Messages

Congratulations to Lavey. A derry team has yet again won this. How much stock can we really put in an average Lavey side winning an unofficial minor tournament? A lot of people getting carried away.

In my option it is totally wrong for one man to run round promising the same job to Donnelly a few years back when Mc Erlain finished and to another outside man now in Gallagher. How is it a fair process if the deciding committee picking is endorsing a candidate application along with 3 others that the ignored clubs have suggested.
This man has been at the helm of Derry's demise in the last six years. In any other walk of life , should he be allowed to stay trying to sink our ship.

Smith?

Any truth in the rumour Enda Gormley wanted support to apply at the last minute with Mickey Moran as mentor, but he couldn't get the buy in from Glen?

In the next life, I hope I have the confidence of Peter Doherty continually applying for the Derry vacancy.

[We all know how that turned out]

rawhide, Jonny was involved with fermanagh along with Malachy o'rourke. He was successful with Galbally despite what you say. He's Derry to his core and will bring a level of integrity and professionalism. More importantly, as a people manager, he has a presence. It is utterly inconceivable that we are even thinking about taking in a mercenary that fermanagh cast adrift.

Johnny Mcbride might turn out to be a great choice but he would be a massive gamble because of his inexperience in management. The last time I heard the phrase "he has great ideas about how the game should be played " was when Kenny Dalglish was general manager of Celtic and he appointed John Barnes as head coach. We all know how that turned out. You also say he's Derry to the core yet he must be retired from county football for at least 12 years and to my knowledge he hasn't been involved in development squads, minor, u20 or u21. He has taken galbally and Loup for short spells. I think a real problem in Derry football is the ego of ex players who don't want to serve any kind of apprenticeship to bring teams through to senior. Micky Harte, Jim gavin, Jim mcguinness and Peter Keane are all examples of quality senior county managers who have it in the hard yards and served their apprenticeship. Having said all that if he's appointed I'll wish him good luck and support him.

Barnes was manager of Celtic for 29 games, winning 19. A win ratio of 65%. Before Henrik Larson got injured that season they'd won 13 out of 14 games, scoring 43 goals and conceding only 3.

So I'd wager it would have "turned out" a lot better had the best player ever to play for Celtic been fit for the full season. Your analysis is maybe better in the EPL.

Derry's last two managers have got us relegated consecutive divisions. Given what's gone before him, I'd take a win ratio of 65%, wouldn't you?

I think it's a disgrace McErlaine is in any position to be picking a panel. The guy should have been sacked in April when we got relegated; or sacked in June when we went out of the championship without a whimper. Derry are a laughing stock.

As an outsider looking in- The problem that Derry have is the untapped potential they have in the City.
They have almost 100,000 people (mostly nationalist) and that's huge numbers that they could get players from. (If they really pushed it).
If they were to put serious money into coaching in the city - the schools / primary schools clubs etc - say maybe 10/15 full time coaches just in the city. In 8/10 years time they would have massive rewards - as the potential there is massive.
However there is no desire within the county to do that/ they would prefer to spend money on other things./ complain about Celtic Park and make excuses that it's a soccer town. (Things like that can be changed) -   As a Tyrone man I say long may it continue, but to me it's a pretty obvious solution as it could increase their player pool massively in the future.

An absolute disgrace a few years ago when the county board refused to allow Derry city to make some accommodation to play their games at Celtic Park. They had to play Home managed in Buncrana instead.

Some way to win favour with the soccer supporting masses in the city.

Guys originally not picked should go nowhere near the squad if approached now.

And what exactly would that achieve at this stage of the season you clampit?

He has made an almighty hames of the panel.

Anybody who is being contacted now is clearly deemed below the u21's in terms of selection. Few questions:
• How does he explain their initial omission from McKenna / league to them?
• Was he really in a position to refuse the services of Danny Heavron or Emmet McGuckin?

He was involved with the county minors until late September.
• How many club league / championship games could he really have seen last year?
• Does anybody really think he has a full dossier of the top performing club players in Derry from the last 12-24 months..?
• Does anyone at county board level have this level of detail?

Perhaps we should just postpone entering county teams in competitions until Conor Glass comes back from Australia, and we can allow ourselves to hope again.

[I picked a panel and those two lads weren't on it]

Anybody the decency to resign yet??

Report from the Irish News on 30th January:
"It [promotion] was very hard from the start. This was one of the big fixtures, Westmeath are a good side and they'll be up around the top for sure.

"We have to look after ourselves. The fixtures will come at us and we're going to these away grounds and they'll be very tough matches.

"We're light in terms of the men we have but if you talk about what we have today, it's frustrating because we didn't win the match with the squad we have.

"It doesn't matter who's missing. It doesn't matter that we lost Benny and Terence from the team we named on Thursday night – that's this time of year, it's hard to get 25 men from Thursday to Sunday."

The lightness of his squad has led to heightened questioning of the decision not to pick Danny Heavron and Emmett McGuckin as part of his panel. Asked why they had been left out, McErlain replied: "I picked a panel and those two lads weren't on it."

Weren't deemed worthy enough of a place in a team getting relegated to Div 4. Guys originally not picked should go nowhere near the squad if approached now.

[Postie]

You can add Emmett McGuckin on to the list of absentees - also not called up

So far Lynch, Kielt, Heavron, McGuckin.

Wonder what goalkeepers are on panel, was Postie asked back?

Don't know how a starting player can go from main player to not needed within 2/3 months. I know all managers will have difference in opinion on certain players but to not make a 30-40 man panel is some drop.

The only way that lad should be let through the gates of Owenbeg again is if he's rebuilding them. That's if his ego can fit through them.

What's wrong with giving the Slaughtneil keeper a shot?

Are we really to believe that two goalkeepers who have played more senior games for Derry than their clubs are the best in Derry?

McErlaine is out of his depth.

Hell slap it up you.

What would your own solutions be?

Step 1: Pick a panel of your best and most talented players

As an example, are the two best goalkeepers in Derry teenagers? Have they ever achieved anything at club level? We had McKindless last season who played for Derry in the championship last season before appearing for ballinderry.

We are a joke of a county. Teams look at us now and think they have 2 points in the bag.

Hi Thomas, didn't know you posted on the board. I'd still have Hartin and McKindless there before you.. But that still doesn't mean they're up to the standard. They're just better than you.

I just think the county probably  has better keepers than the 3 of you.

Are we really to believe that two goalkeepers who have played more senior games for Derry than their clubs are the best in Derry?

McErlaine is out of his depth.

2015 Division 1 Final
2016 Relegated from division 1
2017 Relegated from division 2
2018 Relegated from division 3


One sad, sad day.   I guess the only way from here is up ...

Your dates are wrong. It was the 2014 League final. They were relegated from Div 1 in 2015. Almost relegated from Div 2 in 2016 after a defeat by Armagh on the last day.

Still, we need to have a serious discussion about the county structures in Derry.

To be fair - McEralin sounds totally shattered in an interview on BBC -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/northern-ireland/43535473

He should have resigned

Just in from Armagh and although Derry lost this was a much improved performance against a good Armagh side. Derry led by 2 at the interval and this was with Armagh scoring a fortunate goal after the ball had come off the post. Great to see the  Slaughneil players back.  It would be wrong to attribute the improved performance to their presence as none of them started and none of them were on during Derry's dominant first half period. Anyway predictions of dire outlook for Derry football are a bit premature as there was plenty to be positive about tonight

You must be on the team bus home

Derry deserve to be in Division 4 after their showing this season.

Relegation from Div 1 = understandable
Relegation from Div 2 = questionable
Relegation from Div 3 = inexcusable

Until they have a coherent strategy at county level, they don't deserve our support.