Down Club Hurling & Football

[Hedgehunter]

Is there a man within the county that would have the respect of all the club's and players and would they make themselves available. Something needs to be done about players leaving the panel. And it's understandable why. It's a massive commitment to put in as an amateur tho get relegated to Div 3. We treated mccorry terribly and he was prob the best qualified in the county for the job. Although that Wexford defeat was hard to take in hindsight it was a typical Down result. How many times over the years do Down just not bother to turn up. Give it to someone and let them build from the ground up. What do we have to lose. Apart from the 60s we have competed for 3 years

Yes.. Pete McGrath

[thewobbler]

Is there a man within the county that would have the respect of all the club's and players and would they make themselves available. Something needs to be done about players leaving the panel. And it's understandable why. It's a massive commitment to put in as an amateur tho get relegated to Div 3. We treated mccorry terribly and he was prob the best qualified in the county for the job. Although that Wexford defeat was hard to take in hindsight it was a typical Down result. How many times over the years do Down just not bother to turn up. Give it to someone and let them build from the ground up. What do we have to lose. Apart from the 60s we have competed for 3 years

Yes.. Pete McGrath

You're deluded

[Brick Tamlin]

He's beyond deluded.
Ask Louth players what they make of Pete.Actually ask the Fermanagh boys too.

Wee James to ride in on a white horse next season when the only way is up and gain promotion at first time of asking. All will be well again.

[downjim]

I guarantee Poacher would get the players on board

[Smurfy123]

Conor Deegan along with Poacher as trainer?

Anyone suggesting Pete McGrath hasn't a clue in fairness

Pete has been brilliant for Down but he got the chop from Fermanagh and has already lost the dressing room in Louth

Absolutely deluded

[thewobbler]

To be honest I'm not sure why Conor Deegan would be seen as an upgrade/improvement/change of direction from Burns. His managerial career doesn't suggest so.

Time to leave the class of 1991/94 behind folks. A truly wonderful football team. Indeed football probably came too naturally easy to them for them to understand the limitations of mere mortals. They've nearly all had a stab at management and their successes will never need a second hand to count up. Let's remember them as players.

[Smurfy123]

Deegan probably the last of the 91/94 left that's why I suggested him

Know very little about him
Who else is out that could come in?
Any outside man is probably what is needed?
Wobbler what do you think

[thewobbler]

Deegan probably the last of the 91/94 left that's why I suggested him

Know very little about him
Who else is out that could come in?
Any outside man is probably what is needed?
Wobbler what do you think

Seeing as we haven't had a local coach win a Down SFC in a hundred years (who was the last one?), we haven't had any success at minor or u21 level for a decade, and it's genuinely impossible to think of a Down coach apart from Poacher who's made strides with any club outside Down, or any other county team, then it kind of has to go outside.

That said, Conor Laverty clearly has a grasp of the whole equation, and along with Steven Poacher would be an interesting combination. f**k knows if they could even work together, but there'd be no shortage of enthusiasm and coaching excellence.

[Smurfy123]

Good shout wobbler
Laverty in a few years I would imagine he will play for a few years
It's about time poacher got a go at it

[Brick Tamlin]

 anyone care to enlighten us what issue is with poacher and county board.

[Smurfy123]

I just think they don't like what he does along the line
Results don't lie get him in
The current management team will still be there in 2019 mark my words

[Brick Tamlin]

 The county board don't like what he does along the line.. that's it? Must be more to it than that.

[thewobbler]

I just think they don't like what he does along the line
Results don't lie get him in
The current management team will still be there in 2019 mark my words

I'm not so sure. Paddy O'Rourke had the full backing of the executive in 2006 but it still wasn't enough (which to this day is why I'll tell anyone who listens, that the clubs are the county board, even if they don't believe it).

Poacher and the county board is a personality clash. Nothing much more complicated than that. His heart-on-the-sleeve, say-whatever-the-f**k-comes-into-your head approach to football just doesn't sit well with some of our more traditional county board stalwarts.

[Smurfy123]

Anyone else hear about a bit of unrest in the Down changing room?

[Dubh driocht]

Sunday was disappointing but as has been noted, the overall performances are better than last year. Fermanagh and Clare last year were brutal; nothing has come close to that this season. Down are a confidence team; when we are confident, like Derry away in the league and Armagh/Monaghan ( first game) last year, we perform. However, more savvy teams have spotted that an early goal ( or two) can torpedo us. So to allow a one on one situation with Meath's first attack was careless; and to follow that up with allowing a direct overlapping attack in for another goal was criminal.
We have a stronger team this year and for that, Burns and Murray deserve some credit. What if any impact has Adams made ? Is he still there ? We seem to have loads of people running up and down the sideline, including the county secretary, but I'm not clear on their roles. With the number of players who have left the panel it is clear that man management is not good.
I cannot fault the effort and commitment of the players. While there may have been some individual mistakes, I have not seen any player not trying his best. I think we can beat Tipp and you can't underestimate how much Louth would like to relegate Meath but if we escaped relegation by some fluke ( like last year) it's papering over the cracks.
Ulster has become a province of three divisions; Tyrone, Monaghan, Donegal in one, Cavan, Armagh, Fermanagh in two and Derry, Antrim and ourselves in three. It's now ten years since a team from outside the top three has won Ulster and I don't see that changing soon.
Going forward I agree with identifying Laverty as an essential part of any management outfit; love him or loathe him, he demonstrates what we need to succeed.