Longford v Mayo 26th June

[small white mayoman]

O'Connor: Dubs and Mayo peaked too soon


Jack O'Connor believes Dublin and Mayo may have peaked too early in the season.

Both counties suffered bitterly disappointing championship defeats to Meath and Longford respectively last weekend, and O'Connor feels they may have placed too big an emphasis on the National League, in the same way as Kerry did last year.

"The championship is all about timing," the Kerry manager said in the Irish Examiner.

"I think the key to the league for us last year, was because we had a very strong panel. We were able to rotate players and win the league without training very hard. If you put a lot of emphasis on the league and train very hard, somewhere along the line, you're going to reach a plateau.

"We found out last year that there's a huge difference between league and championship. Unfortunately, the likes of Mayo and maybe Dublin plateaued at the wrong time. We certainly had it last year after the league.

"I don't know was it mental or physical, but it happened."

When asked for a solution, O'Connor credited those who meticulously oversee Kerry's preparations.

"You have to control your blocks of training. We're lucky we've two good professional guys, Pat Flanagan and Alan O'Sullivan. They plan the thing out pretty scientifically and they work in blocks of training. Whenever we have a period where we can train, we do. Within reason, they're able to keep the team on an even keel."

O'Connor, whose charges are preparing for a Munster final against Limerick on Sunday, admits that it would have been extremely difficult for Kerry to negotiate the backdoor series for a second year-in-a-row.

"We had set out our stall to try and go the direct route this year," he said.

"The team has been around a few years and mentally you just can't always go the backdoor. The qualifiers proved very difficult last year as mentally the team had difficulties lifting themselves. I just felt mentally we didn't want to go down that road this year again.

"The only thing about it, is that it was a great win over Cork, but mentally we have to move on now. If we start patting ourselves on the back about the Cork game, we'll be taking our eyes off Limerick. Right now that's all we have. We can be thinking about the Cork game some other time. We have to start focusing 100 per cent now about Limerick."

[Zulu]

I don't agree with that at all and it is now becoming all to easy for lads to blame 'early peaking' for underpar performances in the championship. Sure Cork won the damn thing and Kerry only just about got over them and players like Alan Brogan, Alan Freeman, C Mort, or Conal Keaney didn't play much football during the league. Or look at Sligo, who won their division, why aren't they suffering, why did Wicklow who didn't put much effort into the league lose a 7 point lead to 13 man Cavan? 

[Mayo GAA]

Statement on the future of Mayo Gaelic football now on www.mayogaa.com

[Tubberman]

Text of the statement below - a review will be taking place over the coming months, with no manager to be appointed until it's been completed. All clubs, delegates and senior panelists will be able to contribute.
Hopefully some new focus and enthusiasm will emerge from all this. 

Coiste Chontae Mhaigh Eó





Following the decision of John O'Mahony to step down from the position of Mayo Senior football team manager after the defeat to Longford on Saturday last, the Mayo GAA County Committee would like to thank him and the members of his management team for their contribution over the last four years.



At this point in time Coiste Bainisti, Coiste Chontae Mhaigh Eó is taking the opportunity to undertake a review of the state of the game in the county.



To do this in as complete a manner as is possible, a series of meetings will be arranged in the coming weeks and months where our clubs and their delegates, and members of the senior football panel will have the opportunity to express and articulate their views.



We feel that it is important that all those involved in our game in the county get the chance to contribute to this review.



We do not think that it is constructive for the floor to be opened to everyone as has happened on local radio this week. While many of those who have contributed have the best interests of Mayo football at heart, we do not feel that all who have voiced their opinion do. Therefore we believe it would be more prudent and productive if those involved at all levels of our game in the county be given the chance to voice their thoughts through the medium of this review process.



With the review subject to take place in the coming weeks, it has been decided to defer the appointment of the next senior football manager until after this process has been finalised.



We feel that to do otherwise would take some focus and direction away from the matter at hand - namely the overall welfare of the game in our county.



More precise details on this review will follow at a later date.

[AZOffaly]

Not butting in here I hope, but this is the same mistake Offaly have made for years. Get rid of a manager after the Championship, and then wait for months before appointing a new one. Surely the first task a new manager should be given is to have people, and himself, watching club games during the summer to search for players he wants to take a look at when they start back again.

By waiting for 'a few months' then this opportunity passes by, and it's the same players being used by the new managers, and the same mistakes and problems evident.

[Tubberman]

Not butting in here I hope, but this is the same mistake Offaly have made for years. Get rid of a manager after the Championship, and then wait for months before appointing a new one. Surely the first task a new manager should be given is to have people, and himself, watching club games during the summer to search for players he wants to take a look at when they start back again.

By waiting for 'a few months' then this opportunity passes by, and it's the same players being used by the new managers, and the same mistakes and problems evident.

Possibly, but I think most people are so disillusioned with the way things have been going over the last number of years (including players judging by performances and Alan Dillon's interview), that a review is absolutely necessary to give people confidence that some sort of structure and plan is in place to be followed by all county teams from underage up.
Plus the general consensus is that the next manager will be from within the county (as we're already up to our eyes in debt due to the new stand that hasn't even been half full yet). So the potential managers will be at club games and will already be familiar with most of the players within the county.

[Tubberman]

No point having two threads going on this.
Should let this one die and move to the 'search for a new manager' thread.

[moysider]

I don't agree with that at all and it is now becoming all to easy for lads to blame 'early peaking' for underpar performances in the championship. Sure Cork won the damn thing and Kerry only just about got over them and players like Alan Brogan, Alan Freeman, C Mort, or Conal Keaney didn't play much football during the league. Or look at Sligo, who won their division, why aren't they suffering, why did Wicklow who didn't put much effort into the league lose a 7 point lead to 13 man Cavan?

Exactly. Mayo didn't get out of second gear last few years. Ok may have plateaued out last year from Roscommon match but this year they just flatlined along. Any suggestion of a peak is laughable. Jack is not daft and I m sure couldn't give a shite about Mayo and Dublin but when asked made a few sympathetic noises. The only thing worth taking from it - and it's huge - is the science stuff Pat Flanagan and the other lad look after. Johnno was told about this 2 years ago but didn't act upon it.

[The Konica]

Jack O'Connor has probably won more All Irelands than those criticizing his comments so I'd hazard a guess the man knows what he's talking about!

People think peaking is simply physical, when it's far more complex than that.
There is more than an element of sense to what O'Connor is saying.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Not butting in here I hope, but this is the same mistake Offaly have made for years. Get rid of a manager after the Championship, and then wait for months before appointing a new one. Surely the first task a new manager should be given is to have people, and himself, watching club games during the summer to search for players he wants to take a look at when they start back again.

By waiting for 'a few months' then this opportunity passes by, and it's the same players being used by the new managers, and the same mistakes and problems evident.

I think it's more important to wait and make sure you get the right man/best possible candidate who's interested. We threw Hackett in there last year in time for him to watch the club games & look how that turned out. In saying that I don't think the Mayo CB (as much as a bad press they are getting on here, it could always be worse lads) would initially rule out appointing a man from within the county. Agreed though that the eventual manager should be taking in the club games so the CB should instruct the interested candidates that it would be in their interests of securing the job if they were at the club games. Paidi could jump in with Micko for the journey up, see if they want the job that bad... 

[Zulu]

Jack O'Connor has probably won more All Irelands than those criticizing his comments so I'd hazard a guess the man knows what he's talking about!

People think peaking is simply physical, when it's far more complex than that.
There is more than an element of sense to what O'Connor is saying.

So what if he has won more AI's, does that mean he can't be criticized or that he can't be wrong? I don't mean to sound arrogant but I do know more about peaking than Jack O'Connor and he is talking rubbish.

[AZOffaly]

Jack O'Connor has probably won more All Irelands than those criticizing his comments so I'd hazard a guess the man knows what he's talking about!

People think peaking is simply physical, when it's far more complex than that.
There is more than an element of sense to what O'Connor is saying.

So what if he has won more AI's, does that mean he can't be criticized or that he can't be wrong? I don't mean to sound arrogant but I do know more about peaking than Jack O'Connor and he is talking rubbish.

Zulu, is this terminology again? I know it frustrates you to hear terms being bandied about by mere mortals like ourselves, but to me 'peaking' means more than just some physical periodisation preparation or whatever. I think it involves the mental, and appetite side of things as well.

I don't think Jack O'Connor is saying that Dublin and Mayo hit their physical peak too soon.

[Zulu]

Maybe it is AZ and I don't mean to come across as condesending when we talk about these things, everyone's opinion is valid and I certainly don't know it all, nobody does but whatever Jack means I think he is wrong.

The season is only 6 months old now and Dublin made it clear that they were experimenting during the league, sure they had a large number of debutants against Kerry in the first league game and played a number of different players during the league so why would they be physically or mentally tired? JOM stated they were trying to do well in the league but between injuries and stuff a good number of players got game time for them too.

One of two things has happened here IMO, either Jack is 'yerraing' or doesn't know what he is talking about because there is little or no chance that both Mayo and Dublin are physically or mentally tired because they did well in the league.

[moysider]

My guess is that he is yerraing about the Mayo/Dublin bit. But you can be sure he knows what is happening in his own camp. Looks like the physical preparation by Flanagan has been on the money in O Connors time. Kerry have been a different animal in September than earlier in the year. Something that has largely been lost on people in Mayo who seem to think roaring and shouting is more important.

[The Konica]

Jack O'Connor has probably won more All Irelands than those criticizing his comments so I'd hazard a guess the man knows what he's talking about!

People think peaking is simply physical, when it's far more complex than that.
There is more than an element of sense to what O'Connor is saying.

So what if he has won more AI's, does that mean he can't be criticized or that he can't be wrong? I don't mean to sound arrogant but I do know more about peaking than Jack O'Connor and he is talking rubbish.

No you don't sound arrogant at all ... just naive and stupid.

So, tell us how you know more about peaking in GAA than Jack O'Connor.