Wee James Is The New Down Manager

[gorm agus bui]

Pete has done himself no favours by bitching about geting poorly treated one week and then looking for the Armagh job the following week.



BTW James Mc Cartan must be fairly smiling this morning with the news that Clarke is coming back.

It is great news but I don't think we should be getting carried away by talking all Irelands and Ulsters

[Cúig huaire]

No one is talking about Ulsters or All Irelands. Survival in Division 2 is all that matters. But its a nice position to be in, a new management team with the right blend of youth and experience, a newly promoted team with a lot to prove, a plethora of underage talent waiting to make its mark on the senior stage and the greatest young player that any of us have ever seen coming home after a 3 year stint as a professional athlete. Things could be a whole lot worse for us.

[Maximus Marillius]

Pete has done himself no favours by bitching about geting poorly treated one week and then looking for the Armagh job the following week.



BTW James Mc Cartan must be fairly smiling this morning with the news that Clarke is coming back.

have to agree entirely with this post.

[saffron sam2]

I heard someone once went into an interview for a manager's job and said "How long is this going to take? I have to be at another meeting at 9."

[The GAA]

he had another interview at 9

[cornafean]

.... in Armagh 

[stew]

"You are a Down man through and through and there is always that wee bit of hope that you can be the man who will bring that success back"

Was James not hoping to play for Armagh at one stage? 

Down man through and through me arse, he couldnt even be loyal to his own club and was prepared to live in a caravan in Burren to make sure he got his transfer ffs. Wee James is a front runner, thats all he is.

[Pangurban]

Agree Pete should walk away with his dignity and reputation intact. We will live to regret losing him

[Class of 99]

Great news for James and the whole county to have Martin Clarke coming back.
Next up is the number 3 shirt which will need to be addressed this year Mckernan is not a defender, any suggestions on who could fill the position.
We need to get a settled defence as early as possible and stick to it.

[thewobbler]

Haven't seen much aside from division 2 this year but over the past 3-4 years the only club full-backs that struck me as having any potential to play county full-back are Gary McArdle (Annaclone), Andrew Kane (Bryansford) and Graeme Johnston (Tullylish). I'd imagine Luke Howard could be a useful enough proposition there too. Most club full-backs n the county iare either big and cumbersome or are slightly-taller-than-average corner-backs.

[Leo]

Haven't seen much aside from division 2 this year but over the past 3-4 years the only club full-backs that struck me as having any potential to play county full-back are Gary McArdle (Annaclone), Andrew Kane (Bryansford) and Graeme Johnston (Tullylish). I'd imagine Luke Howard could be a useful enough proposition there too. Most club full-backs n the county iare either big and cumbersome or are slightly-taller-than-average corner-backs.

Wobbler our total disintegration under high ball pressure in recent years is the biggest failing of Carr & Co., never having really addressed this issue. We need a big physical presence in there even if (like Tyrone and McAnallen) we have to manufacture a full back. Having said that McArdle is worth another chance.

[blewuporstuffed]

Haven't seen much aside from division 2 this year but over the past 3-4 years the only club full-backs that struck me as having any potential to play county full-back are Gary McArdle (Annaclone), Andrew Kane (Bryansford) and Graeme Johnston (Tullylish). I'd imagine Luke Howard could be a useful enough proposition there too. Most club full-backs n the county iare either big and cumbersome or are slightly-taller-than-average corner-backs.

Wobbler our total disintegration under high ball pressure in recent years is the biggest failing of Carr & Co., never having really addressed this issue. We need a big physical presence in there even if (like Tyrone and McAnallen) we have to manufacture a full back. Having said that McArdle is worth another chance.

dont know much about Down football, but in alot of counties, the IC full back wouldnt usually  play there for his club.
In tyrone Justy mcmahon and connor gormley both play further out the field for the club.
converting a decent  midfeilder or CHB might be the way to go

[6th sam]

Haven't seen much aside from division 2 this year but over the past 3-4 years the only club full-backs that struck me as having any potential to play county full-back are Gary McArdle (Annaclone), Andrew Kane (Bryansford) and Graeme Johnston (Tullylish). I'd imagine Luke Howard could be a useful enough proposition there too. Most club full-backs n the county iare either big and cumbersome or are slightly-taller-than-average corner-backs.

Wobbler our total disintegration under high ball pressure in recent years is the biggest failing of Carr & Co., never having really addressed this issue. We need a big physical presence in there even if (like Tyrone and McAnallen) we have to manufacture a full back. Having said that McArdle is worth another chance.

dont know much about Down football, but in alot of counties, the IC full back wouldnt usually  play there for his club.
In tyrone Justy mcmahon and connor gormley both play further out the field for the club.
converting a decent  midfeilder or CHB might be the way to go

Have seen Johnson,Tullylish-looks an excellent player,albeit in Div 3.I think we need to look to increase the overall size of our full back line-not just no.3.Very much like the forward line ,you can get away with 1 small defender,as long as he is pacy and intelligent,but the other 5 defenders ideally should be 6ft+.The argument about manufacturing full backs is a strong one-Conor Deegan,Cormac McAnallen,and more recently the McMahon's are examples of this.
It's a pity the Rookie squad concept never took off-ideally you could target certain players with the athletic ability and height,work on their conditioning,technique and give them match time at rookie level,rather than have to throw them in at the deep end,and then discard them if they appear not to cut it!
When you consider how the AFL players develop physically,could we target the physically light but otherwise talented members of minor and u21 squads,and get them on a conditioning/nutrition program,rather than discard them.I imagine that's an area James will want to explore.

[tyrone86]

Don't kid yourselves lads, No.3 Dan McCartan.

[passedit]

Don't kid yourselves lads, No.3 Dan McCartan.

i'D like to see him tried at 6 myself, but I fear that the sheer volume of begrudgers in this county (no more than tyrone armagh derry etc) will mean continued exile for him.

On a not entirely unrelated (pun intended) note it will be interesting to see how the Clarke brothers get on as I don't see John making the starting 15 (too slow).