James Horan Appointed Mayo Manager 2011

[diehard]

Can anyone tell me how in the name of God do you conduct a review of football in a county? 
What would the terms of reference be? [to examine how successful Mayo has been in the last 20 yrs?]
What scope would it have? [The performance of the Senior team? All county teams? Club football? Administration?]
How do you define success or measure it? [compared to counties of similar population?]
What methods would you use? [statistical review, interviews, focus groups?]
How would you know that the findings were actually valid? [if they made sense to a large enough group of knowledgable individuals???]

Has this ever been done successfully before?

Unless those conducting the review are capable of answering those questions clearly at the outset then the review could well to be an exercise in frustration.  Lets hope that does not happen. 

[Never beat the deeler]

Tom Humphries had a good article in the Times about England's loss to Germany and in it he referred to the differences in the development of young English players compared to Germany. He pointed out that Munich develop young players from the Munich area and teach them how to play in the system (like Ajax) and in different positions. This is what needs to be done in Mayo and will help put them ahead of teh curve as I don't think any county is doing this yet. The problem is Mayo need to look at underage development as a process rather than the U16's winning thier competitions and the minors winning AI's. No young player should be marked out as a full back or midfielder at 13 or 14, instead then should be given a chance to play many positions and taught how to play these roles. As the develop their best position will evolve itself. Mayo shouldn't look to Tyrone but to Europe and Australia for guidance on how to structure underage development.

I think this is a very valid point. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didnt Tyrone set themselves up in the same way? Their players all learn how to play the system, and the same system is used in county teams right through the grades. Their players are taught how to interchange positions

We should be making talented guys fit, not trying to make fit guys footballers.
(you can write that one down for later  )

Been harping on about this one for years - though couldnt take the credit as its my aul fella thats drummed it into me!!

[The Konica]

Can anyone tell me how in the name of God do you conduct a review of football in a county? 
What would the terms of reference be? [to examine how successful Mayo has been in the last 20 yrs?]
What scope would it have? [The performance of the Senior team? All county teams? Club football? Administration?]
How do you define success or measure it? [compared to counties of similar population?]
What methods would you use? [statistical review, interviews, focus groups?]
How would you know that the findings were actually valid? [if they made sense to a large enough group of knowledgable individuals???]

Has this ever been done successfully before?

Unless those conducting the review are capable of answering those questions clearly at the outset then the review could well to be an exercise in frustration.  Lets hope that does not happen.

It depends

No one person could review the whole county.

If the whole county was to be reviewed it would need to be split in 3 broad sections
1. Club
2. County
3. Underage

With 3 people who know each other well doing the review
1 person doing each area
Each person would ideally have their own separate area of expertise also
Each person has the ability to call on the expertise of one of the others to help with a certain aspect of their area if required.
One of the 3 would be the Chairman who would be responsible for the whole review in total.

They would review each area with clear directives and the summary would be one joint paper.
6 weeks to review and to be submitted 2 weeks after would give Mayo a review in 8 weeks if it was completed.
That's the shortest possible time frame if it was organized properly and fast.

Unlikely to be done this way.

Yes, I've seen a review such as this done.
One organized for a club team in the North and a larger one for another professional Team.
Very rare though.

The reviews would need to be performance based, which is different from a business review, but that's in the detail I guess.

We know this won't happen though.

[Farrandeelin]

If they are to review the club scene in the county, they will obviously notice that the club championship, despite the myth that it it a good championship, plainly is not. Should the 90s system be brought back again, where the league standings determined your championship status the following year? Every game was important then, nobody could afford to lose too many games, and most county players would get lots of competitive action, unlike now, where a club team can win one game all year and still be senior. 

[Barney]

Alot of very good points being made here lads.

I certainly agree that the club competition structures need to be examined and not interfered with constantly.

I also think that an overall county team programme needs to be put in place. Mickey Harte has done this with Tyrone and brought it through at all levels. Do we have such a personality who could be in effect a "Director of Football" that all teams would listen to, respect?

Abbeysider makes valid points about the media. I think Mayo fans are guilty of the same thing - building up fellas without any great achievement, but very slow to realise the realities. The perfect example is Austin O'Malley who because of one league game against Dublin because a top-class forward in the minds of many and the answer in the eyes of many people when things were going badly up front. Fellas need to earn respect not be ordained heroes based on one or two games.

The difficulty for the media is there is an insatiable demand for Mayo football related news. The Mayo News and Western have a page or two on the Mayo intercounty teams every week - minimum - and that includes the darks of winter. There is usually an interview with a player or manager as to how things are going. Look at the Galway papers or other counties and you struggle to find such coverage. A lower key preparation would certainly help everybody and let people earn respect, not have reputations created by words.

[mannix]

aom kicked 5 from play against kerry in croker in 2005, not many mayo players can say that.

[Farrandeelin]

Any word on the MWR exit poll today lads?

[Logan]

Alot of very good points being made here lads.

I certainly agree that the club competition structures need to be examined and not interfered with constantly.

I also think that an overall county team programme needs to be put in place. Mickey Harte has done this with Tyrone and brought it through at all levels. Do we have such a personality who could be in effect a "Director of Football" that all teams would listen to, respect?

Abbeysider makes valid points about the media. I think Mayo fans are guilty of the same thing - building up fellas without any great achievement, but very slow to realise the realities. The perfect example is Austin O'Malley who because of one league game against Dublin because a top-class forward in the minds of many and the answer in the eyes of many people when things were going badly up front. Fellas need to earn respect not be ordained heroes based on one or two games.

The difficulty for the media is there is an insatiable demand for Mayo football related news. The Mayo News and Western have a page or two on the Mayo intercounty teams every week - minimum - and that includes the darks of winter. There is usually an interview with a player or manager as to how things are going. Look at the Galway papers or other counties and you struggle to find such coverage. A lower key preparation would certainly help everybody and let people earn respect, not have reputations created by words.

Don't overrate the Tyrone model either ... it evolved rather than was designed specifically or totally.

But your point or the essence of it is correct.

[ross4life]

Next Mayo manager?

[muppet]

Next Mayo manager?

Is that Catherine Nevin on the left? That might explain things.

[The Konica]

Awesome eyesight!!!

[bucko]

Next Mayo manager?

Well we look big enough fools as it is, so it won't be any surprise!

[AbbeySider]

Another twist in the tale... From the Mayo News....


Four week suspension for Mayo Chairman
GAA board officer reported after recent Qualifier defeat

THE Chairman of the Mayo GAA Board, James Waldron, has received a four-week suspension from the GAA authorities in Croke Park after an incident following Mayo's defeat to Longford in the All-Ireland SFC Qualifier last Saturday week.
The Mayo News understands that Mr Waldron was reported by Galway referee, Gearóid Ó Conomhá, for a Category 1A offence at Pearse Park.
This offence is defined as: "abusive language towards a referee, umpire, linesman or sideline official" and the suspension is "applicable at all codes and all levels" which means that the County Board Chairman will be prevented from performing any of his official GAA functions until midnight on Friday, July 23.
This means that Mr Waldron will be unable to chair any County Board meetings or Executive Board meetings for the coming weeks and it will also restrict his involvement with the Mayo minor football team for the Connacht championship final against Galway on July 18.
The Mayo News understands that the Mayo GAA Board vice-chairman, Paddy McNicholas, will take on the chairman's responsibilities for the duration of Mr Waldron's suspension.
Mayo defender Keith Higgins was also handed a four-week suspension by Gearóid Ó Conomhá after using "abusive language" during the course of Mayo's defeat to Longford ten days ago.
Neither Waldron or Higgins are believed to have requested a hearing to appeal their suspensions.

MEANWHILE, the Mayo GAA coffers are to receive a welcome boost later this month when Roscommon take on Sligo in the Connacht SFC final at McHale Park, Castlebar on July 18 at 4pm.
The match is expected to generate approximately €40,000 to €50,000 for the Mayo GAA Board with a crowd of more than 20,000 expected to attend the novel finale. The Mayo minor footballers will take on Galway in the curtain-raiser at 2pm.
"We're delighted that Sligo nominated McHale Park as their preferred 'home' ground for the final," said Mayo GAA Board secretary Seán Feeney. "It's a great boost for the stadium and it's a great boost for our minors who will have home advantage too."

[Barney]

After the early announcement of a review with the promise of a follow-up announcement things appear to have been stalled.

I hope matters are moving along in the background but the fear is that this is a political stunt to take heat of various officers.

Confirmed runners and riders so far for the big job:

McHale and

Willie Joe

Anybody hear of anybody else ruling themselves in or out?

[AbbeySider]

After the early announcement of a review with the promise of a follow-up announcement things appear to have been stalled.

I hope matters are moving along in the background but the fear is that this is a political stunt to take heat of various officers.

Confirmed runners and riders so far for the big job:

McHale and

Willie Joe

Anybody hear of anybody else ruling themselves in or out?

Holmes ruled himself out in one of the local papers due to family commitments