Paddy O'Rourke named as new Armagh Manager

[Joxer]

When was that interview given?  I take it it was done before the clubs got a chance to ratify him,  or should I put it they were TOLD they would ratify him.

[Cúig huaire]

I was quite vociferous in the campaign to have Paddy removed from the Down job when it happened, but he still one of the great Down gaels and I'd like to wish him every success in his new position.

Armagh wans should note that his team selections and judgement of a player's best position were never far wrong for Down, and he is also a very good speaker - hence most of the Down squad wanted him retained at the time. It'll be most interesting though to watch how his desire to play "pure" football merges with the defensive, highly tactical football Armagh players have gotten used to in recent seasons.

I'd also say this - Armagh already have more genuinely talented man-marking defenders (McKeever, Mallon, Moriarty, P Kernan), than Down had throughout his 4 year tenure. So there is a better chance that this "pure" football might actually work with Armagh.

All slagging aside I think most people in Down would echo thewobblers sentiments. It will be hard for both sets of supporters to see such a prominent Down man in charge of Armagh, but he will give the job his all.

[Armamike]

From this thread and over on Orchard County there's the argument that we should put aside all the crap of the past while, get behind the new manager and the team, it's your county after all. And if you don't then you're not a true supporter, only a fly by night.  Does that mean then that the County Board is off the hook till the next time? At what stage do people say enough is enough? As others have said here the problem isn't with Paddy O'Rourke it's with the County Board and the shenanigans of the past 2 or 3 years, and the fact that a number of better qualified individuals within the county are not deemed appointable or have ruled themselves out.   It's the very fact that supporters do give a shite about the county set up that they want the thing better managed and without prejudice.

[pintsofguinness]

From this thread and over on Orchard County there's the argument that we should put aside all the crap of the past while, get behind the new manager and the team, it's your county after all. And if you don't then you're not a true supporter, only a fly by night.  Does that mean then that the County Board is off the hook till the next time? At what stage do people say enough is enough? As others have said here the problem isn't with Paddy O'Rourke it's with the County Board and the shenanigans of the past 2 or 3 years, and the fact that a number of better qualified individuals within the county are not deemed appointable or have ruled themselves out.   It's the very fact that supporters do give a shite about the county set up that they want the thing better managed and without prejudice.

Exactly

[mountainboii]

From this thread and over on Orchard County there's the argument that we should put aside all the crap of the past while, get behind the new manager and the team, it's your county after all. And if you don't then you're not a true supporter, only a fly by night.  Does that mean then that the County Board is off the hook till the next time? At what stage do people say enough is enough? As others have said here the problem isn't with Paddy O'Rourke it's with the County Board and the shenanigans of the past 2 or 3 years, and the fact that a number of better qualified individuals within the county are not deemed appointable or have ruled themselves out.   It's the very fact that supporters do give a shite about the county set up that they want the thing better managed and without prejudice.

Exactly

Dissent is the highest form of patriotism and all that   

[INDIANA]

Heard the full story on this. Armagh is a county full of surprises. i'm not surprised the supporters are pissed off.

I think POR will be lucky to last the National League, player revolt on the cards and supporters to boycott games.
Armagh are a laughing stock.

Player revolt??

By all accounts, the players knew who was going to get the manager's job and approved.Supporters to boycott games?

That says more about them as supporters than anything else.  I wonder if those people followed their county all through the lean years when we won nathin'

That was the bit I found most surprising. 

[naka]

whilst everyone here is slagging off the county board very few would become members of it, i have been on my club committee and was involved in south board meetings, it is tedious and time consuming, our club is not cross so success is few and far between therefore i got grief from the wife for going out 2/3 times a week  and getting no thanks for it never mind money.
whilst the CB have to all intents and purposes made a hash of this( and in my view Grimley hasnt come out of it with any kudos either)  who is going to replace them.
the only job that would attract interest is nugents( its a paid post i think)
the only lesson we need to learn out of this is that we maybe should look for a sponsor who doesnt have such a hands on role--( for years boylesports have been pushing to get involved maybe now is the time)
if Hughie is so passionate he could become a secondary sponsor to all the other teams outside the seniors for the same money 

[Goats Do Shave]

Mr Boyle Sports is from Camlough yes?

Paddy good luck, once people get their rant out of the way you will still be backed!! Roll on January!

[ardmhachaabu]

From this thread and over on Orchard County there's the argument that we should put aside all the crap of the past while, get behind the new manager and the team, it's your county after all. And if you don't then you're not a true supporter, only a fly by night.  Does that mean then that the County Board is off the hook till the next time? At what stage do people say enough is enough? As others have said here the problem isn't with Paddy O'Rourke it's with the County Board and the shenanigans of the past 2 or 3 years, and the fact that a number of better qualified individuals within the county are not deemed appointable or have ruled themselves out.  It's the very fact that supporters do give a shite about the county set up that they want the thing better managed and without prejudice.

I have no issue with that, my point is we can do nothing to change what has happened in the short term so we, as supporters should back our team come hell or high water - it's the men wearing the jerseys who will suffer if we don't!

[under the bar]

I'm still waitin to hear which of his neighbours pints is switching his alliegance to.   

[Real1995]

Anybody else hear that Jody Gormley is part of backroom team?

[DuffleKing]

Paddy Og can't be sacked. he's answerable directly to croke park. same as frank murphy in cork and all the other full time secretaries around the country.

I won't be going to games next year. this is after thirty years of unbroken following. that's not to say i won't be supporting armagh - i will - but i won't be handing over any cash that might find its way to this county board. i have already cancelled my direct debit to the orchard club (or whatever they're calling it this year), won't be buying a ticket for the vegas fight night, etc.

My reasons for this are in protest at the appointment of paddy o'rourke as armagh manager and i protest for two reasons:

1 - o'rourke is the most bitter anti armagh man you could ever meet.
he traded on being the big armagh hater in down for years. i vividly remember his tv interview circa early 2004 claiming armagh were finished and wouldn't be back for a long time. his supposed "motivational skills" are based entirely on monologues surrounding the subjects of red and black blood running through veins, glorifying the history of the down jersey and eulogising sean o'neill, james mccartan et al. The thought that we have handed over the development of our senior team and the integration of our successful minor & u21 teams to this man turns my stomach.

2 - He is a bad manager.
His record with clubs and county is mediocre at best. The most damning critique i heard this week was from a current burren player who was delighted with relief because o'rourke was going to be burren manager again next year. there are a litany of better qualified men to do the job, not only outside but also within armagh. can anyone give me 3 reasons to appoint this man as the manager of the armagh senior team?

on the point someone made about the players supporting this appointment - only one player supported it. he just happened to be the one who conveyed the thoughts of the group to the selection panel.

Donal Murtagh's article in the Irish News this morning says everything that you need to know about our county board and the selection committee.

[DuffleKing]

Oisin McConville's rejection of the assistant's role (today's Irish News), even though he was lined up to assist whoever got the job is another damning appraisal of the appointment.

[Bensars]

Anybody else hear that Jody Gormley is part of backroom team?

If thats true it will be the final straw for some of the Armagh fans.

[Armamike]

I feel exactly the same Duffleking - i won't be handing any of my hard earned cash over to the present county board for safekeeping either.

Donal Murtagh's story in the IN today confirms the shambolic nature of the appoinment. That's another good man lost to the county cause for the foreseeable future. A managerial All-Ireland winner in our own back yard and he doesn't get a look in. Figure that one out.