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The whole thing needs an overhaul.

If things were right the whole lot from Senior Inter county right through to and including the Club All Irelands would be played in one calendar year. And that year would finish in October/November and the whole system would shut down for a couple of months to give all the players counties and clubs a break.

Very strong team that Mayo had out considering there were so many guys on at the end who had played in last years semis. Add is Harrisson, Gibbons, Ronaldson, Sweeney  and Doherty who were player/panelists for the past few years and there weren't really that much new faces on the pitch. A 2 points victory that was hard work as well with the students probably feeling a little unlucky. Still - it's only January so not panicking yet.

Dunno how I missed this thread. The Kerry model makes sure no one needs to transfer because everyone from junior c to senior has a chance of playing for Kerry if they are good enough. Off the top of my head...Kerry All Ireland winning captains who were/are junior club players (ok they may played in a divisional team but still junior club players). Jimmy Deenihan, Pat Spillane, Ogie Moran, Dara Ó Cinnéide, Páidí Ó Sé, Declan O'Sullivan....and others....the system works lads

And More........

Bomber Liston
Jack O'Shea
Paul Galvin
Darren O'Sullivan
Donnachadh Walsh
Shane Enright

and loads more if you want to go on...

Absolutely the system works and not only does it work it gets better County players as well.

I picked Cavan,Tipperary out as examples because they have done the ground work at underage, Cavan are in division two and Tipperary are likely to gain promotion to that division next year however with the way the game has gone their fate at senior level could be decided by how much money they can afford to spend each year.

The final point you make sounds like Mayo have done a business deal of putting a stadium debt on the back burner while can continue to spend as they have done these last four or five years. A situation like that could become a case of short term gain to long term pain.

Lookit - one of the reasons these 2 teams won't be spending as much is because they won't be in the championship that long. Div 1 with a few from Div 2 (but I would exclude both above you mentioned from here) is where it is at when winning provincial and/or getting as far as 1/4 final stage of championship.

Div 1 football is actually like championship now except played in early months. It is seriously tough stuff and the gap is widening as far as I can see. Most Div 1 teams (bar Dublin) actually focus on just maintaining their divisional status because if not they will peak too early.

Winning home games (and an odd one away) is what counts to do this. Realistically that could even get you to a League semi-final spot. Its a fine margin between semi-final an relegation now which again makes it so competitive.

By the way I looked it up again about McEntee and it was confirmed nationally that he will be based out of Dublin and that will be up until MAY looking after 14 of the panel based up there ! So again - I put it back to you that it is not Mayo who are doing the over spend in a big way.

The haves and the have nots. It is not a level playing field.

The same few counties have reached the last four for the last five years it's annual spend for those counties and that supply of cash is unlikely to dry up anytime soon for those sides.

On the other hand if say Cavan,Tipperary were to get in expensive management team have extended run in the championship and spent the same type of cash that the current challengers do now they would likely be in the red for next few years.

I would say it is harder for the likes of Tipp football (I assume that's who you are referring to) because of the cost of running a successful Hurling team. But thats a different matter as successful duel counties must be counted differently.

But going back to the top 4 - well Mayo are in debt up to their neck. Needed a bail out from Croke Park to cover the repayments on the over spend for the stand (unfortunately built in the boom) in McHale park.  To say/assume that they have an unlimited supply of cash is simply incorrect.

I doubt if Roscommon or Armagh got all of their available funds together would be able to match what Mayo will likely spend in 2016 on just their senior team. It's not groundbreaking stuff to know the counties that are challenging for the All Ireland are also the same counties that are spending the most.

Correct - counties that are challenging will be spending a lot more.
Most obviously because they will be in the championship longer - thus extending their spend by probably up to 100%. But I dont see how these 2 points are relevant to this thread.

McEntee, Buckley, Horan And Solan.

Sure if you can't beat them, join them

I know one thing...there'll no be too much Euro left in Mayo by the time them four men are finished with them...and they may well win them SAM but it'll cost them

Dunno about that.

McEntee is there to work with the boys based out of Mayo mostly in Dublin. This will probably happen for most of the first few months. probably up until March or after before these guys are together all the time. This is a money saving cost and what was employed before in other setups - i.e. rather than bringing them down 3 or 4 nights a week etc along with McEntee with maybe Buckley going up a few times to make sure all sides on the same hymn sheet.

Plus Dublin a lot closer for him which is one of the reasons I suppose he came on board.

If you want to go looking for money going to be spent check out the top two i.e. Kerry and Dublin. Also Rossies I would say along with Armagh. Can't see McGeeney sparing it or McStay.

Joe Cannings goal was unbelievable allright.

Personally for me the point of the year was actually a Galway point as well.

Scored by Shane Walsh for Galway against Donegal when he came on. In second half he took the ball up the left wing at pace soloing it on the right foot. And without breaking stride he smacked it over the bar from 40 yards out on the wing with his left foot. Essentially he got tired/bored soloing on his right and decided to put it over the bar with his left. I never saw anything like it considering it was done without him changing or adjusting his pace for the shot.

Admittedly the game was over but it would be great to see that score again. Would anyone have a vimeo or any idea where to see it? I think it was midway through the second half of the 1/4 final.

It doesn't seem to be on YouTube
This was from 2014 and YouTube goes straight to the 98 final afterwards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Xr5uHQRNlA
Galway people obviously indulging themselves
It never gets old.

I haven't seen it on youtube either. And it wasn't in the match highlights (probably because the game was over at that stage). However as far as the score goes I wont ever forget it. Also I think it was Walshs first game back as well since the accident. Someone must remember it. Its some score I can tell you.

McEntee, Buckley, Horan And Solan.

Sure if you can't beat them, join them

What's your point ?

Joe Cannings goal was unbelievable allright.

Personally for me the point of the year was actually a Galway point as well.

Scored by Shane Walsh for Galway against Donegal when he came on. In second half he took the ball up the left wing at pace soloing it on the right foot. And without breaking stride he smacked it over the bar from 40 yards out on the wing with his left foot. Essentially he got tired/bored soloing on his right and decided to put it over the bar with his left. I never saw anything like it considering it was done without him changing or adjusting his pace for the shot.

Admittedly the game was over but it would be great to see that score again. Would anyone have a vimeo or any idea where to see it? I think it was midway through the second half of the 1/4 final.

Wonder how much his missus and kids have though ?

[but Mitchels made the final year before and with a more astute manager might actually have won it.]

Corofin today beaten by a fresher team with, if truth be told, better quality players.

Now that people misread the relative merits of the two teams beforehand, they are using Rochford as a scapegoat to explain Corofin's defeat. Sure Corofin won the AI last year but Mitchels made the final year before and with a more astute manager might actually have won it.
You could say Rochford did well to keep his team in the game for so long considering how much they were being outclassed.

Bit harsh that.
they lost their key player Richie Feeney after 5 mins to that black card. He was their star all through Connacht and it was very harsh on him as the black card was introduced in January and for some reason it was made to apply to a competition that was in progress from the year before. And he had no experience of it as a result.

He was also probably the box to box man to help out with the likes of Connolly and in the final he was clearly pumped up but Eddie Kinsella was unmoved. Anyway its history now but overall there is not much Holmes or any other manager can and could do about those scenarios.

Assuming he now goes on to take the job.Then looking at both Rochford and McStay. 
Well then it's quite possible that both might succeed or equally both could fail miserably as neither have the experience of inter county at the top level.

Only difference of course is the expectations.

Mayo's is probably to be in the final 4 come end of championship.
Ros's is probably to try and somehow get past Sligo in Connacht.

Hopefully mitchels can go on and win the all ireland

Club is very hard to predict.

I recall a couple of years ago when Dr Crokes were continuously winning Munster and the expectation they were under to go all the way. They had proven class inter county players like Gooch, Brosnan, Fitzgerald, O'Donovan and more. But never got over the line.

And this years club competition will be just as tough and hard to call. Possible proven big names returning to contest like Crossmaglen and Nemo. With these back in the frame for consideration anything is possible.

[maybe Mayo county board will not be so quick to appoint him on that performance or maybe the players wont approve.interesting times ahead.]

Corafin had no gameplan there today, maybe they were expecting Castlebar to role over, credit to Castlebar and a very good high tempo all round performance, im sure Corafin supporters are wondering was Rochfords heart in that game today, he was very slow to make changes and when he did they did not work, the team played like they were very poorly prepared and had very little discipline, maybe Mayo county board will not be so quick to appoint him on that performance or maybe the players wont approve.
interesting times ahead.

Yawn ..............