Official Meath Manager Thread

[The Konica]

O'Rourke won't ever take it.
Nothing to do with Shane, just too much to lose and little to gain from it.

I'd agree with Jinxy watching Giles at work. Perhaps he's a shrewd selector, but as a coach I'd not promote him that quickly.

Sean Kelly could be a good move, but for Meath they need a ruthless attitude and it needs to be an internal choice too. Meath are one county that should have a man with a ruthless enough attitude to turn the county around.

Someone mentioned Gerry McEntee and I'd be interested to see if he goes for it.
I think as a manager he'd be good, once he surrounded himself with the correct people and I think knowing the man he'd be astute enough to do that.

Kernan would have been the perfect choice had he not gone to Galway, but his stock has fallen and the gloss has gone from him. Same for Grimley. I'm not sure Grimley is held in as high an esteem as he once was. His reign in Monaghan wasn't exactly glorious - in fact some would suggest they went backwards once he came in. Anyway, he'd never go as a number one.

It's all pointless anyway. It'll be an internal appointment.

[Declan]

Declan - why do you (and others) think O'Rourke wouldn't take it?

A number of reasons - I don't think he'd get the carte blanch he'd want from the CB and I'm not sure whether he'd have the appetite needed  to do what is in essence a full time job. Funnily enough talking to a few people they think the game has moved on and he's too old school - I don't agrees with that argument though. He said in the past he wouldn't take it directly after Boylan left but I think maybe now it's too late.
 

[agorm]

There are a number of suitable candidates, I just hope that the process is moved on swiftly with an appointment before the end of October.

[Hound]

I personally think this is O'Rourke's time.

He has said he wants to manage Meath at some stage. He didnt want to do it directly after Boylan, and he didnt want to do it when Shane was on the fringes. Now that Shane is pretty much guaranteed a starting spot, there are no more excuses. Time to step up to the plate.

[JMohan]

I personally think this is O'Rourke's time.

He has said he wants to manage Meath at some stage. He didnt want to do it directly after Boylan, and he didnt want to do it when Shane was on the fringes. Now that Shane is pretty much guaranteed a starting spot, there are no more excuses. Time to step up to the plate.

I'd question that. He's good, but with no pace he'll always struggle against quality opposition.
I'd think those seats in Donnybrook are far to comfortable to be moving from!

Maybe Meath could tempt Tommy Lyons?

[meathie]

eh no Tommy Lyons thanks. O Brien is pretty gutted at what happemed by the sounds of things. but it seems to me that alot of clubs hadnt taken the vote to get rid of him...dunno enough yet. I would hope Gerry Mc might give it a go, think Id prefer him to O Rourke. Im sure there'll be some more recent ex players thrown in to the hat too but dont think they'd be ready for it yet.

[meathie]

By Colm Keys


Wednesday September 08 2010

On the night after Meath's controversial Leinster final win over Louth in July, delegates to the county board huddled tight together in a function room in the Teach na Teamhrach public house between Navan and Trim, a sense of anticipation rippling among them.

TV cameras were stationed outside; laptops were open and ready for action inside. Like the delegates, they waited. And waited.

Upstairs, the members of the Meath management committee thrashed out the pros and cons of offering a replay to their neighbours. That meeting lasted more than two hours, the divisions evident in such a lengthy deliberation.

Stake

The delegates continued to wait, appreciating what was at stake, knowing how it had to be teased out. Word would be with them soon enough, though, and they'd have their own say.

When the management meeting eventually broke up some 70 minutes after the main meeting was due to get under way, the main officers took their positions. Chairman Barney Allen immediately announced that there would be no discussion on the drama of the Leinster final.

No opinions were allowed to be aired, no consensus to be established. The clubs of Meath -- the lifeblood of the county's GAA scene -- had been sidelined. Business carried on as usual as the biggest issue of the summer's GAA championships was parked.

The following night at the same venue, the same management committee met and signed off on the matter. There would be no replay. Full stop. Taking everything into consideration, they were Leinster champions.

The courtesy of conveying the decision to the full county board didn't happen. Maybe that was the management committee's call to act with such independence from what should have been the main decision-making body. But it didn't go down well with those who had waited on the previous night, those who felt they should have had a stakeholding in such an important process. And they remembered it.

Some weeks ago, the same delegates gathered for the next board meeting. It was eight days after the defeat to Kildare and there were rumblings of discontent in the air over the team management issue.

"Will we be allowed to discuss that this time?" one delegate shouted up to the top table with a strong helping of sarcasm. He was assured they would.

However, after that day the Meath management committee met and proposed a year extension for Eamonn O'Brien, without having the promised discussion.

This time the same delegates sidelined in July were having none of it. This time, they weren't going to be railroaded. Of the 29 votes that went O'Brien's way, it must be presumed that 13 were from the members of the management committee present on Monday night. Effectively, the clubs decided by a 2:1 majority that a replacement should be found. In essence, this was as much a vote against the county board's management as it was against the team management itself.

Does that make it the correct decision? Of course it doesn't.

What it does is set an incredibly high standard for the next man. In successive years O'Brien brought Meath to an All-Ireland semi-final and an All-Ireland quarter-final. A first Leinster title in nine years, albeit with an asterisk over it, was picked up, as was a first championship win over Dublin in nine years -- topped by five wonderful goals.

The argument about the journey to these points on the map can be made, but if this truly is a results business then the destination is all that matters.

What Meath delegates have said, apart from their distaste at the way the top table is going about its business, is that such a standard isn't good enough.

In Kildare, Kieran McGeeney has brought his team to an All-Ireland quarter-final and semi-final over the last two seasons, the reverse of Meath's achievements. In Kildare they wouldn't countenance McGeeney's departure.

True, O'Brien's tenure was damaged by the departure of Sean Kelly as team trainer after just one year. It followed Colm Brady's departure after a similar length of time the previous year. Kelly and Brady are rated among the best home-grown physical trainers/coaches in the county. Neither stayed long.

Some delegates aired the opinion that reactions on the line on the day of the Leinster final and the All-Ireland quarter-final had been too slow. They didn't make a substitution until after the 60th minute against Louth and some players were left in positions for too long against Kildare. But does such micro-analysis warrant a sacking? If such criteria are applied then there'll be an appointment process at the end of every season, after every defeat even.

The decision to remove O'Brien also makes it clear that the clubs in Meath don't think much of their Leinster title. Perhaps if the board management had allowed some discussion in July on the matter, they may have established such a mood was prevalent.

O'Brien is the first sitting manager of a provincial championship-winning side to be dismissed in such summary fashion since Brian McDonald in Mayo, in 1992 -- when the players made the heave against him. Mickey Moran's departure from the same county 14 years later was also cloaked in the suspicion that he was asked quietly to leave, having delivered a Connacht title and reached an All-Ireland final.

The decision in Monaghan to bat back Seamus McEnaney's proposed three-year re-appointment has again pulled the rug from a management committee. But in both counties the standards being set by such decisions won't be reached easily.

Faraway hills look an awful lot greener in September.

- Colm Keys

Irish Independent

[lynchbhoy]

people are reading into Kelly and Brady's departures a ittle too much.
Brady left as he had to try to grow his personal business and I doubt if it was much more than that. Most of the meath team still train under Brady anyhow at his place.

Kelly is as stubborn as O'Brien and both of them are number 1 managers, they cannot really be as effective if they have to be an underling and if the role was reversed and Kelly was in charge, he would prob not take much heed to what a selector would say either.
Not saying O'Brien was right but the buck stops with the manager and he has to go with his own judgement. Kelly will get his chance, not sure if it will be this time, but he has a lot of exp under his belt - even at 42 or 43 years old.

Was never convinced by Colm O'rourke but he has had a lot of success in schools and maybe its time to get off the pot...though in fairness to him he is never touting himself..

Am also still not convinced by how good his son is - at least not yet. I'd prefer Queeney at FF.

Kelly, Davy Nelson would be my two front runners in pref.
Would be interested to see how O'Rourke would get on.
Gerry Mc is a brilliant motivator and leaves no stone unturned. However, very surprisingly, he is not ruthless enough just yet. Off the field he is the nicest man you could meet and is too forgiving as a manager/selector. If he could tap into his old footballing streak he would be Boylans heir. He is getting there so I dont think now is the time for him just yet. Give o'rourke/Kelly the job and then Mc After this!

[JMohan]

people are reading into Kelly and Brady's departures a ittle too much.
Brady left as he had to try to grow his personal business and I doubt if it was much more than that. Most of the meath team still train under Brady anyhow at his place.

Kelly is as stubborn as O'Brien and both of them are number 1 managers, they cannot really be as effective if they have to be an underling and if the role was reversed and Kelly was in charge, he would prob not take much heed to what a selector would say either.
Not saying O'Brien was right but the buck stops with the manager and he has to go with his own judgement. Kelly will get his chance, not sure if it will be this time, but he has a lot of exp under his belt - even at 42 or 43 years old.

Was never convinced by Colm O'rourke but he has had a lot of success in schools and maybe its time to get off the pot...though in fairness to him he is never touting himself..

Am also still not convinced by how good his son is - at least not yet. I'd prefer Queeney at FF.

Kelly, Davy Nelson would be my two front runners in pref.
Would be interested to see how O'Rourke would get on.
Gerry Mc is a brilliant motivator and leaves no stone unturned. However, very surprisingly, he is not ruthless enough just yet. Off the field he is the nicest man you could meet and is too forgiving as a manager/selector. If he could tap into his old footballing streak he would be Boylans heir. He is getting there so I dont think now is the time for him just yet. Give o'rourke/Kelly the job and then Mc After this!

Schools and SFC are two different stories, (someone also told me Padraig Nolan was the man who started the whole Pat's ball rolling? Correct?) 
His club record with Simonstown is regarded as poor too isn't it? Even with the imports?

Surprised you say Gerry Mc isn't ruthless enough - I'd be socked at that summary!
He never strikes me as the retiring type!
With Brady - what's the reason he left?

[Jinxy]

I personally think this is O'Rourke's time.

He has said he wants to manage Meath at some stage. He didnt want to do it directly after Boylan, and he didnt want to do it when Shane was on the fringes. Now that Shane is pretty much guaranteed a starting spot, there are no more excuses. Time to step up to the plate.

I'd question that. He's good, but with no pace he'll always struggle against quality opposition.
I'd think those seats in Donnybrook are far to comfortable to be moving from!

Maybe Meath could tempt Tommy Lyons?

He has pace to burn.
The lad was out for two years with chronic injury problems.
If he's stays fit he'll be a massive player for us.

[JMohan]

I personally think this is O'Rourke's time.

He has said he wants to manage Meath at some stage. He didnt want to do it directly after Boylan, and he didnt want to do it when Shane was on the fringes. Now that Shane is pretty much guaranteed a starting spot, there are no more excuses. Time to step up to the plate.

I'd question that. He's good, but with no pace he'll always struggle against quality opposition.
I'd think those seats in Donnybrook are far to comfortable to be moving from!

Maybe Meath could tempt Tommy Lyons?

He has pace to burn.
The lad was out for two years with chronic injury problems.
If he's stays fit he'll be a massive player for us.

Pace? you serious?
Or maybe are you saying he has pace and when he gets over his injuries he'll show it or ... he is fast now?
Either way I beg to differ.

[DB_An_Mhi]

I don't think Shane has a lack of pace at all. He usually shows/gets ahead of his man to win ball. Not just based on height, but that quick dash over a short distance. Where he needs to improve is body strength to break tackles and his handling, so as not to be dispossessed easily.

[agorm]

ORourke is a school principal so that would prob rule him out.
McEntee would be great but his job would also prob rule him out.
 
Internal candidates after that:
Harnan would be a good option but the u-16 episode would prob rule him out
Sean Kelly a possibility but said he had study committments when quitting OBrien
Damien Sheridan...face might not fit but has achieved a lot with Sench
Kearney from Wolfe Tones.. a possibility might not be interested or enough profile but would be better than OBrien imo
Darren Fay...outside bet but has not achieved much so far
Trevor Giles....similar situ to Darren
Martin Barry......face probably wouldnt fit with the County Board


External
Joe Kernan....Galway role may have reduced his chances and he may only be good for his home county but I would like him
Pete McGrath ...also a possibility but it is sometimes difficult manageing another county to your own as with Joe Kernan.
 
My own preference if all were available I would pick Joe Kernan with Sean Kelly, Liam Harnan and Damien Sheridan as coach /selectors

[Jinxy]

I personally think this is O'Rourke's time.

He has said he wants to manage Meath at some stage. He didnt want to do it directly after Boylan, and he didnt want to do it when Shane was on the fringes. Now that Shane is pretty much guaranteed a starting spot, there are no more excuses. Time to step up to the plate.

I'd question that. He's good, but with no pace he'll always struggle against quality opposition.
I'd think those seats in Donnybrook are far to comfortable to be moving from!

Maybe Meath could tempt Tommy Lyons?

He has pace to burn.
The lad was out for two years with chronic injury problems.
If he's stays fit he'll be a massive player for us.

Pace? you serious?
Or maybe are you saying he has pace and when he gets over his injuries he'll show it or ... he is fast now?
Either way I beg to differ.

Can't find any clips of him now but he had no shortage of pace when he was younger.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x96Jy3x4__g

[Jinxy]

ORourke is a school principal so that would prob rule him out.
McEntee would be great but his job would also prob rule him out.
 
Internal candidates after that:
Harnan would be a good option but the u-16 episode would prob rule him out
Sean Kelly a possibility but said he had study committments when quitting OBrien
Damien Sheridan...face might not fit but has achieved a lot with Sench
Kearney from Wolfe Tones.. a possibility might not be interested or enough profile but would be better than OBrien imo
Darren Fay...outside bet but has not achieved much so far
Trevor Giles....similar situ to Darren
Martin Barry......face probably wouldnt fit with the County Board


External
Joe Kernan....Galway role may have reduced his chances and he may only be good for his home county but I would like him
Pete McGrath ...also a possibility but it is sometimes difficult manageing another county to your own as with Joe Kernan.
 
My own preference if all were available I would pick Joe Kernan with Sean Kelly, Liam Harnan and Damien Sheridan as coach /selectors

Dudley?