Tyrone 2010 model

[cadhlancian]

Raymond Mulgrew, IMO, is a high quality player and I'm surprised he hasn't got a lot more game time.

He'll never lose or give away a ball even with a slight physqiue - well last I saw anyway. Of anyone to make a breakthrough I'd have thought he'd be your man. Talking about him and a breakthrough seems somewhat strange in my mind though. He got an allstar nominee the other year.

That O'Neill fella from Dromore is in my book a better footballer than Davy Harte but I think that's been discussed to death by Tyrone people anyway.

On another note of players - whatever happened to Paul McGurk the corner back? I didn't know him personally but when I was at university any game you saw him play he completely outplayed any corner forward no matter who they were. Anyone marking him and you could forget about them doing anything for the game.

I believe hes about 57 on his next birthday

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

I wonder why Eoin McCusker has yet to be drafted in. He looks like a quality player any time I've watched the big ridge. I seem to recall a poster hinting that there is an issue between himself and the beard, whether he snubbed the offer of a place in the squad I don't know. In saying that, said poster could've been Longballs........

He was one of the ten mentioned in this week's Gaelic Life Mr N, and I think the Dromore lads are hopeful he'll get a run out. Good player.

[tyroneman]

Anyone think young mckenna may be the answer at mf. Maybe in next couple of years? If oshea was able to make the step up for mayo then surely coney wont be far away

[orangeman]

Anyone think young mckenna may be the answer at mf. Maybe in next couple of years? If oshea was able to make the step up for mayo then surely coney wont be far away

He has been performing at a high level for Donaghmore all year in the Tyrone senior league and could do a job in the near future. Awesome talent.

[blewuporstuffed]

I wonder why Eoin McCusker has yet to be drafted in. He looks like a quality player any time I've watched the big ridge. I seem to recall a poster hinting that there is an issue between himself and the beard, whether he snubbed the offer of a place in the squad I don't know. In saying that, said poster could've been Longballs........

He was one of the ten mentioned in this week's Gaelic Life Mr N, and I think the Dromore lads are hopeful he'll get a run out. Good player.

can anyone post the gaelic life article?

[Logan]

Will Mickey add or make any changes to his backroom staff?
Armagh men on the go at the minute

[orangeman]

Will Mickey add or make any changes to his backroom staff?
Armagh men on the go at the minute

Going everywhere but Armagh. 

[orangeman]

Looks like Dooher and all are going to carry on next year. There was a team meeting on Monday night - no retirement announcements so far.

[cornafean]

Did anyone see Colm O'Rourke's article last Sunday where he listed Tyrone players (among them Dooher, Enda McGinley, Kevin Hughes, Brian McGuigan and Owen Mulligan) whom he thought would be better off retiring and might be sorry later on if they didn't retire now. I might be misquoting O'Rourke a bit as I couldn't find the article online earlier this week, but that's the gist of what he said.

Any opinions?

[blewuporstuffed]

Did anyone see Colm O'Rourke's article last Sunday where he listed Tyrone players (among them Dooher, Enda McGinley, Kevin Hughes, Brian McGuigan and Owen Mulligan) whom he thought would be better off retiring and might be sorry later on if they didn't retire now. I might be misquoting O'Rourke a bit as I couldn't find the article online earlier this week, but that's the gist of what he said.

Any opinions?

i can see the arguement for those two , injuries will have taken their toll, but all the others are still only 28/29 with a good few years left in them yet if they choose

[orangeman]

Did anyone see Colm O'Rourke's article last Sunday where he listed Tyrone players (among them Dooher, Enda McGinley, Kevin Hughes, Brian McGuigan and Owen Mulligan) whom he thought would be better off retiring and might be sorry later on if they didn't retire now. I might be misquoting O'Rourke a bit as I couldn't find the article online earlier this week, but that's the gist of what he said.

Any opinions?

He must have finished eating that hat by now. Maybe he wants to be made to look silly again ?.

There is an argument for Dooher, simply due to the toll that it has taken on the body. The rest are well able and fit to play on.

[achtungantrim]

dooher is past it. that was there for all to see this year. his legs are gone and this was no clearer than when he was up against cork. there is no room for the likes of ageing players on teams these days, unless they offer height or pace - neither of which dooher has.

mcguigan is the same. the coolness on the ball he brings is becoming irrelevant: the game is too fast and there is less room for forwards like mcguigan to operate in. his cunning is soon snuffed out. see tyrone v cork semi-final

i think hughes' legs have gone also.

mulligan needs to get leaner/fitter.

mcginley isn't fast enough for mid-field these days. probably best operating around the 1/2 forward line.

[amigo]

dooher is past it. that was there for all to see this year. his legs are gone and this was no clearer than when he was up against cork. there is no room for the likes of ageing players on teams these days, unless they offer height or pace - neither of which dooher has.

mcguigan is the same. the coolness on the ball he brings is becoming irrelevant: the game is too fast and there is less room for forwards like mcguigan to operate in. his cunning is soon snuffed out. see tyrone v cork semi-final

i think hughes' legs have gone also.

mulligan needs to get leaner/fitter.

mcginley isn't fast enough for mid-field these days. probably best operating around the 1/2 forward line.

They were all fit enough and fast enough against antrim !!!

[orangeman]

Clearest signal yet of Harte's intentions :


Harte to wield axe
Thursday November 05 2009

THE Tyrone squad can expect the 2010 regime to be the toughest they have ever encountered following the extension of Mickey Harte's reign as manager for a further two years.

His latest term was due to end next year but the Tyrone County Board readily agreed to his request to continue beyond that by announcing on Tuesday night that he would be in charge until at least 2012.

The long-term arrangement will allow Harte to embark on a dramatic overhaul of the squad and, judging by comments in his autobiography, he will approach it with a ruthless attitude.

[size=2]In a clear message to the current squad that they will be under severe pressure to retain their places, he has promised to give six or seven of the 2008 All-Ireland minor-winning team their chance.[/size]

"They will be put on strength and conditioning programmes for the McKenna Cup. If they make it, that means a handful of current panellists are going to lose out. That sends out its own message to everyone. We will retain a large panel for the start of the year but prune it all the way to the championship. There will be no comfort zones. No hiding places, No excuses. We all have things to prove. Success costs. We start paying now."

He also expects that players will ask questions of themselves, however uncomfortable the answers may be.

"They must prove themselves. It's about them. What are they doing. Why should they be considered serious contenders for a starting place? If that forces them to face some uncomfortable truths, they must."

Harte will demand more of himself and his backroom team too. He acknowledges that his role will have to be addressed as part of the renewal process.

connect

"It's a challenge for all of us. My own contribution will have to change. I can push myself harder. I can find new ways to inform our players. I can connect with them better.

"Our experience with Sean Cavanagh on the morning of the Cork game and the way the team failed to counter Cork's kick-out tactic despite all our work shows the need to continually improve our methods of communication with the players. Are they seeing the game as we do? Are we doing enough to understand their state of mind? The coming season is going to force us to monitor individuals more closely."

He has promised to carry out more one-on-one assessments and provide extra details for players on their own performances and development.

He met the squad for a 2009 debrief in early September, during which they were split into groups of five or six. Among the items discussed were whether Tyrone had wandered into a comfort zone this year, did they allow complacency to set in, were they fatigued from training, did they push each other enough and was there sufficient communication among all components of the camp.

At that stage, the squad wouldn't have known that Harte would definitely be in charge until 2012. However, it's now clear that he will be very much the main man for the next three seasons so there can be no escape routes.

"We can't fix what went wrong in 2009. The learning is all for the future," he wrote.

Having been handed the keys to drive Tyrone forward for the next seasons, Harte will now begin examining the engine, a process which is likely to lead to the end of some careers as he sets about rebuilding for the next coming.

- Martin Breheny

Irish Independent

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Clearest signal yet of Harte's intentions :


Harte to wield axe
Thursday November 05 2009

THE Tyrone squad can expect the 2010 regime to be the toughest they have ever encountered following the extension of Mickey Harte's reign as manager for a further two years.

His latest term was due to end next year but the Tyrone County Board readily agreed to his request to continue beyond that by announcing on Tuesday night that he would be in charge until at least 2012.

The long-term arrangement will allow Harte to embark on a dramatic overhaul of the squad and, judging by comments in his autobiography, he will approach it with a ruthless attitude.

[size=2]In a clear message to the current squad that they will be under severe pressure to retain their places, he has promised to give six or seven of the 2008 All-Ireland minor-winning team their chance.[/size]

"They will be put on strength and conditioning programmes for the McKenna Cup. If they make it, that means a handful of current panellists are going to lose out. That sends out its own message to everyone. We will retain a large panel for the start of the year but prune it all the way to the championship. There will be no comfort zones. No hiding places, No excuses. We all have things to prove. Success costs. We start paying now."
He also expects that players will ask questions of themselves, however uncomfortable the answers may be.

"They must prove themselves. It's about them. What are they doing. Why should they be considered serious contenders for a starting place? If that forces them to face some uncomfortable truths, they must."

Harte will demand more of himself and his backroom team too. He acknowledges that his role will have to be addressed as part of the renewal process.

connect

"It's a challenge for all of us. My own contribution will have to change. I can push myself harder. I can find new ways to inform our players. I can connect with them better.

"Our experience with Sean Cavanagh on the morning of the Cork game and the way the team failed to counter Cork's kick-out tactic despite all our work shows the need to continually improve our methods of communication with the players. Are they seeing the game as we do? Are we doing enough to understand their state of mind? The coming season is going to force us to monitor individuals more closely."

He has promised to carry out more one-on-one assessments and provide extra details for players on their own performances and development.

He met the squad for a 2009 debrief in early September, during which they were split into groups of five or six. Among the items discussed were whether Tyrone had wandered into a comfort zone this year, did they allow complacency to set in, were they fatigued from training, did they push each other enough and was there sufficient communication among all components of the camp.

At that stage, the squad wouldn't have known that Harte would definitely be in charge until 2012. However, it's now clear that he will be very much the main man for the next three seasons so there can be no escape routes.

"We can't fix what went wrong in 2009. The learning is all for the future," he wrote.

Having been handed the keys to drive Tyrone forward for the next seasons, Harte will now begin examining the engine, a process which is likely to lead to the end of some careers as he sets about rebuilding for the next coming.

- Martin Breheny

Irish Independent

Remember my name..."FAME"!!