Wee James Is The New Down Manager

[wobbller]

Would it be fair to say that if Pete stands for the job, wee James won't stand against him?

Why so?

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Would it be fair to say that if Pete stands for the job, wee James won't stand against him?

Why so?

Well I'd have thought that James would have a great regard for Pete having played for him for so long with so much success (although Down people do say that Pete "lost the dressingroom", not sure whether that included James). Itwould be fiarly understandable if James didn't want to stand against his old manager. For example, none of the Meath players would stand against Boylan in the last few years for the same reason, Colm O'Rourke being very adamant on the subject.

[orangeman]

RTE WEBSITE :
Pete McGrath has refused to rule himself out of the race to succeed Ross Carr as Down football manager.

McGrath previously managed the Mourne County for 13 years, during which he guided the county to All-Ireland success in 1991 and 1994. He admits that he would consider a return to the hot-seat if people thought he still had 'something to offer.'

The current Down Under-21 boss said: 'If the situation was such that people thought I had something to offer, then it's something that I would have to seriously consider. It would be unfair to look beyond that at this stage.'

Meanwhile, former star forward James McCartan wasn't giving anything away when he was asked if the vacancy would interest him.

McCartan, who won two All-Ireland medals under McGrath, insisted that his entire focus at the moment is on managing Ballinderry, who were re-instated to the Derry SFC following a successful appeal on Tuesday night.

'Anything said about me in relation to the Down job is pure conjecture,' he said in the Irish News.

'My absolute priority right now is the Ballinderry senior team. We only got back into the championship last week.'

[Trevor Hill]

Any bookies giving odds yet?

[borderfox]

what about greg blaney whats he at nowadays? the best man for the down job would be banty IMO

[Trevor Hill]

He has had a lot of success 

[orangeman]

Pete should be favourite IMHO.

[orangeman]

Seriously though - has Paddy Kielty been ruled out?

Too busy. Can't afford him anyway.

[saffron sam2]

Are you saying thats easy and anyone could have done it?

Orior the golden rule is that players win games and managers lose them.

Except of course in Antrim, where the reverse is true.

A couple of years too early for the Pooch I think. Jody Gormley would be available, but youse are unlikely to go outside the county.

James Beag would be a sound appointment.

[fred the red]

Jody done well with the Abbey...also he trained down in the past, and he has won in croke park.

Dont rule him out!

[irunthev]

Jody done well with the Abbey...also he trained down in the past, and he has won in croke park.

Dont rule him out!

If Down's ambitions can't stretch beyond Jody then they have real problems. What Down need at this moment is a proven, experienced manager who can command the respect of the players he has and get the very best out of the talent available to him. I think Jody would fall well short on several of that criteria.

[Orior]

Jody done well with the Abbey...also he trained down in the past, and he has won in croke park.

Dont rule him out!

If Down's ambitions can't stretch beyond Jody then they have real problems. What Down need at this moment is a proven, experienced manager who can command the respect of the players he has and get the very best out of the talent available to him. I think Jody would fall well short on several of that criteria.

I doubt if Mickey Harte is interested

[Brick Tamlin]

i hope whoever mentioned the name pooch (poucher) on this thread was having a laugh...if thats the way we're thinking then some boyos in Down havent a notion.

I wouldnt have mc grath near it in a million years.
Too early for wee james too (remind me of his successful managerial cv again).

has to be outside the county for me, complete clean slate, no bias, no grudges, no agenda.
But since our county board are a sham, devoid of any shrewd business acumen allied with the serious lack of cash then its likely it will be Pete or James.

on a separate note can someone even name 5 good young up and coming managers in Down football these days??

[thewobbler]

on a separate note can someone even name 5 good young up and coming managers in Down football these days??

This would be a problem in any county, let alone in one where the Senior Championship has become a procession.


There's plenty of young managers around though, off the top of head:

Gerard Colgan (Loughinisland)
Declan Morgan (Saval)
Stephen Poacher (An Riocht)


Terry McGivern  / Glen Elmore (Ballyholland)
John Kane (Kilclief)
Tony Wilson (Clann na Banna)
Tom Morgan (Tullylish)


Are those all well under 40.


Eamon Burns (Darragh Cross) and Richard Starkey (Downpatrick) would be young in management terms.


James McCartan and Cathal Murray aren't 40 yet either.


There's more than a few big names acting as selectors across the county too.

[antoinse]

Ah JHC lads what are ye thinking? The only person that got players moving in the past 10 years and nobody has even mentioned him. I speak of the great Dónal O'Neill, surely he is the most obvious choice