A lot of talk about Armagh not having the best players in the county on the pitch. Would anyone care to name an alternative Armagh 15 that either didn't start on Saturday or are not on the panel.
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Just from players who have actually played senior inter county for Armagh
Morrison
Morgan Lappin Murray
Hughes McKenna Heffron
Oneill Lavery
O'Hanlon White Rafferty
Clarke Campbell Forker
That is only players I can remember of the top of my head. I would say only Lavery Caolan Rafferty Clarke and Stefan Forker are unlikely be asked / available next year.
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When you look at that list of players and add in long term injured players like Kevin Dyas and players not on the panel for whatever reason like Eugene McVerry and Stephen Harrold, there is a massive drop off in talent in many positions. Of that 15 named above I think you could easily pick eight of them that could have started in Sunday's game and made us better in theory. After last year's relatively successful Championship campaign, I think most of us were excited going into this season, but then we had a number of key players drop off the panel for whatever reason and all of a sudden we are looking at the same situation we've found ourselves in for the last few years. McGeeney has been trying to build a strong panel but it's nay on impossible to do when each year you get some players back and then lose other key ones. However, the players that played in the league did very well and we fans thought that the loses could be managed to some extent.
On Sunday I think we saw a mix of things that keep hurting us and over the last number of years. The drop off in players quality really hit us and it's only really in the Championship that you notice it compared to the League, where teams are trying things out and getting fit. We glided through the league and a number of players did very well, but were poor beyond belief on Sunday.
The team looked like they'd been over coached, with players playing out of position and things just being over complicated by McGeeney. The opposition had better tactics than we did and were able to follow their game plan. There have to be major question marks over him at this stage. The turnover in players doesn't help him, as I don't think that at any point he's had his best squad of players to chose from - but that can be said for a lot of counties so that can't be an excuse, especially against Fermanagh and their player resources. This is the fourth year in a row where we've been so bad in the opening round and lost, that it's difficult to make excuses for him anymore. I don't a lot of the players played anywhere near to their ability against Fermanagh and this is another theme that keeps popping up. The basics of the football are forgotten in big games in Ulster.
I do believe that some progress has been made and that some good players have been discovered that wouldn't have gotten near the team had everyone been fit and available. The qualifiers will be seriously tough and should we draw someone like Mayo or Tyrone our season could be over like that and I don't know where we go from there.
[/quote]
Just from players who have actually played senior inter county for Armagh
Morrison
Morgan Lappin Murray
Hughes McKenna Heffron
Oneill Lavery
O'Hanlon White Rafferty
Clarke Campbell Forker
That is only players I can remember of the top of my head. I would say only Lavery Caolan Rafferty Clarke and Stefan Forker are unlikely be asked / available next year.
[/quote]
When you look at that list of players and add in long term injured players like Kevin Dyas and players not on the panel for whatever reason like Eugene McVerry and Stephen Harrold, there is a massive drop off in talent in many positions. Of that 15 named above I think you could easily pick eight of them that could have started in Sunday's game and made us better in theory. After last year's relatively successful Championship campaign, I think most of us were excited going into this season, but then we had a number of key players drop off the panel for whatever reason and all of a sudden we are looking at the same situation we've found ourselves in for the last few years. McGeeney has been trying to build a strong panel but it's nay on impossible to do when each year you get some players back and then lose other key ones. However, the players that played in the league did very well and we fans thought that the loses could be managed to some extent.
On Sunday I think we saw a mix of things that keep hurting us and over the last number of years. The drop off in players quality really hit us and it's only really in the Championship that you notice it compared to the League, where teams are trying things out and getting fit. We glided through the league and a number of players did very well, but were poor beyond belief on Sunday.
The team looked like they'd been over coached, with players playing out of position and things just being over complicated by McGeeney. The opposition had better tactics than we did and were able to follow their game plan. There have to be major question marks over him at this stage. The turnover in players doesn't help him, as I don't think that at any point he's had his best squad of players to chose from - but that can be said for a lot of counties so that can't be an excuse, especially against Fermanagh and their player resources. This is the fourth year in a row where we've been so bad in the opening round and lost, that it's difficult to make excuses for him anymore. I don't a lot of the players played anywhere near to their ability against Fermanagh and this is another theme that keeps popping up. The basics of the football are forgotten in big games in Ulster.
I do believe that some progress has been made and that some good players have been discovered that wouldn't have gotten near the team had everyone been fit and available. The qualifiers will be seriously tough and should we draw someone like Mayo or Tyrone our season could be over like that and I don't know where we go from there.