Muineachán V Ard Mhaca USFC

[Schkite]

I have it on very good authority that 2 respected figures in Armagh one of whom is an ex-player have since last Sunday sounded out PG about the possibility of taking the reins for next year should the current set-up fail to achieve it's stated target.  He has not ruled it out.

You heard it here first!

More chance of Grimley taking over the reigns from Banty I'd say.

[The Konica]

Perhaps you were not in attendance a few years ago in the Championship when he broke from half-back to score a last minute goal for Dromintee against Clans in the championship to rescue the tie and secure a replay. Or maybe you missed said replay when, in almost identical fashion, he rifled it into the net after coming the length of the field again from half-back, this time handing Dromintee a last minute one point lead and dumping Clans out of the championship.

Failing that is it possible you also missed him captain an Ulster winning minor side who were unlucky not to go further, or in the same year maybe you didn't see any of the MacRory Cup or Hogan Cup finals that he played a huge part in winning for the Abbey

Sam i was actually playing on the both occassions you speak about and i have to say you have it spot on. But are you saying Dyas should be on the current county panel because of two goals he scored five years ago in a club championship???

I would think that players should be selected based on more up to date performances. From Dyas at club level i haven't seen them. Again i must emphasis that i think the lad has potential but i would just like to see him show it a little more at club level. Some posters on here would have you think he is a legend. To my this opinion is based solely on the fact that he was good enough to make the cut to go to Australia coupled with media hype.  I am only going on what i have seen of him at club level and reports that i have heard of him.Prior to him going to Australia the lad had the makings of an exceptional talent. I haven't seen anything from him that has been stand out since he has returned. This is not the same as saying he isn't good enough.

Bottom line what he did against the clans five years ago (one of which was lifted off the ground by O'Rourke for an assist ) Means nothing when selecting a current county team

I have to agree.
It doesn't matter that he played a few average minutes of football against Derry a few years ago. The fact is the lad has had a few bad injuries and not proven himself yet. I hope he does make it, but he has a bit of work to do yet.

Spoke to a panelist yesterday...

He said Training was great in pre-season and the winter.

But since then McGurn didn't know much about gaelic football at all and there was too far much emphasis on physical training, wrestling, physical drills, tackle bags and not enough running, skill work or football based stuff for championship football.

I was told by an "insider" before Sunday's debacle that there is absolutely no coaching taking place in the Armagh camp this year; surely not the ideal situation?

Yes, this is correct... and ...
No, it is far from ideal

I don't think Armagh are particularly big and bulky.
They're just slow.
Man for man, I'd say Cork are a much bigger side and they're like racehorses compared to Armagh.

Armagh are slower (though there's been a tactical element to that traditionally also)
Don't forget Cork are also man-for-man taller than Armagh.
   

What is McGurns background/pedigree?

Strength Coach mostly I believe, No GAA background or knowledge.

Strength coach with Irish Rugby team for a few years. (They won the Grand Slam the year after he left)
Strength coach with Ospreys last year (They won the Magners League the year after he left)
Trained Bernard Dunne for his last 2 fights

mcgurns a rugby coach. nuff said. incidently the guy whos managing the armagh ladies is a soccer coach who had to be told that in gaa footy you have 5 subs not 3. we're well blessed. also how many county secretaries tog out and are in the dugout at championship matches? i'd say the sight of him waddling about was enough to rid any notion of patriotism out of paul grimleys head. any one see how well louth played under martin mcquillan played. we cant see the wood for the trees

Did Grimley need any more encouragement?
Sure wasn't he in Kildare last year! You can't say that just because Grimley saw Mcgurn on 60k or 70k that's what convinced him to go to Monaghan?

McQuillan would be one to watch alrite.

mcgurns a rugby coach. nuff said. incidently the guy whos managing the armagh ladies is a soccer coach who had to be told that in gaa footy you have 5 subs not 3. we're well blessed. also how many county secretaries tog out and are in the dugout at championship matches? i'd say the sight of him waddling about was enough to rid any notion of patriotism out of paul grimleys head. any one see how well louth played under martin mcquillan played. we cant see the wood for the trees

Peter McDonnell has also been helping Louth and Armagh supporters did not give him too much credit in the last couple of years. Armagh have made progress this year. Management have made mistakes and so have players. If they learn from these mistakes we will get better. It will be a couple of years for things to change from the old style.
As for the criticism of McGurn I do not know where people are coming from. His job was to get people fit. Well they are so much fitter than last year it is incredible. I believe it is up to other people within the management to do the football coaching. John McCloskey did not have much of a gaelic background and Armagh did ok with him as fitness coach. Also the idea that Armagh are this big physical team is also a load of rubbish. Their players are about the same as most other teams and much smaller than Kildare, Meath Kerry or Cork for example. We do not have as many of the big physical players of the previous era and many of our minors coming through are on the smaller side.

McCluskey? No GAA experience? 
No GAA experience apart from ...
(1) Playing the game
(2) Training a team to win at AI level with Uni
(3) Training Cross to win at AI level

None of which the current coach has, which is a massive problem.

And Armagh are NOT fit ... look at how Monaghan ran rings around the place. 
You're right though - Armagh are not a big physical team - they're a physical, slow team with deteriorating football skills. Cork are a big physical, mobile team.

I have it on very good authority that 2 respected figures in Armagh one of whom is an ex-player have since last Sunday sounded out PG about the possibility of taking the reins for next year should the current set-up fail to achieve it's stated target.  He has not ruled it out.

You heard it here first!

More chance of Grimley taking over the reigns from Banty I'd say.

I'd agree, apart from two concerns ...
- Will there be anymore money left in Monaghan after this year (They're paying both McElkennon and Grimley now)?
- Unless he see's a bright future in Monaghan will he go elsewhere (ala jumping ship from Kildare)?

[lawnseed]

jez konika you worked hard on that one. my point is that for any manager/coach to plot the downfall of his own county and see them humiliated must tug at the heartstrings. but the sight of our glorious administrater and grimleys nemises in a tracksuit in the armagh dugout would surely infuriate big paul. many coaches take up jobs with other clubs/counties but selldom do they turn up in their new kit. we have obvoiusly hurt this mans feelings very badly and now its coming back to bite us in the ass

[The Konica]

jez konika you worked hard on that one. my point is that for any manager/coach to plot the downfall of his own county and see them humiliated must tug at the heartstrings. but the sight of our glorious administrater and grimleys nemises in a tracksuit in the armagh dugout would surely infuriate big paul. many coaches take up jobs with other clubs/counties but selldom do they turn up in their new kit. we have obvoiusly hurt this mans feelings very badly and now its coming back to bite us in the ass

Ah ok ... follow you now.
However, I still don't agree with the nature of his withdrawal from the process and he made his own bed. Now going over all that again though.

[bennydorano]

This thread is just getting embarassing now. 

[lawnseed]

your right konica seems to be a clash of personalities, as for beds his seems a wee bit more comfortable than PORs at the minute, cant see paddy lasting. peter mc donnell was railroaded for his negative tactics and you'd have thought he done the teamtalk for the derry game- ultra defence and low scoring same old...

[armaghniac]

This thread is just getting embarassing now.

Alas it was embarassing from Sunday at about 14:50.

[lawnseed]

you should try working in monaghan, I'm fukn tortured they're worse than Tyrone ever were..

[GrandMasterFlash]

you should try working in monaghan, I'm fukn tortured they're worse than Tyrone ever were..

Ah Jaysus lawnseed... Give us our moment in the sun considerin the batins Armagh gave us in the last 10 years.. Sure Oisin McConville was a hero in Castleblaney and Monaghan town when you won the AI.. I think you've a short memory lad... 

[lawnseed]

if you get out your tape of the day yez robbed meath of the div 2 title you'll see me i was first on the pitch with 2 security men hanging off my armagh jersey. i'm also married to a farney women. this is monaghans best chance of winning ulster, but its not cut and dried. beating half an armagh team isnt winning much dont get carried away

ps grandmaster didnt you lot beat the all irl champions in clones in 2003 i can remember that it was sunny that day

[GrandMasterFlash]

if you get out your tape of the day yez robbed meath of the div 2 title you'll see me i was first on the pitch with 2 security men hanging off my armagh jersey. i'm also married to a farney women. this is monaghans best chance of winning ulster, but its not cut and dried. beating half an armagh team isnt winning much dont get carried away

ps grandmaster didnt you lot beat the all irl champions in clones in 2003 i can remember that it was sunny that day

It was wet underfoot but sunny overhead!! Nobodys gettin carried away but I'm sure you'll understand being married to one that it doesn't happen too often for us..

[armaghniac]

We'll give you your day, Flash, if you actually push on and win Ulster. Playing crap in other subsequent games will not help.

And Oisin returned the compliment by tipping you for Ulster this year.

[illdecide]

Lads a serious question here...how many all-irelands have monaghan won?

[mountainboii]

Lads a serious question here...how many all-irelands have monaghan won?

Low blow illdecide. Tut tut.

[illdecide]

Lads a serious question here...how many all-irelands have monaghan won?

Low blow illdecide. Tut tut.

I wasn't being a smart arse, after the game last week me and a few mates were having a dispute about how many all-irelands had Monaghan won and i only remembered about this morning. I thought back in the old days Monaghan had won a bucket load