http://www.hoganstand.com/Cavan/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=154755
Obviously heard alot about him. Huge experience. What are the thoughts from posters familiar with him?
Quote from: hardstation on September 09, 2011, 11:49:34 AM
Quote from: boojangles on September 09, 2011, 11:48:36 AM
http://www.hoganstand.com/Cavan/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=154755
Obviously heard alot about him. Huge experience. What are the thoughts from posters familiar with him?
God help him.
Good help Cavan ;D He'll have Seanie Johnston catching balloons for training!
Well the journos in the local media will be delighted. There'll be no shortage of quotes and stories...
Now, progress on the football field is another debate.
"The Ridge county" ? ? ?
Brazil nuts
Players talking to each other in a dark room
Walking along a plank over a skip and 'emptying' your negative thoughts into it
These are the 3 gimmicks i've heard of, im sure there are many more
Wouldn't surprise me if theres plenty of Feng Shui about Cavan over the winter ;D
He'll bring a defeatist attitude and will start throwing points all round him in the league! Piss samples every training too!
Quote from: whiskeysteve on September 09, 2011, 12:39:04 PM
Brazil nuts
Players talking to each other in a dark room
Walking along a plank over a skip and 'emptying' your negative thoughts into it
These are the 3 gimmicks i've heard of, im sure there are many more
Wouldn't surprise me if theres plenty of Feng Shui about Cavan over the winter ;D
I remember something about an upside down McDonalds sign and a penny or 5p performance, passion, pride, blah blah.
Ahh, auld Beefer. He's a breath of fresh air sometimes, with his positive thinking and all that, but man, he talks some shite too ;D
The good thing is that if John Morrison is talking to the players on the pitch before the match and the manager of the opposing team runs up behind him and hits John a big shoulder charge dunder in the back, John doesn't move but just glances behind him with a 'What was that supposed to be?' look making the opposing manager appear very silly.
Quote from: drici on September 09, 2011, 02:30:53 PM
The good thing is that if John Morrison is talking to the players on the pitch before the match and the manager of the opposing team runs up behind him and hits John a big shoulder charge dunder in the back, John doesn't move but just glances behind him with a 'What was that supposed to be?' look making the opposing manager appear very silly.
Caffrey and his players made tits of themselves that day.
Quote from: BennyCake on September 09, 2011, 03:16:06 PM
Quote from: drici on September 09, 2011, 02:30:53 PM
The good thing is that if John Morrison is talking to the players on the pitch before the match and the manager of the opposing team runs up behind him and hits John a big shoulder charge dunder in the back, John doesn't move but just glances behind him with a 'What was that supposed to be?' look making the opposing manager appear very silly.
Caffrey and his players made tits of themselves that day.
If you could relive a day out of your life, that would be up near the top of the list for me!
If ye could only have ended the 2006 season that evening .. ;D ;D
Quote from: Moortown Spuds on September 09, 2011, 01:08:32 PM
He'll bring a defeatist attitude and will start throwing points all round him in the league! Piss samples every training too!
The Cavan lads are well used to having the piss taken out of them at this stage.
I think there Cavan could do a Fermanagh on it this year.
Dont think things will go well atall >:(
Quote from: whiskeysteve on September 09, 2011, 12:39:04 PM
Brazil nuts
Players talking to each other in a dark room
Walking along a plank over a skip and 'emptying' your negative thoughts into it
These are the 3 gimmicks i've heard of, im sure there are many more
Wouldn't surprise me if theres plenty of Feng Shui about Cavan over the winter ;D
He probably need something bigger than a skip, maybe a 40 ft artic container.
Lads, why has Morrison never been involved with Armagh?? His home county.
He has been with at least 6 counties in some shape or form that I know of but not his native?
Quote from: Rossfan on September 09, 2011, 03:57:27 PM
If ye could only have ended the 2006 season that evening .. ;D ;D
If only indeed, you wouldn't be able to have those emoticons sure you wouldn't.
Quote from: Take Your Points on September 09, 2011, 06:40:26 PM
Everybody in Armagh knows Beefer too well. Even POR would have been preferred to Beefer.
So that's why he never got a shot with Armagh?? You all know him too well? (!) ???
Quote from: ck on September 09, 2011, 06:25:44 PM
Lads, why has Morrison never been involved with Armagh?? His home county.
He has been with at least 6 counties in some shape or form that I know of but not his native?
He was assistant to Jim McCrory with Armagh in the early to mid nineties - before the two Brians took over.
Quote from: Take Your Points on September 10, 2011, 01:11:45 PM
Quote from: Throw ball on September 10, 2011, 01:46:22 AM
He was assistant to Jim McCrory with Armagh in the early to mid nineties - before the two Brians took over.
One of the lowest points in the history of Armagh county football probably the worst after the period prior to Gerry O'Neill taking over from 1976.
So what is the word in Armagh on Morrison? Is he just an extravagent bluffer? I spoke to an ex Leitrim player last year and he he reckoned he was "an acquired taste" !
An awful lot of smart asses and bluffers on here.
Not many coaches have had teams compete at the level Morrison has done so regularly.
Derry, Donegal and Mayo all featured in Croke Park at All Ireland level, quarter finals, semi finals or final. For someone so ridiculed that's a fair record..once might be luck, twice fortunate but three times...
And if you go back over those three - Mayo shot themselves in the foot getting rid of them and are only now recovering, Donegal self destructed - as the players now admit and Derry is so political Ferguson would have his work cut out..
A lot of more 'credible' coaches wouldnt come near his record ....
Yeah he has some unique methods esp around mental prep but many many top class inter county players swear by his coaching ability - in all those counties.
And he often is contacted by other counties to come in and take sessions - Cork being one that he was with.....
You guys at the keyboards wouldn't be fit to lace his boots.....
Ive seen Morrison in action and I know of no other coach who can deal with questions from players looking for help with their own game. Many of the players value the work he has done.
He's definitely different but you couldn't question his coaching ability or his knowledge of the game.
Like many good coaches and players, he knows it and isn't waiting for the approval of keyboard experts to take on any job!
Like every coach, he has his strengths and weaknesses but all you gotta do is take what you need for yourself as a player and a team..
Quote from: Give and Go on September 10, 2011, 03:29:53 PM
An awful lot of smart asses and bluffers on here.
Not many coaches have had teams compete at the level Morrison has done so regularly.
Derry, Donegal and Mayo all featured in Croke Park at All Ireland level, quarter finals, semi finals or final. For someone so ridiculed that's a fair record..once might be luck, twice fortunate but three times...
And if you go back over those three - Mayo shot themselves in the foot getting rid of them and are only now recovering, Donegal self destructed - as the players now admit and Derry is so political Ferguson would have his work cut out..
A lot of more 'credible' coaches wouldnt come near his record ....
Yeah he has some unique methods esp around mental prep but many many top class inter county players swear by his coaching ability - in all those counties.
And he often is contacted by other counties to come in and take sessions - Cork being one that he was with.....
You guys at the keyboards wouldn't be fit to lace his boots.....
Ive seen Morrison in action and I know of no other coach who can deal with questions from players looking for help with their own game. Many of the players value the work he has done.
He's definitely different but you couldn't question his coaching ability or his knowledge of the game.
Like many good coaches and players, he knows it and isn't waiting for the approval of keyboard experts to take on any job!
Like every coach, he has his strengths and weaknesses but all you gotta do is take what you need for yourself as a player and a team..
I hope you are right because he is going to have his work cut out dealing with some of the Cavan players. Time will tell.
Thats gas. Wasnt too long ago that the duo were being pilloried. Now Mickey was a guru! Mickey is and was an outstanding coach in his own right but the two together worked really well. Mickey, by his own admission to me, quite clearly stated that John was the best coach he had ever known.
And where Mickey was brilliant at devising great drills John's training was more game based, involved decision making and involved more game related movement - as opposed to drills which by their nature involve straight line running and 'queueing'.
Each had their own methods which complemented the other.
Quote from: Give and Go on September 10, 2011, 07:37:36 PM
Thats gas. Wasnt too long ago that the duo were being pilloried. Now Mickey was a guru! Mickey is and was an outstanding coach in his own right but the two together worked really well. Mickey, by his own admission to me, quite clearly stated that John was the best coach he had ever known.
And where Mickey was brilliant at devising great drills John's training was more game based, involved decision making and involved more game related movement - as opposed to drills which by their nature involve straight line running and 'queueing'.
Each had their own methods which complemented the other.
Maybe the two lads deserve everything you say about them and a bit more besides but, to keep things in perspective, it wasn't a matter of spreading sweetness and light wherever they went. They had their failures too.
Sure, they brought Mayo to an All Ireland final at their first attempt and are due credit for that. But it should also be kept in mind that by the time they got to the final, relationships with the players had become somewhat strained—to put it very mildly.
That's not me on a rant btw; a number of Mayo players went public about this after the 2006 final. David Brady was one and David Heaney was another. There were a number of others.
If you recall, Mayo players created quite a fuss when they decided to do their warm up at the Hill 16 end before the semi final with the Dubs.
Now, the interesting bit was the fact that they didn't tell M&M beforehand. They had decided well in advance to do this but Mickey and Beefer were unaware of their plans until the team headed en masse towards the Hill.
According to some of those who went public, the senior players before the final pleaded with them to put Brady on from the start and not play Jimmy Nallen at CHB.
They knew from '04 that Nallen wasn't quick enough to cope with Declan O'Sullivan and Jack O'Connor knew this too because he insisted in playing O'Sullivan even though he was definitely off-form. It caused a big stir in Kerry because it meant depriving Gooch of the captaincy.
But everyone in the country knew he had the Indian sign on Nallen- everyone that is bar Mickey and Beefer.
The rest is history.
I know M& M brought a lot of positives to Mayo football and they were shabbily treated by the Mayo County Board but I think it's fair to point that they had their detractors wherever they went and many who criticised them felt they had good reason to do so.
Far comment Lar Naparka.
It's also true to say that Brady was always difficult; not only M&M had problems with him - every Mayo manager found Brady to be a handful to say the least. Piry because he prob never realised his full potential.
John Morrison is probably the best gaelic football coach in the business. he has written ground breaking manuals such as " head,hands @ feet, " games for better team play " prepare to win " and " game sense " as well as a conditioned games dvd. He is one of the few coaches who can cover the full spectrum ie fitness work, st @ con , game plans, mental preparation , lifestyle mgmt etc and is a brilliant mentor coach as well as being a totally proficient coach from nursery to senior levels. If you are in doubt go along to see him in action at a county board workshop and witness first hand the sheer brilliance of the man in action. You will not see players doing long laps, everything is with the ball and game related and sessions are sharp and intense and wont exceed 65/70 mins inc w/up and cool down. At county level he conducts 1 on 1 clinics with players before training to " spot and fix " faults etc and each player must pass a hydration test before being allowed participate in the group session. ( this should be interesting in Cavan ) ! Seriously folks, this guy is the real deal so dont knock him if you havnt seen him in action.
Quote from: Take Your Points on September 10, 2011, 06:54:44 PM
What is his record without Mickey Moran who is actually recognised as a first class coach who brought teams to Croke Park?
1980-1984 Derry
1995 Derry
1996-2000 Sligo
2001-2002 Donegal
2003-2005 Derry
2006 Mayo
2009-Present Leitrim
Did John Morrison manage Antrim in the mid nineties?
yes pretty sure he was involved at some stage with Antrim, has anyone used his coaching manuals ? most of the modern day conditioned games come from him, Philip Kerr and Terence Mc williams and have been used extensively by most successfull county and club teams in the past ten years.
Quote from: johnny99 on September 12, 2011, 06:24:56 PM
yes pretty sure he was involved at some stage with Antrim, has anyone used his coaching manuals ? most of the modern day conditioned games come from him, Philip Kerr and Terence Mc williams and have been used extensively by most successfull county and club teams in the past ten years.
:D :D :D :D
name a better coaching manual than any of the above ?
Quote from: johnny99 on September 12, 2011, 07:39:57 PM
name a better coaching manual than any of the above ?
Sorry I thought you had said that Terence McWilliams and Kerr had been used extensively by successful County teams in the last 10 years. Sorry I got the wrong end of the stick.
As for coaching manuals well I could be fairly certain there aren't too many of them down in Kerry!
Quote from: Give and Go on September 11, 2011, 08:20:21 AM
Far comment Lar Naparka.
It's also true to say that Brady was always difficult; not only M&M had problems with him - every Mayo manager found Brady to be a handful to say the least. Piry because he prob never realised his full potential.
It s unfair to say that Brady was difficult. For the opposition maybe, but for a Mayo manager he was a great asset. Just unleash him on the opposition. Any manager that found him difficult should have been watching TV.One of M&M's big mistakes was not starting him in 06 - a mistake first made by Maughan in 04.
I also disagrre with Larnaparka' s take on things. M&M were set adrift by the board as early as midspring in 06 and did well to keep things on an even keel until August. I don t remember players blaming management after and if they did they should be taken with a pinch of salt. The 'Nallen too slow' spin also doesn 't stand up. He was still faster than most inter-county backs, and for years he was fastest by lightyears. But he was left with runners coming through the middle from everywhere and became a convenient patsy.
I dunno how good Cavan can be.I honestly know very little about them.
I do know that Morrisson&Moran's Mayo were a breath of fresh air for likes of me in 06. They were the only ones that belatedly got likes of O Neill and MacDonald ( 2 of the best players we ve ever produced) on the same pitch for a championship. Only this year did we get back close to where we were at in 06 after the disasterous meddling one with a great reputation in the game. 06 was sad mostly because it should what might have been achieved if M&M were around years earlier when we had the players to make that breakthrough.
Morrison @ mickey paid for the floodlit pitch for training themselves as the mayo co board wouldnt pick up the tab ! fact
Always liked Morrison, surprised at the hostility towards him.
Mickey was always a gentleman to his finger tips while Morrison was never afraid to speak his mind. On a one to one basis Morrison did excellent work on improving a players game. Never given credit he deserved - even among his coaching peers who were never shy about using his ideas.
A great man to have on your side and a man to challenge the status quo. Always a players man too without pampering them.
I'm not qualified to comment on Morrison as a football coach however I know of a school where he came in and motivated children who were underachieving and demotivated to attain good A Level results. To a person the students were very positive about an "outsider" who showed them many different ways to meet their potential. If these methods work in a school they may have merit on a football pitch.
Quote from: moysider on September 13, 2011, 10:11:57 PM
Quote from: Give and Go on September 11, 2011, 08:20:21 AM
Far comment Lar Naparka.
It's also true to say that Brady was always difficult; not only M&M had problems with him - every Mayo manager found Brady to be a handful to say the least. Piry because he prob never realised his full potential.
It s unfair to say that Brady was difficult. For the opposition maybe, but for a Mayo manager he was a great asset. Just unleash him on the opposition. Any manager that found him difficult should have been watching TV.One of M&M's big mistakes was not starting him in 06 - a mistake first made by Maughan in 04.
I also disagrre with Larnaparka' s take on things. M&M were set adrift by the board as early as midspring in 06 and did well to keep things on an even keel until August. I don t remember players blaming management after and if they did they should be taken with a pinch of salt. The 'Nallen too slow' spin also doesn 't stand up. He was still faster than most inter-county backs, and for years he was fastest by lightyears. But he was left with runners coming through the middle from everywhere and became a convenient patsy.
I dunno how good Cavan can be.I honestly know very little about them.
I do know that Morrisson&Moran's Mayo were a breath of fresh air for likes of me in 06. They were the only ones that belatedly got likes of O Neill and MacDonald ( 2 of the best players we ve ever produced) on the same pitch for a championship. Only this year did we get back close to where we were at in 06 after the disasterous meddling one with a great reputation in the game. 06 was sad mostly because it should what might have been achieved if M&M were around years earlier when we had the players to make that breakthrough.
I don't honestly think I gave my take on anything. I was only reporting what I took to be common knowledge at the time.
I think M&M got on very well with the players and indeed the Mayo public from the start. Mickey had let it be known that he wanted his players too enjoy the same facilities and respect that were common practice in Ulster.
As I recall things, Feeney wasn't too happy from the outset as he felt the boyos were spending far too much money on their preparations.
Mickey was insisting on overnight hotel stays for away league matches and proper meals for all concerned and Feeney also went public about his unhappiness at the costs.
It was clear that M&M were dead men walking but, to the surprise of all, the championship run began to pick up momentum. M&M had brought "a touch of Northern steel to the Mayo psyche," as Joe Brolly put it.
BTW, I'm sure you recall that the same Joe was very critical of Mickey's playing tactics and basically rubbished Mayo's chances whenever he got a chance to do so.
In the aftermath of the Dublin game, when Mickey was being interviewed, he turned around and faced the camera and directly addressed Joe on some point about fitness levels.
It'd make a cat laugh to see the look on Joe's face when the camera switched back to him in the studio.
By that stage, there were persistent rumours about tensions in the camp as Beefer it seems wanted McDonald to be the fulcrum of attack and to spray the passes out to the corner forwards in the corners.
Poor Mac got an awful amount of stick from the fans for this as he was accused of slowing the game down unnecessarily, whereas it seemed obvious to me that he was playing to the team plan.
Now, I definitely recall Mayo changes tactics in the second half of the Connacht final. Midfield and the backs began to bypass Mac and Alan Dillon was being used to straighten up the line of attack.
Came the Laois encounter and Mickey rubbed Feeney up the wrong way once more by insisting that the game be played at Croker.
Feeney was furious about the cost and would have settled for a neutral venue but Mickey held firm.
Anyway, while M&M were very popular with the masses, I noticed that Mac was being isolated by those around him and Dillon was once more leading the attack.
In the replay I recall one incident where Mac asked Nallen to pass him the ball as they stood side by side around midfield.
Nallen ignored him and dropped it in to Dillon about twenty yards further inside.
'Twas plain to see that Ciaran was unhappy. He threw a hissy fit, as rosnarun would put it but James totally ignored him.
By the end of that game, there was widespread comment that the players were finding it hard to play to M&M's instructions.
I know some of the players were to confirm this later but it was obvious that something wasn't quite right in the camp.
Still, no matter- a win is a win.
Remember the kick about in front of the Hill?
I thought at first that this was a pre-arranged tactic and was part of the master plan but it turned out afterwards that the players had kept knowledge of this secret from the management.
It sure knocked all the fun out of the win over Dublin me as I felt our goose was well and truly cooked before a ball was kicked in the final. What hope could we have if the players and management were keeping things from each other?
Now, as we all know only too well, there's always a spate of rumours from the Kerry camp before each final and the stories of walk outs and bust ups are legendary but in '06 there were persistent reports that Gooch and Dara O'Sé had had a major bust up with Jacko.
Obviously, the Kerry camp denied that there were problems but most Kerry watchers were certain that something was amiss.
Jack did indeed confirm this some time after the final when he had a book published. I'm hazy on the specific details but I do recall him admitting that he had a difference of opinion with a few players. He didn't attempt to deny what was being said all around at the time which was that he brought Declan O'Sullivan back onto the team because Jack knew from '04 that O'Sullivan was too quick for Nallen.
He brought him on to do a specific job even though it meant taking the captaincy from Gooch.
Remember O'Sullivan asking Gooch to lift the cup along with him after the game?
I couldn't see him doing that if his selection had been on merit.
Again, in the months after the game, some Mayo players did mention their fears that Sully was being picked to do a specific job and for that alone.
Now, how much of the above is fact and how much is rumour is not for me to say.
I certainly do recall Mayo changing their tactics in attack as their campaign went along and I do remember Nallen refusing to pass the ball to McDonald who was standing right beside him.
The rest I either read or picked up on the grapevine but the rumours were there to be found and Brady wasn't the only player to air his grievances in the aftermath of that final.
My abiding memory of those times was the dignified manner in which Mickey conducted himself after the board moved to shaft him. He certainly set a standard that wasn't matched by his adversaries.
Is Morrison a sports psychologist? Allot of what has been mentioned above would suggest that he moves in those circles.
Think he is a sport shrink allright.
He is/was a geography teacher.
Check the charter of psychologists on the BPS website to see if he is.
he,s meant to be good i heard but has some whacky ideas
i have seen him coaching nursery, juvenile and senior club and county teams and he is the absolute business. check out his books and also coaching articles in gaelic life and on the leitrim website, attention to detail unreal and solutions for any problem a player may have.
Good interview with him in this week's Anglo Celt
Anyone know where I could get.have any more info on any of his Coaching Books??
his most recent one " game sense " can be bought in parnell park from the coaching dept, earlier ones are very hard to come by as croke park refused to recognize them at the time as he didnt get their permission to write them !try the ulster council maybe ?
I'm intrigued. The man seems a bit of a mystery... He does and says crazy things but no-one is sure if he is a psychologist or not, some say he is a top coach and has written books but no-one knows where to get them. He is an Armagh man but has coached in most other counties.
If he is such a guru and seems to tick more boxes than there are boxes WHY is he not the head man managing a county team somewhere?!
definitely unorthodox but absolutely a quality coach at all levels, he does workshops for the Ulster council and Dublin coaching dept and literally dozens of clubs north and south regularly have him do clinics, advance camps, mentor sessions etc. Sample session from " GAME SENSE " book is on Dublin coaching and games website, it has ten different sessions covering all aspects of gaelic games and is an absolute must for coaches at club and county level.
He does indeed have a degree in psychology and also one in geology. As far as I know he has others too.. A man of great life experiences - ran a youth club in Armagh during the troubles, counselled in schools and prisons.......
Very sharp, and an encyclopediac knowledge of coaching but better still, very practrical and not one who knows the theory but wouldnt have a clue how to conduct a session.
His weakness is possibly that he knows he is good and won't tolerate bureaucracy.
Can be over powering too and maybe too inclined to challenge players who often are not as open as they think they are... he thinks deeply and different!
Inclined to 'take over'; can sometimes go beyond his brief.
They're my opinions from close observation.
Decent guy, much misunderstood and maligned by detractors.
Quote from: Give and Go on September 14, 2011, 11:47:09 PM
His weakness is possibly that he knows he is good and won't tolerate bureaucracy.
Can be over powering too and maybe too inclined to challenge players who often are not as open as they think they are... he thinks deeply and different!
Inclined to 'take over'; can sometimes go beyond his brief.
This wont go down well in Cavan where the Senior panel despite being poor think they are gods gift.
Will be fun seeing how this will pan out :)
I interviewed him once. Nice man, very professional and accommodating. Really intense. However, at the end of the interview I didn't know if I had interviewed him or he had lectured me. Highly articulate and passionate about what he does. Can't knock a man for enthusiasm , espcially when it is backed up with vast knowledge. His ideas are undoubtedily wacky, but I guess that's not news to anyone, so the Cavan players need to be open minded. Ask any Meath player of the Boylan era and they will tell you that here was none wackier than Sean. didn't seem to hold them back any.
Its going to be very interesting as Val is a great guy as well and the set up will be top quality stuff, if the players buy into it they could be a surprise packet next year.Training will be short,sharp and mentally and physically challenging so the bluffers will be rooted out very early ! ( and the boozers ) !!
has anyone got a link to the article in the anglocelt ?
Quote from: johnny99 on September 15, 2011, 10:19:34 AM
has anyone got a link to the article in the anglocelt ?
Were you approached by Tom Reilly about taking this job?
Well, Tom and Val and it went from there.
And what will you be focusing on?
Well the nominal title that Val has given me is head coach.
Are you looking forward to getting your teeth into it?
Yes, for several reasons. I love the sport, I like to think that I always want to bring the sport on, which is a challenge because Cavan have been a county who showed lots of talent and there's huge passion in Cavan. There's a thirst for success. I've known Val through courses for years and when somebody wants you to join them, it's worth responding to. I'm excited by the prospect... Life never stands still, Gaelic's changing so it will be an experience I'm looking forward to.
You're renowned for your attention to the mental side of the game, is that something you hope to bring with you to Cavan?
I'm a great believer, even in my own job working with schoolchildren helping their learning skills and so on, a lot of coaching should be integrated, a whole holistic approach to it. There's his mental state, there's his skill state, there's his physicality, there's his lifestyle management - all of those are all part of the one thing so I'm one of those people who sort of tends not to have things done in isolation.
My own faith is, where the mind goes, the body follows. In life in general, and it's very true in sport, I might do everything I can with a player and he still might not perform, and it's nothing to do with the training. Sometimes it's to do with the fact that his mother's ill or his job's not going well or he hasn't been working on the physical side or he doesn't know what to do properly. His lifestyle management, poor sleeping patterns, poor diet... Those things, so in a sense, I think that those are the things that Val will look to target...
Telling a team what to do doesn't work, it's really a problem-solving exercise. We're all born with the skills to do that but often in life people aren't allowed to do it.
And there have been problems in Cavan, as I'm sure you know...
Aye, I do. I know Cavan want to win Ulster Championships regularly and to start returning to the glory days of the 40s and so on and win All Irelands. The first thing I would do is change the phrase "problem solving" because it's more a challenge.
It's down to the individual what way they feel. I mean, if you're living in Kerry, you're born expecting to win All Irelands. In most other counties, that expectation's not there. Why not, is my argument.
So it's a kind of oppression almost?
You see we're all products of how we think. Life is dominated by two phrases really, I can and I can't. If you look at it, and it's been proven, 95% of all four-year-olds have massive, massive self-esteem. If me and you were standing with a four-year-old in front of Mount Everest, the four-year-old will tell us, "I can climb that". But by the time that four-year-old is 18, the chances of him having huge self-esteem are down to 5%. Throughout their life, they've heard nothing but negative soundbites. "Don't be doing that, that's wrong, I should have done that myself, will you quit that"...
The bottom line is about giving the Cavan boys an approach to living, themselves, as footballers. Ireland to me, in general, is a put-down country, there's a lot of negativity so we're going to have to start thinking positively. Cavan have got phenomenal passion. Cavan have had phenomenal footballers down through the years and still have, I mean their u21s and minors the past few years for example... There are players there like Seanie Johnston, who is in the top ten, maybe top 20 footballers in Ireland. At the end of the day, like anything else, its a matter of getting the best out of people.
When will you get started?
I would imagine somewhere around the end of this month we'll be starting. Id imagine Val will probably want to name a starting squad, because that's his core, no matter what happens. The first thing we probably will do is meet them one to one.
What would that entail?
The day will be spent sorting out where the players think they are and where they want to go and what they need to get there.
Do you expect to encounter players in Cavan with low self-esteem?
Id imagine that's a perception, I'd also imagine the Seanie Johnstons and the u21s and quite a number of players have a good self-esteem about themselves but it's the perception around them on past results that may not have been what they should be.
The starting point is this: if I go to any footballer up and down the country and ask any footballer, what's your main strength, a lot of them wouldn't be able to tell me because they've never heard them. They're told about the things they're not good at. And my argument is, if you don't know your strengths, you'll not live happily because it's through your strengths that you'll actually progress and fix your weaknesses.
So your philosophy is a lot of common sense...
Well there's an old phrase, sure it's only common sense but then common sense isn't common!
What was your general perception of Cavan football before now?
To be fair to you, I don't have a perception of Cavan. That sounds nonsensical, Cavan in the past any time I played them with teams - the most recent one was with Derry, Eamon Coleman was over Cavan - Cavan teams were as hard to beat as any other. If I start talking about perceptions of Cavan, I'm having a perception of Cavan going in and I'm going to find what I wan t to find. I'm not going to go in with pre-conceived notions, which are biased. That's my starting point. It's a clean sheet, I'm going in to Cavan like its a blank canvas and we'll see what happens.
If you dwell
on the past and worry about it, or worry too much about the future, you actually affect the now. Most things are done in the now and most regrets come because you dwell too much on the past and most mistakes are made because you worry about the future.
I think Cavan have a tendency to live in the past...
A lot of current squads are often the victim of what people perceive from the past, which is unfair - nobody has any control on the past. You can certainly learn from the past, but once you've done that, you move on. You could be at a match and ask me for an opinion and you could say "Jesus John, what match were you at?". Because football's only an opinion, when I hear somebody classed as an expert, I tend to avoid it. Because I don't think there are such things as experts.
It's not an exact science.
No, it's not... Often there are unfair expectations placed on the team and at the end of the day, if Cavan ever win an Ulster Championship or an All Ireland championship, it'll not be down to the manager of the day, it's the players who win matches.
I often tell a story to players. People will tell you that every coach wants their players to know what they've to do and if the players know it, they've a great chance of winning. But the way I explain it is this. Every male player has a mother and every male that has a mother often suffered from the following. Mammy was going up the town to shop and she says, "son, you wouldn't wash that kitchen floor for me" so the son dutifully washes the kitchen floor and is excited about mammy coming back to see the floor clean. But mammy comes back and looks at the floor and the first thing she says to the fella is "why didn't you do it right?".
Now that's the classic example of coach and player. Mammy's the coach and son is the player and my argument is, the son knew exactly what he
had to do, wash the floor, and if mammy had just told him, "look, son, you're only doing what you know".
It depends how mammy takes the son now, she could shout at him and destroy him or take him and give him praise him and say that's brilliant, for 90% of the floor you've got it right. Now, I'll show you how to get those corners right. Does that make sense? That's what it's about. So I'm always mindful that the glory I get is nothing to do with winning things, I don't care if the Sam Maguire was set in front of me and someone said, your team won that. I've already had my satisfaction getting there. Every night I go to Cavan will be my satisfaction because every player will know exactly what they have to do to clean the floor. And I'm also mindful that any time a team goes on to the field, they can only do what they know... That's the journey that players have.
So I've no issues with Cavan. Cavan will probably set a goal this year of looking for promotion to Division 2. So we'll have to determine what it will take, and that can be a difficult one, getting players to agree to what it will take, essentially the cost. There's Division 2, there's the cost of getting to it, each player, are you willing to pay a price. Now if all players don't pay a price, you won't get to Division 2.
What in your opinion separates successful and unsuccessful teams?
If you can distil what I've been saying to you, that's what it is. If you do have problem-solving skills, you'll be more motivated to learn more and achieve more.
A lot of people don't achieve their ambitions because they don't really ask themselves do they want them. If you want something, really, you will let no obstacle stand in your way. People that don't want it, you'll hear them saying, "oh that wasn't for me, I didn't like that" and so on...which means you didn't want that in the first place. So that's what I'm saying.
Any player can improve on his skill, team work can be created but the whole notion of self-development such as conditioning skills, life-style management, need to be worked on.
That could be something that has traditionally been lacking in Cavan?
When I go to Cavan, people tell me "Joe Bloggs is a great player".My argument is, that's good, now if you're that great and you're a defender, could you mark Gooch Cooper in Croke Park? That's the player we've to get, players of that level.
We've got to look at the Gooch Coopers and say, right, you're John Morrison playing for Cavan, you want to cope with Gooch Cooper so that you can win an All Ireland, that means you have to match or do better than what he's doing [in preparing].
If you do any less, you won't get there.
Were you impressed with what Val and Tom had to say?
The first thing is that they have a vision and if people have a vision and they're willing to pay the price themselves, they have a good chance. For me, Tom Reilly is very, very committed and has a passion for Cavan and he has a drive in him to get there. Val, obviously second time back, often that can be a bad thing going back to somewhere you've been before, but Val has a passion... It's not a matter of was I impressed, I like to think of it as being on a train and going in the same direction. How far the train goes depends on a lot of other things.
Do you mind the travelling?
I live in Armagh and I'll be travelling up from there. I used to go from Armagh to Mayo and Armagh to Leitrim, so Cavan is the closer of the three. My two jobs, one with schools, going around schools and universities and things like that, and then coaching courses with the GAA, because I am a master tutor with the GAA. Last week I was in Carlow coaching, so Cavan is nothing to me.
Are you confident that it will work out?
Well, I have a wee phrase for myself, and for players, 99.9% or less is always 100% wrong, so you'll only get 100% out of myself. That's all I can give. But I'm excited by it. I don't know what people's impressions are of me but at the end of the day, the players will certainly be made to think about themselves.
It probably is a good time to come in to
Cavan because there are some
very talented
young players there.
Oh, it's an exciting time. My forte is on the pitch and I will be going in asking, is there a Cavan style of play, do the players know it, can they play it, is it being worked on, is there a second and third Cavan style of play we can switch to, do we have a kick-out strategy, do we have sideline ball routines, free-kick routines, tackling routines within the game plans, do we have a language that we can use to communicate on the pitch? So if you
Maybe in the past, I've had a reputation of being different or colourful or whatever but I sum that all into, if you don't understand something, you'll never learn. Players are going in well aware of what they're trying to do and they're expected to have an opinion on it.
Once you understand something, you can only do it in a game if you get it into one of your memory banks. If somebody tells a team how to do something, it never works, they have to live it and visit it, visit it, visit it until it comes into the sub-conscious.
One thing I hear people saying when someone asks what the sessions are like is "different".
What can players expect?
One thing is, I'm very, very confident about what I do, and why I do it and what its for. For example, when we walk into the dressing room, unlike most dressing rooms up and down the country, the session will be on the wall. There will be an emphasis on different things and it will be broken down into different parts, the time spent on each thing... So if you go out on the field and I says "what's the session about Paul?" and you says "I don't know, John", I'll send you back into the dressing room. I don't want you on this pitch if you don't know what you're supposed to be doing.
- Take from Anglocelt, Paul Fitzpatrick
Thanks Armaghgeddon, that just about sums up what Morrison is about and whqat he will bring to Cavan, quality coaching and players should be knocking down the door to get on the panel.
All right Beefer, don't labour the point
Sorry Duffleking, Im not the man himself, just a fan of his methods etc and that article is a good insight into what the Breffni men can expect.
I like the sound of the man, he might be the type of coach we need as I think the mental preperation has been very poor for as long as I can remember. I just hope the players give him a chance and try and listen and learn.
Tried to give a response eariler, but was blocked.
I am not a fan of beefer. I have been coached by Adrain McGuckian, Sean Smith, Eugene Young, Tommy Hall, and beefer is not in the same class.
These guys knew how to put out a team, not just string a long of training drills together. These lads all knew how to motivate a team, and channel their efforts into a winning team. Beefer is full of gimmicks.
He is a self promoter of the highest order. In the past he has claimed he was responsible for johnny Wilkinson's kicking performance in the 2002 world cup, and for discovering Kevin Madden, when he already was a household name due to colleges. WTF
Some of his other innovative stuff is questionable. When Antrim played Cavan in the USFC, he had the Antrim team sitting 5 mins before the game imagining a balloon being slowly inflated between their leg and hand. This was to camly prepared the team, reinforce focus. Meanwhile Cavin are getting pumped up down the corridor. What happened, Cavan had the game won at half time.
He picks up all his stuff from books and repackages it under the john Morrison logo. Even read the anglocelt interview. He is basically saying how great he is. Base on what achievements???
As I have said before. Not a fan
The silence from some of my mates from the Harps is deafening. :P
Beefer is an acquired taste but he is very knowledgeable and he has the mad scientist thing going for him, he definitely is large on hydration and he employs modern techniques but I think that he loses too much in the way of basics and players have been known to be confused at to what they are supposed to be doing.
All in all, short term beefer will do a great job for you, long term, he loses players and they tune him out after a year or so.
Def agree about basics, or lack of them
In two years being coached by him, we never practiced high catching in pressure drills, taclking in pressure drills.
The games that we played were full of crazy stuff. Like the attacking team would only be allow one forward to score. Result, stupid passes, bad team play, and the players knew it too.
The problem that I had with him, was that when you expressed opinions that were contrary to his about one of his drills, his response was that you didn't understand what the drill was about.
What he didn't understand, was that you could see it for what it was, crap drill
I'm torn between thinking this man is a genius and a complete bluffer...
I liked his interview and like the way he thinks but as someone above points out - what has he won?? He has been with plenty of counties handing them out walnuts to play like Brazil and had them walking over skips to empty their thoughts, but where are the provincial c'ships and Sam Maguires?
Quote from: ck on September 15, 2011, 09:25:43 PM
I'm torn between thinking this man is a genius and a complete bluffer...
I liked his interview and like the way he thinks but as someone above points out - what has he won?? He has been with plenty of counties handing them out walnuts to play like Brazil and had them walking over skips to empty their thoughts, but where are the provincial c'ships and Sam Maguires?
Didn't he help Mayo to Connaught championship? We'd like an Anglo Celt cup.
It has been good stuff reading the amalgamation debate. Sounds like stuff we in Killinkere are also chatting about when you are weak at under-age it is tough stuff to keep going alone and then you also have the giving lads a game debate. Looked at the Leitrim website and we are definitely getting a bit of a mind guru. This article is interesting because of the Cavan element at least he rates Givney
http://www.leitrimgaa.ie/coaching_tips.php?s=np&storyid=115&cat=1
The ones about Mt Everest are definitely a bit mad
Isn't Val supposedly a bit of a mind guru as well, I'm fairly sure he's into lecturing in sports psychology or the likes. Reading the above posts that certainly seems to be Morrisons area of specialization. Wonder how that sort of a combination might work
If you get him out to coach mentors in your club he will go through all that child psychology stuff which if you research it is all fact and all the statistics are absolutely correct. As regards not winning c/ships etc there is more to this than having a quality coach. You have to have a quality panel of players,a quality manager @ selectors to select the right players and make the right calls on the line, quality facilities, medical teams and total support from co board etc. Im not so sure Morrison has been blessed with this type of support with a lot of the county teams he was involved with and therefore a lot of the quality work on the training pitch was undermined by a lack of some or all of the above.
I read a few of those and whatever about the man if the Irish News published those articles on the Leitrim website of a Friday instead of that banal and boring rubbish Harte puts in every week I'd be more interested!!!
Johnny 99 Morison is in the house
Quote from: spuds on September 16, 2011, 02:44:08 PM
Johnny 99 Morison is in the house
If it's not him it must be one of his lads... it sounds as though Beefer is getting some serious advertising for his 'talents' for Johnny99. I was just thinking... maybe it's the same person who put the letter in the Ulster Gazzette a couple of years ago complaining about Armagh Harps change of management!! ;D
armagh politics doesnt concern me lads, just expressing my opinion on the subject. What have Armagh harps won in the past 10 years ?
See this buffoon's interview in the Irish News. He says he only coaches for the love of the game. What a load of nonsense!!! There's only one thing that man is interested in and thats cold hard cash!!
He doesnt go sounding out teams they seem to come for him so he must be doin something right
Quote from: Family guy on October 06, 2011, 10:38:41 PM
He doesnt go sounding out teams they seem to come for him so he must be doin something right
You sayin he was headhunted?
edit BC
Conor Mortimer and Paddy Bradley both tweeted in the last hour that he has taken ill today and are wishing him well.
Hopefully he will be ok.
Quote from: muppet on December 02, 2011, 02:15:24 PM
Conor Mortimer and Paddy Bradley both tweeted in the last hour that he has take ill today and are wishing him well.
Hopefully he will be ok.
Heard that myself, seemingly in a bad way. Best wishes to him.
I seen that myself earlier. Anyone have an idea what it is?
All the best to him and hope he makes a speedy recovery.
Beefer had a stroke yesterday. Best wishes to him.
Best of luck to Beefer and hope he has a speedy recovery.
Great piece on " Beefer " in Gaeliic Life " this week, still has his sense of humour intact ! hope the big man makes a full recovery.
According to our county board he will be back training Cavan in January!
Quote from: mylestheslasher on December 10, 2011, 05:17:43 PM
According to our county board he will be back training Cavan in January!
Talking to the great man yesterday - and have to say he looked very well, out and about!
Glad to see it!! :)
Good news, Rufus. Hard to keep a good Brothers' lad down.
At one stage, the Antrim board's website said that he had passed away. Was quickly taken down, obviously after they checked up on their facts.