James Horan Appointed Mayo Manager 2011

[Mac2]

The project we knew was going nowhere has now come to an end. 4 Connacht u21 Titles, an All Ireland u21 Title, and two Minor teams getting to All Ireland Finals in the past 5 years means that everything is not all bad. There is something there for a new man to work with.

Just read a very depressing but accurate article here - http://mayosports.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/mayo-live-by-the-sword-die-by-the-sword/ - and I have pasted it below. We don't need a Micko or a Paidi. We need a committed bunch of Mayo GAA men who will put definitive plans in place and surround themseles with the proper people in terms of team preparation, tactics etc. There is no reason why things cannot be a lot brighter in 12 months if the right appointment is made. But can we trust the County Board to make that appointment - it won't be quick (they will dilly dally and will want to delay any commencement of work on any new project to keep costs at a minimum); and there personal clashes and general involvement will probably keep people away.

LIVE by the sword, die by the sword.

John O'Mahony and his  band of Merrymen on Mayo County Board who masterminded one of the most impressive electoral triumphs of all time when delivering the 'Prodigal Son' to Dáil Éireann as a Fine Gael TD in 2007, are today, June 26th 2010, learning that what goes around come around.

They are hurting and hurting badly after a humiliating defeat at the hands of Longford has left Mayo GAA in despair and their best laid plans in tatters. They have been left to console each other as they lick their gaping wounds.

The same way that Mickey Moran and John Morrison were left sore and alone after the men at the top in Mayo GAA circles choose to turn their backs on the amicable Derry duo in the autumn of 2006.

Moran and Morrison both spoke of their ambition for the Mayo team in the aftermath of the ill-fated All-Ireland Final of 2006. Immediately after the game they both unequivocally announced their intention to lead their adopted county into 2007 league and championship combat. Both men re-iterated their belief in Mayo and yearning to take the team one step further in 2007 in the weeks after the final, speaking with the same infectious enthusiasm and passion that was the mark of their all too short term at the helm. Kieran Gallagher, too, indicated a strong willingness to continue as selector of Moran and Morrison.

So what happened between late September and early November 2006?

Well i think we can assume that high profile, high secret talks took place, not just between potential General Election candidate John O'Mahony (who just 12 months previously said he would not manage the county) and the County Board, but also between members of the Board and high-powered officials of Fine Gael.

Remember, in 1992 when O'Mahony was involved in his high-profile divorce from Mayo, many of the same men that he was about to jump into bed with, were the very ones that he claimed he could not work with.

The net result of those top-secret discussions was that Moran and Morrison were out on their ear. If O'Mahony was to be elected and Fine Gael to take three seats  in the Mayo constituency he would need to be manager of the Mayo senior football team – the exposure that would come with the territory would compensate for his political inexperience.

In return for promoting O'Mahony (which they did (a) by appointing him manager and (b) by using GAA databases to text every member in the county on the eve of polling day) the County Board would have access to a Mayo Taoiseach. And of course, we can assume that the Mayo Taoiseach would look favourably upon their application for funding for the proposed refurbishment of  McHale Park wouldn't he?

At the first County Board meeting after the All-Ireland defeat to Kerry, the Chairman stated that he had yet to receive any indication from Moran and Morrison that they were willing to wait on. That was quite clearly untrue as per M&M's statements at the Final Function at The City West Hotel and subsequent press interviews.

However, the notion that our adopted management team should have doubts about staying with us opened up the can of worms. The mood in the room changed as soon as James Waldron muttered the words. Delegates became incensed that there should be doubts and all of a sudden it was criticism after criticism as delegate after delegate had their say – many of the same delegates that were pictured holding O'Mahony aloft in the Count Centre after his successful election seven months later! Most of them had also walked the highways and the byways on the canvass in the weeks and months prior to polling day and they cannot deny that.

Today though, June 26th, the web of deceit has come home to roost. Mayo have won a meagre five championship matches against such illustrious opposition as Cavan, Sligo, Roscommon, Galway and New York in four years. O'Mahony has been forced to step down. There is no Mayo Taoiseach (yet it must be said) and the Mayo County Board are straddled with enormous debts as a result of a €10 million revamp of McHale Park – a venue that has played host to just one full house (Galway, Connacht Final, 2008) in the four years of O'Mahony's regime.

You see O'Mahony simply did not give the Mayo senior football manager's job the time and ultimately the respect that it deserves.

John O'Mahony is a two-times All-Ireland winner and is quite rightly regarded as one of the best Gaelic Football managers of the last 20 years but during his second coming as Mayo manager some of his decisions were baffling and many outright ridiculous.

From 2007 to 2010 his team selections and tactics lacked clarity and consistency. He continually spoke about rebuilding and it being a young team. Not so Johno, not so.

Perhaps had he began rebuilding with genuine enthusiasm and energy, he could have gotten away with the mantra, but he didn't. Instead Mayo drifted from game to game and year to year without any real solid signs of a new team being constructed.

Take for example the four years of his regime.

2007:

•James Kilcullen started 8 league games at full-back, yet made zero championship appearances with David Heaney playing at number 3 for the championship opener against Galway.
•Heaney went on to move from full-back to midfield v Cavan and to wing-back v Derry with Liam O'Malley at full-back for both Qualifiers. O'Malley did not play in this position again under O'Mahony.
•Billy Joe Padden played 9 league games at centre-back, started wing-back v Galway in the championship before moving to wing-forward for the Cavan and Derry matches.
•Ballaghaderreen clubman David Kilcullen came in at centre-back v Cavan and Derry with Trevor Mortimer now switched to wing-back. Kilcullen did not appear in 2008, 2009 or 2010 and Mortimer went back to being a half-forward.
2008:

•Billy Joe Padden started the  first 3 league games at full-back. Shrule/Glencorrib's Kieran Conroy played there for the remaining 4 games.
•Conroy started the championship opener v Sligo and Connacht Final v Galway but was substituted after 20 minutes. He didn't play here again under O'Mahony.
•Colm Boyle also started the championship games against Sligo and Galway and he too was substituted after 20 minutes. He didn't appear for Mayo again under O'Mahony.
•Tom Cunniffe became full-back v Tyrone in All-Ireland Qualifier but did not play there in 2009.
•David Heaney started centre-back for the 2 Connacht Championship games, then moved to midfield v Tyrone.
•Peadar Gardiner wing-forward v Sligo, substitute v Galway and wing-back v Tyrone
•Padden, who had started the previous year as centre-back and 2008 as full-back made one championship appearance as a wing-forward v Tyrone
•Neither James or David Kilcullen were on the panel.
•Ciaran McDonald omitted from panel
2009:

•Andy Moran played wing-back for last 4 league games, and for championship. He was back to his regular wing-forward position for the championship.
•David Heaney was back in midfield despite Tom Parsons playing most of the league in the position. Heaney had not taken any part in the league campaign.
2010:

•Andy Moran back to forward line.
•Billy Joe Padden first sub in v Sligo, despite only being on the panel for three week, then not considered v Longford despite O'Mahony making six changes to the side defeated by Sligo.
•Mark Ronaldson, who was outstanding in the league, was on the bench for Sligo and Longford games.
•In 2009 we had adopted the Twin Towers approach with big men Barry Moran and Aidan O'Shea in the full-forward line only to revert to small men in Conor Mortimer and Enda Varley for the Connacht Championship opener v Sligo.

The above examples of ever-changing team selections and ever-changing tactics pints to a man who simply did not give the Mayo manager's job the time, energy or effort it deserved.

The net result for Mayo football followers is that we are now at our lowest ebb for many years, possibily since the 1994 Connacht Final defeat, ironically at the hands of John O'Mahony managed Leitrim. The result for Mayo County Board is that their legacy will be not be one of triumph and success as they so desire, but one of distain, distrust, debt and despair.

Live by the sword, die by sword

We all have our own views about Johnnos time in charge. There is no point in personally castigating the man. The end has come now, and the pain may be over. Whatever follows can only be better than the past 4 years.

Names that are going to be listed as possible contenders:

Noel Connelly
Pat Holmes
David Brady
Liam McHale
James Horan
Kevin McStay
John Maughan
Peter Forde

And probably some others that are just not coming to mind. There should be no reason why we cannot get the right combination of 3/4 capable men to work together so that Mayo fulfil may fulfil its potential.

Good article but it's amazing how none of the questions re: Johnno's motives that are being asked now were raised by anyone in the media in 2006. Nor do I believe that it's simply a matter of moving on, the county board has form here, Pat Holmes appointed over Peter Forde in 1999, again no questions asked as to how this came about, and so we served ourselves up on a platter to Westmeath a few years later and subesequently to Cork in what was one of the most insipid displays ever by a Mayo team in Croke park. The county board should not be let off the hook for this one, hard questions need to be asked off the field before we start asking them on it.

[seafoid]

@ Mayo have won a meagre five championship matches against such illustrious opposition as Cavan, Sligo, Roscommon, Galway and New York in four years.

3 times as many all-Irelands as Mayo

[ross matt]

Poor morale (since the league final) has to have been a factor. Mayo have shown no heart or hunger in either the Sligo or Longford matches. Like if they and Johnno knew he was going and they were all going through the motions of seeing his time out.

His tenure has been a poor one. Not nearly good enough considering the underage talent Mayo have had for quite some time. The book has to stop with him on that.

He obviously took the job for all the wrong reasons and didnt give it the focus or time it deserved. He therefore has to pay the price.

That being said he was a fine manager in his time with some great acievements. Intelligent and articulate in his media dealings. Respectful to his opponents. Organised, professional and ruthless in his team preparation.

Mayo need to forget the their so called "finals hoodoo" etc and concentrate on the now. The House of Pain book only furthered some of these myths and maybe subconsciously players bought in to them. The main goal should be to avoid a "messiah" type managerial appointment. Rock bottom. The only way is up for them.

[saffronandblue]

Now that the great one has decided to leave after 4 years of making things worse, who will take over as the next Mayo Manager?

Could it be one of the following Fine Gael candidates??

1. John Maughan
2. Pat Holmes
3. Noel Connelly
4. Michael Ring
5. Enda Kenny

Applications to Mayo County Board and ONLY members of Fine Gael need apply

My money is on Michael Ring

[Hardy]

Glen Ryan?

[stephenite]

Glen Ryan?

Or Kevin Walsh

[saffronandblue]

Is Glen a Blue shirt?

[shaund10]

Glen Ryan?

Or Kevin Walsh

No chance I would say. Eye is firmly on the Galway job I would think. Considering Kernan is going to be given two years possibly a little more, I would say he is very happy staying with his nicely developed improving Sligo side until the vacancey arises. The Mayo job wouldnt look the most attractive at the moment, especially with the expectation of the fans.

I can't understand calls for Peter Forde. Are ye Mayo lads not going to learn from Galway's mistakes? Replacing O'Mahoney with Forde? It just got worse and worse for Galway. Surely Mayo wont go down the same line.

To be honest, I think going for a big name is the right thing to do for once. Raise the spirits with a Paidi o Se say, no ties to anyone, no loyalties, a clean slate and it would give the county a lift.

[Tubberman]

Glen Ryan?

Or Kevin Walsh

No chance I would say. Eye is firmly on the Galway job I would think. Considering Kernan is going to be given two years possibly a little more, I would say he is very happy staying with his nicely developed improving Sligo side until the vacancey arises. The Mayo job wouldnt look the most attractive at the moment, especially with the expectation of the fans.

I can't understand calls for Peter Forde. Are ye Mayo lads not going to learn from Galway's mistakes? Replacing O'Mahoney with Forde? It just got worse and worse for Galway. Surely Mayo wont go down the same line.

To be honest, I think going for a big name is the right thing to do for once. Raise the spirits with a Paidi o Se say, no ties to anyone, no loyalties, a clean slate and it would give the county a lift.

I presume you meant to say "it would give the other counties a lift". Paidi is not what we need. A high-profile, self-promoting 'gas character' isn't going to turn things around.
We should be able to sort this out from within the county, but maybe a fresh face who wouldn't be afraid to get rid of a few big names, or give a bollocking to the county board about the setup etc is what we need.....

[stephenite]

Glen Ryan?

Or Kevin Walsh

No chance I would say. Eye is firmly on the Galway job I would think. Considering Kernan is going to be given two years possibly a little more, I would say he is very happy staying with his nicely developed improving Sligo side until the vacancey arises. The Mayo job wouldnt look the most attractive at the moment, especially with the expectation of the fans.

I can't understand calls for Peter Forde. Are ye Mayo lads not going to learn from Galway's mistakes? Replacing O'Mahoney with Forde? It just got worse and worse for Galway. Surely Mayo wont go down the same line.

To be honest, I think going for a big name is the right thing to do for once. Raise the spirits with a Paidi o Se say, no ties to anyone, no loyalties, a clean slate and it would give the county a lift.

I'd agree there's no chance, just being a bit tounge in cheek that if we're going to go for Glen Ryan on the basis that he's beaten us (which is what I presume Hardy was getting at) then why not also go for Kevin.

Paidi would be a disaster and the notion shouldn't even be entertained.

It needs to be a Mayo man in my view, but it needs to be the right Mayo man.

[southsidejohnny]

Its as simple as this, we dont have the players. Between 1994-2005 Mayo clubs went to Club final every second year. Since then ....nada. THe good players of that era ie Cahill,Ken Mortimor, Holmes, Dave Brady, Pat Fallon , James Horan, McDonald, O Neill, Heaney and James Nallen were never replaced. Would any decent county take even one current Mayo player to boost their squad. I wouldnt. We keep hearing about under age talent ie minors and U21s. Well we huffed and puffed in 2005/08/09 with the minors. Roscommon and Galway simply went out and won those very competitions in 2006/07. Sligo never won an U21 Connacht title yet they produce a Harrison, Davey, O Hara and Kelly. We love the smell of our own bullshit and the sooner we get rid of every single one of this dismal crop with the exception of Barry Moran, the O Sheas, Barrett and Freeman the sooner we will look like a county team.

[spuds]

Its as simple as this, we dont have the players. Between 1994-2005 Mayo clubs went to Club final every second year. Since then ....nada. THe good players of that era ie Cahill,Ken Mortimor, Holmes, Dave Brady, Pat Fallon , James Horan, McDonald, O Neill, Heaney and James Nallen were never replaced. Would any decent county take even one current Mayo player to boost their squad. I wouldnt. We keep hearing about under age talent ie minors and U21s. Well we huffed and puffed in 2005/08/09 with the minors. Roscommon and Galway simply went out and won those very competitions in 2006/07. Sligo never won an U21 Connacht title yet they produce a Harrison, Davey, O Hara and Kelly. We love the smell of our own bullshit and the sooner we get rid of every single one of this dismal crop with the exception of Barry Moran, the O Sheas, Barrett and Freeman the sooner we will look like a county team.

bit of a rant there calm down
what about dillon and higgins ??
go and see some club games take a few deep breaths then comment

[stephenite]

Its as simple as this, we dont have the players. Between 1994-2005 Mayo clubs went to Club final every second year. Since then ....nada. THe good players of that era ie Cahill,Ken Mortimor, Holmes, Dave Brady, Pat Fallon , James Horan, McDonald, O Neill, Heaney and James Nallen were never replaced. Would any decent county take even one current Mayo player to boost their squad. I wouldnt. We keep hearing about under age talent ie minors and U21s. Well we huffed and puffed in 2005/08/09 with the minors. Roscommon and Galway simply went out and won those very competitions in 2006/07. Sligo never won an U21 Connacht title yet they produce a Harrison, Davey, O Hara and Kelly. We love the smell of our own bullshit and the sooner we get rid of every single one of this dismal crop with the exception of Barry Moran, the O Sheas, Barrett and Freeman the sooner we will look like a county team.

Whatever about all of that, a new manager is still needed. A new county board as well (indeed it would be my preference to get rid of some of them before appointing a new manager) but no chance of that happening

[An Gaeilgoir]

Its as simple as this, we dont have the players. Between 1994-2005 Mayo clubs went to Club final every second year. Since then ....nada. THe good players of that era ie Cahill,Ken Mortimor, Holmes, Dave Brady, Pat Fallon , James Horan, McDonald, O Neill, Heaney and James Nallen were never replaced. Would any decent county take even one current Mayo player to boost their squad. I wouldnt. We keep hearing about under age talent ie minors and U21s. Well we huffed and puffed in 2005/08/09 with the minors. Roscommon and Galway simply went out and won those very competitions in 2006/07. Sligo never won an U21 Connacht title yet they produce a Harrison, Davey, O Hara and Kelly. We love the smell of our own bullshit and the sooner we get rid of every single one of this dismal crop with the exception of Barry Moran, the O Sheas, Barrett and Freeman the sooner we will look like a county team.

Whatever about all of that, a new manager is still needed. A new county board as well (indeed it would be my preference to get rid of some of them before appointing a new manager) but no chance of that happening

Agree completley, look at the shambles over the past 20 years, the same old heads there having a great old time of it, the likes of Feeney etc. When John O was at the height of his powers they poxed him and he went off to Leitrim and then Galway while we spent the summers sitting at home. Then when he was passed it they bring him back? When was the last time any county board member did anything for the good of the GAA in Mayo firstly, and self preservation second? Also the shambles of the Mc Hale park redevelopment, a stand with pillars in it, no press box, floodlights, all the locals pissed off and a mountain of debt to be picked up by the clubs as usual. How could a business plan be put in place that factored in a sell out match between Galway and Mayo. This sums up the whole lot really arrogance and self centered interests, JOM has gone, how many more will follow? Not many i feel, time for the clubs to stand up for once and for all, yet any other year of failure and shamboilc runnig of the GAA in mayo.

[bucko]

Its as simple as this, we dont have the players. Between 1994-2005 Mayo clubs went to Club final every second year. Since then ....nada. THe good players of that era ie Cahill,Ken Mortimor, Holmes, Dave Brady, Pat Fallon , James Horan, McDonald, O Neill, Heaney and James Nallen were never replaced. Would any decent county take even one current Mayo player to boost their squad. I wouldnt. We keep hearing about under age talent ie minors and U21s. Well we huffed and puffed in 2005/08/09 with the minors. Roscommon and Galway simply went out and won those very competitions in 2006/07. Sligo never won an U21 Connacht title yet they produce a Harrison, Davey, O Hara and Kelly. We love the smell of our own bullshit and the sooner we get rid of every single one of this dismal crop with the exception of Barry Moran, the O Sheas, Barrett and Freeman the sooner we will look like a county team.

bit of a rant there calm down
what about dillon and higgins ??
go and see some club games take a few deep breaths then comment

I don't get home too much to see club matches these days, thanks to a job that has me working a lot of weekends, but after reading the Mayo News reports after the last round of club championship matches, it struck me how much poor standard of play was a common theme in all the reports. Is the standard of our club football slipping and is it indicative of a greater problem, namely execution of basic skills in pressure situations, that is now feeding into our county set-ups? When you see the amount of ball we give away and poor hand/kickpassing in matches, you seriously have to wonder what and how we are coaching players at all levels today. Alot of those players that played Saturday have played better in the past. The question is why are they regressing and is it something that can be rectified quickly by a new management?