Joe Brolly

[rrhf]

Joe has raised some very important points, unfortunately he needed to temper the flow of his argument for the greater good and a damn fine argument about the direction the GAA is being taken down has now become an Armagh/Mc Geeney V Brolly point.  I would say he is disappointed to see the direction this is taking. His greater point is perhaps being ignored.   
On another point how long before Armagh clubs start playing their club football in Tyrone, Down and Antrim. Tyrone Hurling clubs are already doing the same as the powerhouse that is Cross, not through their own fault,  is starving the other clubs of any chance of success.

[heffo]

I think the Armagh County Board was correct in making its statement and standing up to Brolly.  Too often people take it on the chin when treated by media in the way that Kieran McGeeney has been in several forums by Brolly.  If he was in any position other than a football manager, the case could have reached the court given the level of inaccuracies in Brolly's statements. 

Wouldn't be the first time an RTE analyst had a solicitors letter fired at him from a player/manager

[muppet]

Why is he so fixated on McGeeney (aside from the insult at Eamonn Coleman's funeral)?/b]

Armagh are far from the only county allegedly paying their manager and they aren't the only ones restricting access to county players.

Considering his diatribe on Sean Kavanagh, I suspect it may have something to do with his views on the GPA.

[longballin]

Why is he so fixated on McGeeney (aside from the insult at Eamonn Coleman's funeral)?/b]

Armagh are far from the only county allegedly paying their manager and they aren't the only ones restricting access to county players.

Considering his diatribe on Sean Kavanagh, I suspect it may have something to do with his views on the GPA.

Who is Sean Kavanagh?

[muppet]

Why is he so fixated on McGeeney (aside from the insult at Eamonn Coleman's funeral)?/b]

Armagh are far from the only county allegedly paying their manager and they aren't the only ones restricting access to county players.

Considering his diatribe on Sean Kavanagh, I suspect it may have something to do with his views on the GPA.

Who is Sean Kavanagh?

Sean Cavanagh's GPA double.

[Jinxy]

I think he just hates nordies tbh.

[Il Bomber Destro]

I think the Armagh County Board was correct in making its statement and standing up to Brolly.  Too often people take it on the chin when treated by media in the way that Kieran McGeeney has been in several forums by Brolly.  If he was in any position other than a football manager, the case could have reached the court given the level of inaccuracies in Brolly's statements.  McGeeney deserved to be supported by his 'employer' and the county board has a duty to him.

Both O'Se and McGuigan bottled it when questioned on the SG, both should have taken the opportunity to put Brolly in his place but decided not to do so, the video report provided the platform and they could have used the situation to let it be known that personalised attacks such as those by Brolly are not acceptable.  Both of them were prepared to say 'ach, it's just Joe and he's a character'.  Says a lot about both of them but not surprised given that both are so involved in the media.

Brolly has a point but at the end of the day nobody holds a gun to these players. If they want to play county football they no the circumstances and are willing to sacrifice that, there's a lot of perks in it for county players in any case.

What I don't like is the mistruths and spin he puts on it and I have no problem with an Armagh County Board representative coming on and taking him to task over these. He was criticising his own county recently for holding players back from the clubs, this despite the fact that a number of players who played against Tyrone were in club action a week before the Championship game. His attacks on McGeeney (who I wouldn't be a big fan of) are personal and bordering on pathetic. McGeeney's problem is that he has a fairly limited tactical mind and approach to his game but generally the players who have played under him tend to have a great respect for him.

Money is the huge problem in today's game, Dublin are just so far ahead of everyone else and there is no a worrying emerging gap between the 2nd tier teams like Kerry, Mayo, Tyrone, Monaghan, Donegal and the rest.

I think football was at a great place back in the 00s. The big teams were well capable of being got at by smaller counties, you had sides like Fermanagh, Laois, Westmeath, Sligo etc all taking big Championship scalps and they were all sides who the big teams would not take lightly. Those days are gone now and the game is becoming sterile.

I felt very sorry for Kevin McKernan when watching Down on Sunday, a great player, a guy who has given a good 10 years service and who played for a great team in his day now being part of that rabble of a team. I think he deserves great credit for continuing to put the committment required by an intercounty footballer despite being certain in the knowledge he won't achieve anything in the remainder of his Down career.

[Tony Baloney]

The big teams were well capable of being got at by smaller counties, you had sides like Fermanagh, Armagh, Laois, Westmeath, Sligo etc all taking big Championship scalps and they were all sides who the big teams would not take lightly.

You missed a shot there...

[Armamike]

Joe has raised some very important points, unfortunately he needed to temper the flow of his argument for the greater good and a damn fine argument about the direction the GAA is being taken down has now become an Armagh/Mc Geeney V Brolly point.  I would say he is disappointed to see the direction this is taking. His greater point is perhaps being ignored.   
On another point how long before Armagh clubs start playing their club football in Tyrone, Down and Antrim. Tyrone Hurling clubs are already doing the same as the powerhouse that is Cross, not through their own fault,  is starving the other clubs of any chance of success.

Not very likely.

[GJL]

Joe has raised some very important points, unfortunately he needed to temper the flow of his argument for the greater good and a damn fine argument about the direction the GAA is being taken down has now become an Armagh/Mc Geeney V Brolly point.  I would say he is disappointed to see the direction this is taking. His greater point is perhaps being ignored.   
On another point how long before Armagh clubs start playing their club football in Tyrone, Down and Antrim. Tyrone Hurling clubs are already doing the same as the powerhouse that is Cross, not through their own fault,  is starving the other clubs of any chance of success.

Not very likely.

Clubs from these counties have proven over the years that they are well capable of beating Cross so what advantage would it be for other Armagh clubs to move?

[LeoMc]

I think the Armagh County Board was correct in making its statement and standing up to Brolly.  Too often people take it on the chin when treated by media in the way that Kieran McGeeney has been in several forums by Brolly.  If he was in any position other than a football manager, the case could have reached the court given the level of inaccuracies in Brolly's statements.  McGeeney deserved to be supported by his 'employer' and the county board has a duty to him.

Both O'Se and McGuigan bottled it when questioned on the SG, both should have taken the opportunity to put Brolly in his place but decided not to do so, the video report provided the platform and they could have used the situation to let it be known that personalised attacks such as those by Brolly are not acceptable.  Both of them were prepared to say 'ach, it's just Joe and he's a character'.  Says a lot about both of them but not surprised given that both are so involved in the media.

Brolly has a point but at the end of the day nobody holds a gun to these players. If they want to play county football they no the circumstances and are willing to sacrifice that, there's a lot of perks in it for county players in any case.

What I don't like is the mistruths and spin he puts on it and I have no problem with an Armagh County Board representative coming on and taking him to task over these. He was criticising his own county recently for holding players back from the clubs, this despite the fact that a number of players who played against Tyrone were in club action a week before the Championship game. His attacks on McGeeney (who I wouldn't be a big fan of) are personal and bordering on pathetic. McGeeney's problem is that he has a fairly limited tactical mind and approach to his game but generally the players who have played under him tend to have a great respect for him.

Money is the huge problem in today's game, Dublin are just so far ahead of everyone else and there is no a worrying emerging gap between the 2nd tier teams like Kerry, Mayo, Tyrone, Monaghan, Donegal and the rest.

I think football was at a great place back in the 00s. The big teams were well capable of being got at by smaller counties, you had sides like Fermanagh, Laois, Westmeath, Sligo etc all taking big Championship scalps and they were all sides who the big teams would not take lightly. Those days are gone now and the game is becoming sterile.

I felt very sorry for Kevin McKernan when watching Down on Sunday, a great player, a guy who has given a good 10 years service and who played for a great team in his day now being part of that rabble of a team. I think he deserves great credit for continuing to put the committment required by an intercounty footballer despite being certain in the knowledge he won't achieve anything in the remainder of his Down career.

The Laws of unintended consequences.
The Qualifiers were designed to give smaller teams more games. Instead they have given bigger teams second chances and in doing so lessened the chances of the smaller teams.

[Bensars]

I think the Armagh County Board was correct in making its statement and standing up to Brolly.  Too often people take it on the chin when treated by media in the way that Kieran McGeeney has been in several forums by Brolly.  If he was in any position other than a football manager, the case could have reached the court given the level of inaccuracies in Brolly's statements.  McGeeney deserved to be supported by his 'employer' and the county board has a duty to him.

Both O'Se and McGuigan bottled it when questioned on the SG, both should have taken the opportunity to put Brolly in his place but decided not to do so, the video report provided the platform and they could have used the situation to let it be known that personalised attacks such as those by Brolly are not acceptable.  Both of them were prepared to say 'ach, it's just Joe and he's a character'.  Says a lot about both of them but not surprised given that both are so involved in the media.

Brolly has a point but at the end of the day nobody holds a gun to these players. If they want to play county football they no the circumstances and are willing to sacrifice that, there's a lot of perks in it for county players in any case.

What I don't like is the mistruths and spin he puts on it and I have no problem with an Armagh County Board representative coming on and taking him to task over these. He was criticising his own county recently for holding players back from the clubs, this despite the fact that a number of players who played against Tyrone were in club action a week before the Championship game. His attacks on McGeeney (who I wouldn't be a big fan of) are personal and bordering on pathetic. McGeeney's problem is that he has a fairly limited tactical mind and approach to his game but generally the players who have played under him tend to have a great respect for him.

Money is the huge problem in today's game, Dublin are just so far ahead of everyone else and there is no a worrying emerging gap between the 2nd tier teams like Kerry, Mayo, Tyrone, Monaghan, Donegal and the rest.

I think football was at a great place back in the 00s. The big teams were well capable of being got at by smaller counties, you had sides like Fermanagh, Laois, Westmeath, Sligo etc all taking big Championship scalps and they were all sides who the big teams would not take lightly. Those days are gone now and the game is becoming sterile.

I felt very sorry for Kevin McKernan when watching Down on Sunday, a great player, a guy who has given a good 10 years service and who played for a great team in his day now being part of that rabble of a team. I think he deserves great credit for continuing to put the committment required by an intercounty footballer despite being certain in the knowledge he won't achieve anything in the remainder of his Down career.

The Laws of unintended consequences.
The Qualifiers were designed to give smaller teams more games. Instead they have given bigger teams second chances and in doing so lessened the chances of the smaller teams.

Designed to give smaller team second chances?

Don't forget to also include the extra revenue from something like 30 extra championship games (excluding replays).

[Fuzzman]

A lot of people say the back door was (still is) a failure but I think it has done what it was mainly set out to do and that was give teams a second chance to get a few matches behind them.
If a so called smaller county was knocked out against one of the big guns in the first round then they go into a draw to play teams at a similar level who also got knocked out early.

So whilst we're all complaining that there has been no tight interesting games so far this year, there looks to be some very good line ups for the 1st round of the qualifiers.

[smelmoth]

If Ger Canning was doing his job properly he should have asked the Armagh Chairman last night in the Sunday Game interview how much they were paying McGeeney.

You're assuming a county board is the only source of any payments/expenses? That's a big assumption Id say

don't direct the question at the county board. Direct it at the manager

[smelmoth]

Not sure he is fixated on McGeeney. He has a view on how the game should be played and how players should be allowed to live (in terms of playing, training, socialising, having a family life and having a career). McGeeney falls, or is accused of falling on the other side of that debate.

Not sure Brolly has got on to the payments debate yet but hopefully he will. He should. Its of a piece with his other points.

I'd agree with all that. But when its one Ulster man taking on another Ulster man, and they know each other, it becomes personalized. Brolly is entirely responsible for that, given his inflammatory language, but the basic points he is trying to make (about overly controlling and demanding managers) are sound. The demands made on players these days are off the charts. It's not going to end, until someone, somewhere calls for a halt to it AND, has the gumption to keep on banging the drum, when its his turn to get it in the neck.

wells lets hope Joe keeps banging that drum.