Antrim Football Thread

[Milltown Row2]

yet to see the seniors with a full team this year, hard to assess how we will fair in our first match. Cargin will be gunning to stop us but so will everyone else, Creggan woud love to meet Cargin while St Johns would not fear St Galls.

Lamhs have good players and will do well

[A Quinn Martin Production]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/8881047.stm

Bradley commits future to Antrim

Antrim boss Liam Bradley has ended speculation linking him with the vacant Derry managerial post by committing his future to the Saffrons.

The Derry native had been touted as a possible replacement for Damian Cassidy whose resignation after two years in charge was announced on Friday.

Bradley has a further year of his Antrim contract to run and said he would honour that commitment.

"I intend to stay for the full three years of my contract," said Bradley.

The Glenullin man's two years in charge of the Saffrons have seen them reach their first Ulster final since 1970 and win successive promotions in the National League.

Bradley had indicated an interest in the Derry job two years ago but was overlooked in favour of Bellaghy man Cassidy.

The Antrim boss did not rule out the possibility of managing his native county in the future.

"It's not that I don't want to manage Derry, but it's not for me at this present time," he told the Irish News.

"I'm building a team in Antrim and we feel we're going places - that's where I'll be next year," he added.

Other names linked to the post include John Brennan, Brian McIver, Damien Barton and Niall Conway.

Among those from outside the county who may be considered are Malachy O'Rourke and Seamus McEnaney.

[bannside]

Fair play to Baker and his backroom team. A brave move to stay and good to see that they think there is more mileage with our group of senior players. And after genuine progress in years one and two, this declaration is a positive sign that they still really believe in us.

No doubt the fact that in at least one game we really put it up to Kildare (we could have snatched a win in Newbridge but no doubt we were outclassed in Casement) and we beat Down in a fairly recent competitive challenge game, will have swayed their decision. One of these teams will have a great chance of winning the all Ireland!

Year Three will be harder, probably by a distance. The challenge will be to consolidate our position in division two, while at the same time keep enough up our sleeve to be competitive in the c`ship as well. Last year we gave all to the league, and personally I thought we had very little left to offer in the c`ship. Definitely looked very tired despite a massive effort in Newbridge.

A big and interesting season awaits, good luck to all concerned!

[NAG1]

Think the Baker is being cute too, no one wants to touch that Derry job currently they are going nowhere and have too many average players with big ego's.

Another decent season with Antrim will do his stock alot more good than going in and under-performing in Derry. Think he is smart enough to realise this!

[glens abu]

I think that you are selling Antrim short. Antrim do have a good panel of players. Antrim have not beaten a team of any note in the past two yrs, and in the big games have come up short. Infact Antrim have not won a game since march i think. Because you have done poorly for so long (over the years) you are now happy with any progress, which is understandably, but I think you are at a stage where you need to push on and have the players to push on but Bradley IMO won't be able to do it for you.

Have to agree with that,think Baker may have taken us as far as he can but hope I am wrong.

[SambaSaffron]

I also believe he may have taken us as far as he can. He has his positives, like installing belief in the players obviously, but in some aspects of management he is lacking. His man-management seems to be poor. I also believe the way he introduced the St Galls lads last year even though we had been doing very well up to it won't have helped team morale. And, with all due respect to the St Galls lads, I don't think they could have been as focused for Antrim after such a long year. I don't blame for that at all, but I think it was shown in a way by the fact we only won one game after their return. I think they should have been given a longer rest, maybe til the end of the league.

Man Marker, I kind of agree with what you are saying, but we did beat Donegal in Ballybofey, which was a huge result for us. The Cavan performance was excellent, we didn't perform against Tyrone. We were the better team against Kerry, who went on to win it. The league progress has been good, but its all about Championship and this year we didn't perform. Having said that, Kildare's progress has shown we aren't too far away, I think our performance in Casement was just an off day for us and in Newbridge we matched them quite well.

If Kildare go on to win it, that'll be 2 years in a row we've been beaten by the winners, after giving both a major scare. 2nd best team in Ireland? 

[NAG1]

How am I selling Antrim short?

My point was it would be in Bakers best interest, not neccessarily Antrim's though I do have to say that I believe they are one in the same thing on this.

Maybe would be an idea to add someone to the back room team from a recently successful team ala Aidan O'Rourke (although I would safely have slapped him that night in casement if I was on the pitch, running on every two seconds). I think that may help to lift the atmosphere again another level.

[bannside]

Good point Nag. The manager really is just a figurehead at times, dealing with the media and delegating out various roles, fitness, coaching, welfare etc. Ultimately he will get the credit or the blame, but a top notch backroom team is vital to have any chance of success. See Antrim hurlers as prime example. Or Mc Ivor/Tally as backup in Down.

Hopefully Niall stays on, players like him and wee Paddy too. But there is no point in them all doing exactly the same as before. Things will need freshened up or it will all get stale very quickly. Baker a good football man, been round the block, so he wont need to come on here for any advice. They have kept the faith, its up to the rest of us to back it all the way and hope for the best.

Not to say we cant have an opinion though.

[imtommygunn]

If he is reading I have one request...

Can we please have a half forward line next year?!

[bloodybreakball]

here here

[bannside]

We also need natural scoring forwards who make the right runs, show all the time, can make the ball stick, can score, but as important, who will also play as a unit instead of a bunch of individuals.

One important aspect of team play is to give the ball to the man in the best position, and how many times last year was there clear cases of selfishness. I know of one prominent player who left the panel because he says two forwards in particular simply would not pass the ball. He pointed this out to me several games in advance, and I clearly saw his point.

To be honest this is a basic aspect of team play, but was a big problem at times last year. Are our matches not videoed or analysed? Things as basic as this should not be a problem at this level!

[imtommygunn]

He must be too used to watching Derry and Glenullin to notice Bannside

I'm glad Baker is staying on. I'd like to see us being more positive though.

Baker can't manufacture natural scoring forwards if we don't have them(we do have a few though) but I'd be hopeful he can make the best of what we have with a game-plan involving half forwards.

Division 2 perfect place for us to learn too.

[SambaSaffron]

Anywhere online where I can bet on this weekend's Championship games?

We should do some sort of tipping thing on here.

[Milltown Row2]

Anywhere online where I can bet on this weekend's Championship games?

We should do some sort of tipping thing on here.

I started a thread on the Gaa discussion thread. 'Club Championships' paddy power have betting on who'll win their club championships in all counties. they usually have betting on club games on a weekly bases

we are 1/7 and Cargin are 7/2 to win Antrim

[SambaSaffron]

Anywhere online where I can bet on this weekend's Championship games?

We should do some sort of tipping thing on here.

I started a thread on the Gaa discussion thread. 'Club Championships' paddy power have betting on who'll win their club championships in all counties. they usually have betting on club games on a weekly bases

we are 1/7 and Cargin are 7/2 to win Antrim

Aye I seen that, not really much value in the winners though, especially since theres no e/w betting. Seems to be match betting on every county except ours this weekend.