James Horan Appointed Mayo Manager 2011

[Tubberman]

Underwhelming for sure. Could also be described as a sense of resignation and indifference at this stage.
There have been a lot of twists in this saga so far, so will wait and see what the definite outcome is.

[Maiden1]

Anybody for Micko now?  Won? 9 AI s and 2 Leinsters, with 2 different counties that had never won anything in living memory.

3 Leinsters.

It's Tommy that only has 2. 

He has an AI club title managing Kilmacud Crokes as well.  Not a bad CV.  The wheels came off with Dublin a bit after Cluxton swung the boot at an Armagh player and got sent off, then he had a pop at Cluxton on the TV after.  He might bite his tongue this time and keep it for the dressing room if he has any criticism off the Mayo players to do.

[southsidejohnny]

Mayo will get what Mayo deserve. Lyons is a manager born for a county like Mayo. A match that was waiting to happen. Meanwhile Galway will slowly rebuild. Roscommon might add another Connacht, even the posers Sligo will get another years publicity but ultimitley win nothing.Alas poor Mayo, what have you done for fate to shag you in such a cruel way?

[IolarCoisCuain]

Lads. What's going on?

We've managed to discuss this over sixty threads. There was a lot of talk at the start about nothing less than a root and branch revision of structure and policy in County Mayo. There was all that yak about a review. And how do we react when we're staring down the barrel of a man being appointed because he has money behind him?

Like this:

Tommy is out leader now it seems so its time to get behind him and the team.

After sixty pages are we going to lie down and have our bellies tickled? Or will we ask the question our fellow Mayoman asked in a different code a quarter of a century ago: Where's your f**king pride? How can we sit back and just accept this shite?

[moysider]

What do you suggest we do Iolar? A strongly worded letter to the Western People perhaps? Boycott the games? Oh sorry, I forgot. We've already stopped going to the  games.

[Barney]

Iolar - its sad and true that we just will be standing back and accepting what happens for better or for worse.

The thing is rotten to the core. Debt-ridden, in-fighting, politically motivated, and self-interested. We get what we deserved. Our clubs will stand by. The senior people there will not listen to ordinary supporters. They have our say at County Board meetings.

What can be done? These are shrewd operators politically that have been in place for 20/30 years and despite their failures, and agendas anybody that gets in their way will be quickly pushed out of the way.

At the same time none of us were able to come up with a candidate that we could say - yes, the real genuine Mayo supporters will be happy with this man - so whoever was selected they were in a lose lose.

But this is not about football for these lads, it is about power.

I don't know how the players feel but if they are not happy they are as gutless off the field as on it. Whatever you may think about them the lads in Cork stood up to their Board - they brought about some change, but not alot.

[the Deel Rover]

i'd say John Maughan saw who was on the panel and knew weel that the job is Tommys ,sure christ his name wasn't in any ones lips untill 2 weeks ago . i can't understand why they don't go for James Horan , he knows the club scene inside out ( when was the last time lyons was at a club scene ) he is young and a manager to whom the players would look up to and respect if lyons gets the job there will be even fewer die hard supporters at mayo games this year

[IolarCoisCuain]

At the same time none of us were able to come up with a candidate that we could say - yes, the real genuine Mayo supporters will be happy with this man - so whoever was selected they were in a lose lose.

Not true Barney. Not true at all.

Horan or Kearney or McGarry would have been totally acceptable to real genuine Mayo supporters. They would have been welcome with open arms. Even Maughan, for all his past issues, still has an aura in Mayo. But the Lyons appointment stinks like sewage in the sun. Unless his written proposal is up there with the Third Secret of Fatima there is no case to be made for Lyons being better than those four I named. And from what I heard, the proposal is all old chat. The only sensible reason for his appointment, according to rumour, is money. And that's disgraceful.

What do you suggest we do Iolar? A strongly worded letter to the Western People perhaps? Boycott the games? Oh sorry, I forgot. We've already stopped going to the  games.

Yes Moysider. A boycott is exactly what I'm suggesting. The boycott was invented in Mayo. It's time we brought it home.

If County Board only care about money then the people that care about a winning team should hit them where it hurts. Attend no league games in Castlebar. Buy no shirts. Buy club lotto, of course. Support your clubs. But make a list of any activity from which the Board gets a cut and have nothing to do with it.

I'm not sure how gates for away games divide up. If the Mayo Board don't get money for away games then by all means continue to support the team by attending away games. But for what the Board have done, you must take your lesson from Parnell:

you must shun him on the roadside when you meet him–you must shun him in the streets of the town–you must shun him in the shop – you must shun him on the fair green and in the market place, and even in the place of worship, by leaving him alone, by putting him in moral Coventry, by isolating him from the rest of the country, as if he were the leper of old – you must show him your detestation of the crime he committed.


I only pray that someone on the Board reads this and shows sense before it's too late.

[Barney]

I agree with you Iolar but I still think there would have been a lot of grumbling (not to the same degree) if Kearney or McGarry were appointed in particular, definitely if Maughan was taken on again, and less so if it was James Horan. As it developed I would have been excited to see Horan given a chance. he is a young Mayo man. Knows the club game. Was a great Mayo footballer and wanted the job. Yes he is inexperienced but we are as well to take that chance. Others have and succeeded.

If it is money that is the guiding factor well that stinks. Is it the people with money that are pushing the agenda? I would have guessed Lyons would cost more than Horan for instance?

The crowds are already gone, those that do go just sit bemused and obiediently.

We shafted Mickey Moran - the last four years and the future are our penance.

[IolarCoisCuain]

I agree with you Iolar but I still think there would have been a lot of grumbling (not to the same degree) if Kearney or McGarry were appointed in particular, definitely if Maughan was taken on again, and less so if it was James Horan. As it developed I would have been excited to see Horan given a chance. he is a young Mayo man. Knows the club game. Was a great Mayo footballer and wanted the job. Yes he is inexperienced but we are as well to take that chance. Others have and succeeded.

If it is money that is the guiding factor well that stinks. Is it the people with money that are pushing the agenda? I would have guessed Lyons would cost more than Horan for instance?

The crowds are already gone, those that do go just sit bemused and obiediently.

We shafted Mickey Moran - the last four years and the future are our penance.

That's Calvinism Barney. There is no pre-destination here. There is no law that says we have to put up with bullshit cynical appointments. Grumbling isn't what I'm hearing about Lyons. I hear sins crying to Heaven for vengeance.

[highorlow]

i'd say John Maughan saw who was on the panel and knew weel that the job is Tommys ,sure christ his name wasn't in any ones lips untill 2 weeks ago .

Tommy would have to be replaced on the Sunday Game? I wonder who they would get?

[REDCOL]

Its a farce, our outgoing chairman has proclaimed the clubs wanted a mayo man. Sorry, they said they wanted a man from  inside the county James. The spin has begun that this was the clubs choice. A committee was formed the other night with 5 men, this consisted of three executive members so therefore no matter what the other two want they have no say. The committee have not met up yet, however the chairman and John Maughan have a chat, John is gone. The decision is made, clubs had no input into it,the three executive members made the decision.

Now we have a chance, go back to your clubs demand a club meeting and get your delegates to stop this CB decision. They could do it in Meath, now is the time for us to stand up to the County Board for once and for all.

[IolarCoisCuain]

Its a farce, our outgoing chairman has proclaimed the clubs wanted a mayo man. Sorry, they said they wanted a man from  inside the county James. The spin has begun that this was the clubs choice. A committee was formed the other night with 5 men, this consisted of three executive members so therefore no matter what the other two want they have no say. The committee have not met up yet, however the chairman and John Maughan have a chat, John is gone. The decision is made, clubs had no input into it,the three executive members made the decision.

Now we have a chance, go back to your clubs demand a club meeting and get your delegates to stop this CB decision. They could do it in Meath, now is the time for us to stand up to the County Board for once and for all.

Good boy Rel Col, well said! If they take us away boys, who'll take our place? Make a choice, and pick a side. This is a seminal moment in Mayo football. We spend a lot of time jawing. Let's see what we're made of.

[Farrandeelin]

Iolar, I actually like your idea of a boycott of home league games. However, I would get labeled as a bandwagon jumper come championship time and there's one accusation I would not be happy with. Away league games would be hard to fit in if there are club games on those weekends. PS, clubs HAVE to sell a certain amount of Co. board tickets or else the county board comes after them.

[IolarCoisCuain]

Iolar, I actually like your idea of a boycott of home league games. However, I would get labeled as a bandwagon jumper come championship time and there's one accusation I would not be happy with. Away league games would be hard to fit in if there are club games on those weekends. PS, clubs HAVE to sell a certain amount of Co. board tickets or else the county board comes after them.

I'm not involved in a club so I'm open to direction on this. Thanks for bringing the issue up.

See, as I see it, it's all a big game of bluff. If the sales of the tickets are so important to the Board, doesn't that work in the other direction? Can the clubs say to the Board there is no way we're selling those tickets if you appoint a manager of whom we do not approve? Is that not a stalemate at worst?