Mickey Harte slams Down football legends

[western exile]

A friend of mine owns one of those DeLorean things. He has just come back from the future on a trip.  He happened to mention that he got to chating with Mickey Harte in 2050.  Anyways....  the conversation inevitably got around to talking about Gaelic Football.  Harte was lementing about the way the game was being played mid century. "It was not like that in our day at the beginning of the century", remarked the elderly living legend.  "It is too negative these days. In our day", he continued "we averaged 17.6 points per game – hardly the return of negative footballers.  Furthermore, tackles came from any angle and from players wearing any number.  It must be the global warming", he concluded, "the modern game is not as good as the way we played it".   

[ONeill]

IMO, Cavan from 33-52 were the greatest Ulster threat. Then Tyrone 2003-?, then Down 1960-68.

[Son_of_Sam]

One thing we have more of in Down, is humility, we may have produced the greatest team ever to come out of Ulster, but we acknowledge that Cavan had won 5 AIs before we even won an Ulster.

Humble indeed. 

And is it really that significant to acknowledge the order in which counties have won titles?

& Mayo had 3 All-Irelands before Down had any, it is clear that Mayo & Galway brought football forward in their great clashes of the 1930's & Roscommon brought it to a new level in the early 1940's. Solo-runs invented by a Mayoman!!! Of course as I sit here in my much later and modern 1950 Mayo All-Ireland jersey I have to say that Mayo 1950 & 1951 probably the best team ever, will maybe them or their great rivals Cavan.

[Leo]

IMO, Cavan from 33-52 were the greatest Ulster threat. Then Tyrone 2003-?, then Down 1960-68.

The current Tyrone set up is as good as it gets in the "modern" game. The modern game unfortunatley stinks.
Down in the 60's had the might of Kerry, the Galway 3-in-a-row and tough as teak Meath and Dublin teams to contend with  - and their legacy is there for all to see (except those who think gaelic football was invented around 2002).
I don't think Harte was disagreeing with that but his opinion of the Vauxhall Victor (!!!) is shite.
So he isn't infallibale after all ......

However the tiltle of this thread is inaccurate ill-informed or else - probably - deliberatley mischievious.

[Rois]

The modern game unfortunatley stinks.

Please elaborate.   

[Maguire01]

The modern game unfortunatley stinks.

Please elaborate.   

Indeed, it's bull. And normally wheeled out by the older generation - the times when everything was better. Watching some of the older games on TG4, it's clear to see that many of them are of a pretty poor standard. The skill of today's elite is well ahead of some of those playing in earlier decades.

[Tyrone Dreamer]

IMO, Cavan from 33-52 were the greatest Ulster threat. Then Tyrone 2003-?, then Down 1960-68.

The current Tyrone set up is as good as it gets in the "modern" game. The modern game unfortunatley stinks.
Down in the 60's had the might of Kerry, the Galway 3-in-a-row and tough as teak Meath and Dublin teams to contend with  - and their legacy is there for all to see (except those who think gaelic football was invented around 2002).
I don't think Harte was disagreeing with that but his opinion of the Vauxhall Victor (!!!) is shite.
So he isn't infallibale after all ......

However the tiltle of this thread is inaccurate ill-informed or else - probably - deliberatley mischievious.

He has a point. The modern game does stink in Down. As for football being invented in 2002, it would be just as easy to say it that many in Down think it went extinct from 1995.

[the green man]

For me, football in the pre 00's was more about scoring more than your opponent(as if it never was but ye know what I'm trying to get at). Todays game has a more tactical slant to it, mostly either containment or stopping the other team from playing. The all out attck of the 80's an 90's was more pleasing on the eye, but it didn't always guarantee success. The game has move on from then, perhaps we, as supporters should too. Its never going to go back to a shoot out.

[Maximus Marillius]

Watching some of the older games on TG4, it's clear to see that many of them are of a pretty poor standard. The skill of today's elite is well ahead of some of those playing in earlier decades.

Wrong.

Just as modern games can be poor, some older games were poor and many were videoed.

To extend Mr Harte's argument, just as many of those from previous generations would struggle in the modern game, many modern players would be totally at sea in the 60s, 70s or 80s.  Quite a few of those on the Tyrone team would be useless if they could be put up against the Dubs or Kerry of the 70s, the physicality of the game and the attitude of the officials would have them carried off or booed off the field in minutes.  Equally, even the "great" Spillane would not be on the pace of the modern game.  Jack O'Shea would not manage his end to end game in today's along with today's highly conditioned footballers and his skill levels would appear to inferior.


The modern gplayers cannot be compared to those of previous generations, it was a different game played under different conditions

The Vauxhall Victor was always a poor car, no one could hold a candle to Ford in the 60s.

I near choked when i read that...if you or anyone thinks that Jacko or Spillane wouldn't be stars in todays game yer completely nuts. Both had size, pace, massive engines and skill to burn....do you still not understand after all this time that is the difference between kerry and the rest...the Kerry footballer is a footballer....it is all about skill with them. One of the main reasons they keep producing teams , they are better at it than the rest on a consistant basis over many years.

[the green man]

Modern Kerry players would appear to run rings around a transplanted O'Shea forced to play the modern game under current conditions and officiating.

You think he would'nt adapt, or be up to the same standard?

The biggest loss, no doubt, is the dead ball kick, especially from scoreable frees. A skill that is lost, and won't ever be back

[Trevor Hill]

The biggest loss, no doubt, is the dead ball kick, especially from scoreable frees. A skill that is lost, and won't ever be back

I saw an 18 year old score a 60 yard fee kick yesterday from the ground to level the game in the dying minutes. I will agree that it is a dying art, but its not lost yet. Players should be encouraged to take long range frees from the ground, if not all frees.

As for Harte, while I do not doubt his skills as a manager, he didn't do much as a player so he shouldn't be getting at those who could actually play the game.

[the green man]

I saw an 18 year old score a 60 yard fee kick

feckin hell

[Trevor Hill]

Yesterdays minor quarter final. Ross McGarry. Unbelievable kick. We should have him on the senior team after that. The seniors cant score from anywhere outside the 21 yard line.

[Maximus Marillius]

But you fail to understand the level of preparation of today compared to previous generations.  While O'Shea et al were great footballers of their day, they had their skill sets matched to a game which was much more physical and based on less emphasis on the athleticism of the player.  Modern Kerry players would appear to run rings around a transplanted O'Shea forced to play the modern game under current conditions and officiating.

what you fail to understand...is how athletic both O'Shea and Spillane were, they were both running machines...you clearly never seen them play otherwise you wouldn't be discussing this. Any player who can run for fun i.e. Spillane and O'Shea, have natural footballing skill, and who were seriously competitive individuals, I would go so far as to say they were driven, would be stand out players in todays game. There are some players who could easily move through generations and fit into the game of that time due to their natural footballing ability and natural athleticism. these are two of them........ Larry Thompkins is another...Eugene Mc kenna would have been another...Jim reilly another...the common denominator is serious natural footballers with serious athletic ability. iIm sure there are others but off the top of my head I think I will hit the sack.

[muppet]

Where exactly does he 'slam the Down football legends'?

He disagrees with some views they expressed re. old football vs current football. But he doesn't cast aspersions on the greatness of those Down teams - if anything he's generous in his praise, noting how they 'set the standard' in the 60s and 'gave Ulster the lead again' in the 90s.

Sorry for the grouchiness. But the thread title is over the top and could have come from a tabloid.

One day Harte will realise that at the top you are subject to ridiculous levels of analysis and criticism. The trick is not to respond with ridiculous levels of analysis and criticism.