid, though that said Capello would need to get sacked first.

Its a long time since I've seen Liverpool as lacking in huger and bite as in recent weeks (against the better sides).

Failing that Liverpool could try to get the back pass rule changed back again to its original state. Barwick might be able to get the ball rolling on that with the FA.

Uladh - for what its worth I think you are way off the mark. As O'Neill is well able to defend himself I'll leave it at that. Suffice to say I'd leave more value on him comments than most. As for The Gael - jury is out but beginiing to be swayed. Would love to know the real agenda.....

[GPA grassroots]

this elaborate response has been viewed by the GPA grassroots as a classic political sidestep

Paper really does not refuse ink!

Before making a guess can you tell me which of the nominees are going to the dinner?