Antrim Football Thread

glens abu · April 09, 2013, 03:37:19 PM

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on April 09, 2013, 03:33:42 PM
fight fight fight fight!!

Now Milltown you know it's no fight,just winding these boys up lol,and it's fairly easy

NAG1 · April 09, 2013, 03:55:23 PM

Embarrassing stuff all round really

glens abu · April 09, 2013, 04:02:29 PM

Quote from: NAG1 on April 09, 2013, 03:55:23 PM
Embarrassing stuff all round really

Agree alright he should have more wit.

Corkey22 · April 09, 2013, 06:35:36 PM

Its hard to question both McCann and Scullion's commitment to Antrim, as its been 100%, being 2 of our most consistent players. But from what I've heard of Dawson he's been fairly reasonable with players and personal issues etc.. So its hard no to think that theres more to the story, seems pretty bizzare!

Simon Says · April 10, 2013, 01:25:05 PM

So the county board, have defended dawson, i take this as tomas and tony wont be available for championship?

Jeepers Creepers · April 10, 2013, 02:01:17 PM

Had heard that prior to this, some had approached the CB about Dawsons management tenure !?

brendanbelfast · April 10, 2013, 02:23:24 PM

Simon - I don't think that's necessarily a correct inference to make.

bannside · April 10, 2013, 03:34:40 PM

A messy and deeply frustrating time for anyone involved in the best interests of Antrim Football. There is a core of genuine dedicated followers who really thought we had seen the end of division four for good. There is another extended group of followers who come out on the sunny days, and they too expect better, much better, than what they have been getting.

There are three parties to this, and each has a key role to play in getting us out of this quagmire. The County management committee must know that what we are being served is simply not anywhere near good enough. They should have the capacity and the resolve to deliver better.

The players who have made simple mistakes, experienced defenders who gifted goals which coat us vital points. Free takers who missed easy frees that also would have won us a point in a game that ended in a draw, (which would have kept us up) or players who consistently fail to safely deliver 30 yard foot passes which is "bread and butter" for inter-county players. These mistakes are not acceptable at this level. No one can blame the management for that.

The management simply must put its hands up too and get to the root of why players are not performing to their ability. Why are so many complaining about "confidence" issues. Why is the support play so dismal. What has been done to get players back into the squad that are tried and tested at this level. Those are questions I would expect any manager to ask himself.

That's three parties than can play a big part in sorting this mess out. Each one should look in the mirror before passing responsibility. By self electing to perform at this level there is a requirement to do so.

otbar · April 10, 2013, 03:38:10 PM

Frank Dawson has lost the respect of the players - im sure many of you are hearing it. He had a meeting with chairman last night.
Be interesting to hear the outcome. General consensus is get him out. Its been a miserable year - do we continue to possibly the worst championship defeat is decades?
The players are not there esp losing the two mccanns and scullion - the weakest and most inexperienced team for long and many a day and by god it showing on the score.

Milltown Row2 · April 10, 2013, 04:05:17 PM

Quote from: otbar on April 10, 2013, 03:38:10 PM
Frank Dawson has lost the respect of the players - im sure many of you are hearing it. He had a meeting with chairman last night.
Be interesting to hear the outcome. General consensus is get him out. Its been a miserable year - do we continue to possibly the worst championship defeat is decades?
The players are not there esp losing the two mccanns and scullion - the weakest and most inexperienced team for long and many a day and by god it showing on the score.

5 months!!!

otbar · April 10, 2013, 04:12:50 PM

Well if this damage is done in 5 months just imagine what a year would cause. I understand that he is a fellow clubman but its black and white.
Tell me are you content for this to progress like this or a good shake up is required? Dawson is out of his depth - he took a Burren team that had two
fantastic u21's team and in turn could of managed itself. This is not a personal attack on the man but if you put yourself in the role then you have to take the rough with the smooth.

manballandall · April 10, 2013, 04:18:08 PM

Quote from: otbar on April 10, 2013, 03:38:10 PM
Frank Dawson has lost the respect of the players - im sure many of you are hearing it. He had a meeting with chairman last night.
Be interesting to hear the outcome. General consensus is get him out. Its been a miserable year - do we continue to possibly the worst championship defeat is decades?
The players are not there esp losing the two mccanns and scullion - the weakest and most inexperienced team for long and many a day and by god it showing on the score.

Does your comment highlighted above not say it all ?....this is hardly dawsons doing. He is doing his best with the hand that he was dealt. Do you really believe it is his managerial skills that have led to our downfall?....do you think another manager would have better success?. Woulod bringing another manager innow ensure success in the championship....Is it a case of players dictating again?

bannside · April 10, 2013, 04:18:49 PM

That's too broad a stroke Otbar. In fact some of the players I have spoken to recently are totally fine with him, including some of the more experienced players. That's not to say there isn't a lot of negativity about, and yes, there are some players who haven't had a great experience during FD`s tenure to date.

We had three goal chances in the last 15 minutes away to Sligo. I would have expected at least one or two of them to have been finished off. Don't start me on Wicklow. And while we could have lost to Fermanagh, we missed enough chances to win three games.

If ONE of those chances had been converted, we would not be having this digital conversation.This needs to have some balance. Some of the players need to look in their own mirror before passing the buck. That's far too easy.

Give me a player who find faults with the management, and then put that players own "form" up for discussion. That would be the fair way to do this. You`ll maybe find there are not too many volunteers!!!

And to be fair to FD he hasn't once come out and blamed the players, or those who walked away, or those who didn't come to the trials at all.

He has had a nightmare of a start though, and the true test of his management will be IF he can turn this debacle into some kind of worthwhile performance against Monaghan in 8 weeks.

Simon Says · April 10, 2013, 04:38:42 PM

He needs to get himself to club games the next few weeks and bring in replacements, the hunger, work rate isnt there! it is a disgrace! He needs to try and coax a few of his club mates back.

Rasharkin Gael · April 10, 2013, 04:40:43 PM

FD cant be blamed for everything! Two midfielders who couldn't time a jump against Meath, shocking finishing against Sligo, half backs who push up the field looking for scores and cant be bothered to get back! Players carry a lot of the responsibility for the last few games. Loughrey, Sweeny and Micks absence really has shown up alot of our other players as even more mediocre than already thought. Always found FD to be a very approachable and level headed guy so really cant understand what has happened with the TS and Tomas affair, there must be more to that story than the Irish Snooze related.
There is no magic wand that is going to turn this team around. Antrim produced very little in the way of quality players in the last 6/7 years and by the displays of our U21 and minor teams recently that is not going to change, but to knee jerk and dismiss a manager of Fd experience a few months into his tenure would be madness.