Sammon-Stay or Go?

[Duine Eile]

Since he took over from Peter Forde we don't seem to have made one iota of progress. Both seasons we've started the league brightly but fallen short at the end, we still haven't managed to win a game in Croke Park since 2001 and we're no closer to finding 2 decent midfielders and our displays against Sligo, Mayo and Donegal this year were abysmal, no game plan, no tactics, lads had no idea where hey were playing or who they were meant to be marking. So the question is should he be kept for another year as per his contract or shown the door? Seems he wants to stay on himself:

From Hogan Stand: Sammon eager to continue


27 July 2009

Liam Sammon expressed a desire to continue as Galway football manager after their All-Ireland qualifier loss to Donegal.

2009 has proven to be a disappointing year for Sammon after he guided the Tribesmen to a Connacht title at his first attempt last year.

"I would like to see Galway football improve and continue to improve and if I can help in any way in doing that, I will do it," he said.



Reflecting on Galway's second one-point defeat in six days, he added: "A few things turned the game, we had chances but we conceded too many soft frees.

"That's football, we gave it our best shot and couldn't ask for more from the players. We gave everything out on the field - we were unfortunate.

"I felt maybe there was a few times we could have pushed ahead. When we got the two points ahead, I felt maybe there was a greater opportunity to move further ahead.

"In fairness to Donegal, they kept on fighting and at the end of the day maybe they deserved it."

[mouview]

Go. He has certainly improved the team since Ford left. However he seems tied to the past / old ways and hasn't showed that he can vary his tactical approach or get the best out of his players, who in fairness are better than they have shown in recent games. He seemed to have his favourites (Fiachra, Niall) at the expense of other players who were worthy of getting a chance and he alienated many of the latter.

It's not all Sammon's fault though; the present crop of footballers simply aren't good enough. Of the team that started v Donegal I'd  consider only Hanley, Bradshaw, Armstrong, M Meehan, Conroy and *maybe* Nicky to be above average, all the rest are ordinary and simply no better than they should be. D Meehan and the great PJ have been wonderful servants for the cause but their time is probably past now. Coleman and Bergin are great, honest workers but the former's distribution is wicked and the latter's fundamental skills are quite often shocking. I think we need more than ever, and maybe the hurlers too, a shadow squad to help transition good or promising minors into senior players. How many of the '07 minor AI team were on the squad? Only Conroy, Tomas Fahy (a hugely talented player who really needs to be pushed) and JJ Greaney I think.

Ironically I have heard Galway been criticised since as being too fancy and not steely enough, exactly the opposite charges were levelled at Ford during his reign.

[GalwayBayBoy]

The football board haven't a bean so there will be no search for an outside manager anyway. Kevin Walsh is a cert to be in charge sooner or later but he's committed to Sligo for another year so that rules any move for him out. So they will almost certainly give Sammon another year IMO.

Liam is a lovely man and an excellent technical coach if you wanted to teach a group of lads the fundamental skills but his decision making has left an awful lot to be desired. Whether it be in team selection or tactical decisions during games. The management have made one blunder after another this Summer. I don't think this Galway team are quite good enough to win an All-Ireland but with the talent there they should at the very minimum reach the last 8 in the country.

They lost two games by a single point and in such tight games you cannot afford poor decisions on the sideline whether it be before or during games. Galway seem to have no gameplan or defined style of attack or defence. It just looks like a bunch of lads thrown on the pitch and told to score at one and and keep them out at the other end. This is grand during the league when it's played at 60% pace and the natural footballing skills of Galway players (which they do have) mean they can often run rings around teams and embarrass them when given space to do so. But when teams are going 100% in the Summer you can't rely on just turning up on the day and playing a bit of ball and hoping it works out.

[SLIGONIAN]

The football board haven't a bean so there will be no search for an outside manager anyway. Kevin Walsh is a cert to be in charge sooner or later but he's committed to Sligo for another year so that rules any move for him out. So they will almost certainly give Sammon another year IMO.

Liam is a lovely man and an excellent technical coach if you wanted to teach a group of lads the fundamental skills but his decision making has left an awful lot to be desired. Whether it be in team selection or tactical decisions during games. The management have made one blunder after another this Summer. I don't think this Galway team are quite good enough to win an All-Ireland but with the talent there they should at the very minimum reach the last 8 in the country.

They lost two games by a single point and in such tight games you cannot afford poor decisions on the sideline whether it be before or during games. Galway seem to have no gameplan or defined style of attack or defence. It just looks like a bunch of lads thrown on the pitch and told to score at one and and keep them out at the other end. This is grand during the league when it's played at 60% pace and the natural footballing skills of Galway players (which they do have) mean they can often run rings around teams and embarrass them when given space to do so. But when teams are going 100% in the Summer you can't rely on just turning up on the day and playing a bit of ball and hoping it works out.

Give him a few more yrs with us...deal? remember ye turned him down to yer minors so i wouldnt say he was too happy about that.

Strange yr for ye, lost yer way after the mayo league game.

[INDIANA]

Go. He has certainly improved the team since Ford left. However he seems tied to the past / old ways and hasn't showed that he can vary his tactical approach or get the best out of his players, who in fairness are better than they have shown in recent games. He seemed to have his favourites (Fiachra, Niall) at the expense of other players who were worthy of getting a chance and he alienated many of the latter.

It's not all Sammon's fault though; the present crop of footballers simply aren't good enough. Of the team that started v Donegal I'd  consider only Hanley, Bradshaw, Armstrong, M Meehan, Conroy and *maybe* Nicky to be above average, all the rest are ordinary and simply no better than they should be. D Meehan and the great PJ have been wonderful servants for the cause but their time is probably past now. Coleman and Bergin are great, honest workers but the former's distribution is wicked and the latter's fundamental skills are quite often shocking. I think we need more than ever, and maybe the hurlers too, a shadow squad to help transition good or promising minors into senior players. How many of the '07 minor AI team were on the squad? Only Conroy, Tomas Fahy (a hugely talented player who really needs to be pushed) and JJ Greaney I think.

Ironically I have heard Galway been criticised since as being too fancy and not steely enough, exactly the opposite charges were levelled at Ford during his reign.

Coleman and Bergin won enough ball for Galway to win those matches. So I don't agree there. You rarely get enough players on any team that have the full complement of skills. I wouldn't worry too much about distribution if they can get the ball in the first place- which they did in spades. Scanlon from kerry isn't dead eye dick with his distribution either but he's largely stopped trying to hit 40 yard passes and he was quite effective against Antrim because of it.
In my view Galway have a lack of tactical awareness on the line. They also have too many similar forwards. Galway's half forward line is their biggest problem. They lack a couple of Galvin type characters who can win the breaks, kick a score and track back.
I actaully don't think they are a million miles off, but they have no tactical appreciation. You can't play conventional 15 on 15 even at club level anymore.

[An Fhairche Abu]

The football board haven't a bean so there will be no search for an outside manager anyway. Kevin Walsh is a cert to be in charge sooner or later but he's committed to Sligo for another year so that rules any move for him out. So they will almost certainly give Sammon another year IMO.

Liam is a lovely man and an excellent technical coach if you wanted to teach a group of lads the fundamental skills but his decision making has left an awful lot to be desired. Whether it be in team selection or tactical decisions during games. The management have made one blunder after another this Summer. I don't think this Galway team are quite good enough to win an All-Ireland but with the talent there they should at the very minimum reach the last 8 in the country.

They lost two games by a single point and in such tight games you cannot afford poor decisions on the sideline whether it be before or during games. Galway seem to have no gameplan or defined style of attack or defence. It just looks like a bunch of lads thrown on the pitch and told to score at one and and keep them out at the other end. This is grand during the league when it's played at 60% pace and the natural footballing skills of Galway players (which they do have) mean they can often run rings around teams and embarrass them when given space to do so. But when teams are going 100% in the Summer you can't rely on just turning up on the day and playing a bit of ball and hoping it works out.

Give him a few more yrs with us...deal? remember ye turned him down to yer minors so i wouldnt say he was too happy about that.

Strange yr for ye, lost yer way after the mayo league game.

Not to pull you up Sligonian but this has already been pointed out as false:

From Ray Silke's Galway advertiser column of 2nd July this year:
"On a different point it was very surprising to read in Monday's Irish Independent that Kevin Walsh had been overlooked for the Galway minor job. That story came as a surprise to most people. None more so than Walsh himself, who confirmed to me yesterday that he did not attend any interview last year with the Galway Football Board for the minor manager's position."

As for whether Sammon stays or goes I don't think that the players are there to be honest, sure people were complaining when Ford had us that we were playing "puke" football and we were too rough, now we are gone back the other way, with nice and tactically naive football again?
Neither reign has got many great results, the one constant has been the same core group of players mainly.

[joemamas]

personally I hope he succeeds just not at the detrement of Mayo. Saw him interviewed a few times after games this year, seem like a classy individual. You can hardly blame him for the body language  (at least in the first half)of some of Galways stars last week V Donegal.

[corn02]

All a bit fishy isn't it?

[Rossfan]

Will they be known as "Sammon chokers" from now on? 

[Farrandeelin]

Will they be known as "Sammon chokers" from now on? 

Class.

[Duine Eile]

Liam is a pure gent, have met him on a couple of occasions and have nothing but the height of respect for him but I think this year he's proven that a good coach doesn't automatically mean a good manager. Questions also have to be asked though of the men he has on the line with him. At the end of the day the buck stops with the manager but surely the selectors should have some input, the decision to send on Fiachra in the Connacht final for example, surely at least one of them had an opinion on that, also Deccie Meehan named at no. 15 that day and the positioning of Sean Armstrong so far out the field.. As has been said already I think he'll be there next year, the county board haven't a red rex and the word is the job is Kevin Walsh's whenever he wants it so Liam will be there for another year at least IMO.

PS. thanks for the Mayo and Ros viewpoint lads, much appreciated. Sammon chokers indeed.  

[myball22]

If Sammon is there next year maybe they could shake up the backroom team and get some more tactical awareness into the team and at least have a gameplan that we should try to implement come next summer. Like what was said previously it ain't 15 players against 15 anymore, we have to adapt or lose out.

[muppet]

The football board haven't a bean so there will be no search for an outside manager anyway. Kevin Walsh is a cert to be in charge sooner or later but he's committed to Sligo for another year so that rules any move for him out. So they will almost certainly give Sammon another year IMO.

Liam is a lovely man and an excellent technical coach if you wanted to teach a group of lads the fundamental skills but his decision making has left an awful lot to be desired. Whether it be in team selection or tactical decisions during games. The management have made one blunder after another this Summer. I don't think this Galway team are quite good enough to win an All-Ireland but with the talent there they should at the very minimum reach the last 8 in the country.

They lost two games by a single point and in such tight games you cannot afford poor decisions on the sideline whether it be before or during games. Galway seem to have no gameplan or defined style of attack or defence. It just looks like a bunch of lads thrown on the pitch and told to score at one and and keep them out at the other end. This is grand during the league when it's played at 60% pace and the natural footballing skills of Galway players (which they do have) mean they can often run rings around teams and embarrass them when given space to do so. But when teams are going 100% in the Summer you can't rely on just turning up on the day and playing a bit of ball and hoping it works out.

Give him a few more yrs with us...deal? remember ye turned him down to yer minors so i wouldnt say he was too happy about that.

Strange yr for ye, lost yer way after the mayo league game.

Not to pull you up Sligonian but this has already been pointed out as false:

From Ray Silke's Galway advertiser column of 2nd July this year:
"On a different point it was very surprising to read in Monday's Irish Independent that Kevin Walsh had been overlooked for the Galway minor job. That story came as a surprise to most people. None more so than Walsh himself, who confirmed to me yesterday that he did not attend any interview last year with the Galway Football Board for the minor manager's position."

As for whether Sammon stays or goes I don't think that the players are there to be honest, sure people were complaining when Ford had us that we were playing "puke" football and we were too rough, now we are gone back the other way, with nice and tactically naive football again?
Neither reign has got many great results, the one constant has been the same core group of players mainly.

I'd monitor this closely AFA, next year he will claim that Walsh is in fact from Sligo and accuse ye of poaching him. As an interim solution I suggest he does a few years with Mayo first, maybe underage. You know like, to give him a bit of experience.

[HowAreYeGettinOn]

Regardless of results, Sammon has Galway playing to their strengths again. Forde's intentions were good (I think) but his approach made Galway very dour to watch and didn't help the confidence of their forwards - the Westmeath debacle being the nadir of that. Under Sammon Galway are at least worth watching again.

Of course many Galwaymen don't care what their team is like to watch if they're not winning. But they only lost to Donegal & Mayo by a point. They're not far away from being dangerous again.

As a Mayoman I'd point to our similar year in '08; we lost to Galway and then to Tyrone by a point, and thought we were going nowhere. Twelve months on, we're making progress, with a decent chance of making the All-Ireland semis.

I think Galway should hold on to Sammon. The team is young but I'm convinced that they're going to do something serious in the next two or three years, as the likes of Hanley, Bradshaw and Paul Conroy hit their primes. Sean Armstrong looks like he's well on the way back too, they were terrific scores he took the last day against Donegal.

Yes, they haven't found the new Kevin Walsh, but they do have Joe Bergin, and they always do enough around midfield to give them a platform to win. Bottom line : Galway look in better shape than they did two years ago. Changing the top man now looks like the wrong move imho.

[heineken_on_tap]

Has Walsh already proved himself to be a top class manager or something? First year managers often do well the real test usually comes in year 2, 3 and beyond(if they are not already sacked that is)