Derry looking for new miracle worker - sorry Manager

[Derry Optimist]

I enjoyed the many contributions on this thread particularly those of Lynchboy and  Shawshank who certainly know and understand Derry football. However of all the necessary characteristics that they have mentioned for a successful  county team the most importantant one is -have we a sufficient number of top class players who could make us more competitive ,at least, at All Ireland level? At the very minimum we require a commanding full back, a dominant and intelligent centre half back and at least one tall,fast and strong attacking midfiellder who can run at a defence and who can also score freely.In the forward line we need a playmaker as well as two hard-working and incisive men up front who can score goals and points when the opportunity presents itself. Furthermore we require, at the minimun, one very influential leader in every line of the team. Based on what they have seen during this year's club championship can anyone select a Derry team for 2011 that will fulfil all the criteria I have mentioned above?

[lynchbhoy]

what has to change is this attitude from clubs - if asked about picking a county team they will come up with
1.our boy
2.our boy  3.our boy 4.our boy
5.our boy  6.our boy 7.our boy
8.our boy 9.our boy
10.our boy 11.our boy 12.our boy
13.our boy 14.our boy 15.our boy

Shawshank, if Johnny B rules himself out as well as O'Kane from loup then fine. Under a new man maybe they would come back , maybe not. Obv they dont like the setup as it was. It needs changing. I'd disagree regarding Pinny, but there are others that could step up and if nothing else then GOK can do a SML. Neither are natural FB's, both a waste to play FB, but SML filled the void for us when our FB's were often inj and did a great job. GOK has already done so and after his dismal season by his standards, FB would be easily filled by him.

[Sandino]

I too enjoy the comments of both Lynchboy and Shawshank, pragmatic and logical. I was going to post on the local Derry thread about the issue off lack of discipline and inter club rivalry but as a Tyrone man that would have been pointless as that thread has gone to the dogs.
There does seem to be a major issue over the lack of discipline in Derry  club games and this then no doubt increases inter club friction on and off the pitch. I acknowledge that this is an issue for other counties and not just Derry.
Prior to 2003 we here in Tyrone felt that we had good players who under achieved. I think it's no coincidence that Tyrone only succeeded in winning the All Ireland only after they had sorted out most of the ill feeling at club level.
I hope that Derry are able to get the discipline sorted not least for the benefit of referee's. It would be great to see the old rivalries between back at healthy levels.

[robertemmet]

Most good senior county teams are built around underage success.  Tyrone's 1998 minor crop was a great example of this.  Down are building around 1995/2005 minor teams, school teams and county U21 teams

Then you have Kerry who have a strong base and keep adding to it every year with 1/2 players, despite not winning many minor titles.   This can only work where they are not forming the base of the team with youth, but simply blending them in, with the experienced players being the driving force. Kilkenny hurlers as well.

What is everyone's take in Development Squads.  Derry seem to have being taking these more seriously of late.  Few years ago many of the clubs didn't send their players to them.

[lynchbhoy]

Most good senior county teams are built around underage success.  Tyrone's 1998 minor crop was a great example of this.  Down are building around 1995/2005 minor teams, school teams and county U21 teams

Then you have Kerry who have a strong base and keep adding to it every year with 1/2 players, despite not winning many minor titles.   This can only work where they are not forming the base of the team with youth, but simply blending them in, with the experienced players being the driving force. Kilkenny hurlers as well.

What is everyone's take in Development Squads.  Derry seem to have being taking these more seriously of late.  Few years ago many of the clubs didn't send their players to them.

imo we have had as much 'underage success' as we need and enough decent players coming up only for them to be spoiled etc through whatever the problem is in Derry football.

I know there is massive work being done in underage with a lot of men (and women) taking the development squads and by all accounts Derry 16  hammered Donegal the other week and were missing 5 of our best players - inc the starting midfield. Donegal  were shocked and Martin McHugh whose second son was on the side thought that the Derry players/team were staggeringly good - I am paraphrasing and my source is one of the Dev squad men volunteers!

so yes, good work is being done underage for the intercounty side, but we need to address the rubbish structures that obv exist and ruin these kids after they leave minor to go up to u21 and senior.
too many times this has happened for it to be coincidence and for it to be the players....

[armaghniac]

perhaps this man

[whiskeysteve]

he couldnt fix the apartheid in the derry club scene

[the green man]

If Brennan gets Lavey to the final, then i think he's a shoe in for the job. I had a felling that he used to pick his teams to manage when he saw potential, and in that regard could be classed as a lucky manager and the teams he took to championships would have been there or thereabouts. However, winning with the Loup last year and now possibly taking Lavey to a final, two teams that where nowhere near anyones favourites, he's the strongest candidate by a long shot

[DennistheMenace]

It isn't exactly an easy job to take on is it ?

As already stated many of Derry's main players are past their peak, Doherty, P.Bradley, McCloy, etc..

Derry's main forward E.Bradley is suspended for 48 weeks and has isn't exactly a team player at the best of times.

Whilst Derry has in recent years had a strong club championship I personally feel the quality has went downhill badly in the last couple of years, and I'm not of the opinion that a strong club championship = a good county team, infact sometimes it's too a detriment with the rivalries amongst the players.

Derry supporters by and large and perhaps Derry players are all about the club, it's always been that way since I remember. A lot of people are apathetic about the county team especially with the majority of people from South Derry travelling to the city which imo creates a certain degree of negativity towards the whole supporting the county.

Not sure Derry do have the players but they certainly should be doing better than they have been in recent years, a league title was nice but it's all about the championship and simply put Derry haven't delivered bar a few good runs in the backdoor. A few years ago I would have said 'On their day Derry could be anyone', uber inconsistent but had a fine bunch of players who if they clicked they could hammer most teams - I certainly wouldn't come out with something as rash now and firmly think a new manager coming in would be best getting them into a well drilled organised unit and working with a group of players who whilst probably aren't as naturally gifted as their predecessors, they will show more balls, guts and determinated when their backs are against the wall.

Brennan ? I don't know, could do a hell of alot worse I suppose and as I said the Derry managers job next season isn't exactly the Brazilian women's volleyball team. Hard hard work needed.

[oakleafgael]

A lot of what previous posters has said is correct, apart from Lynchbhoys continuall assertion that we have enough top class players, I do agree with him that you dont need a massive amount of talent if they are organised properly. The only logical option in my eyes is John Brennan. One thing that you can be guaranteed is that his team would be organised and leave everything they have on the pitch, which is something that the most recent teams havent done.

A good management set up for me would be Brennan as manager and Downey, McKeever and Scullion as selectors with McElkennon as trainer. At the very least those wearing the county jersey would have some pride in it again.

[Orangemac]

Derry might not have the conveyor belt of young players coming through but there is still the nucleus of a decent team with the right man in charge.

The night Fermanagh beat them in Omagh sticks in the memory. Looking at the programme you would have said there was no way Derry could lose but by half time they were rudderless.

Would Malachy O'Rourke be a contender? Was it the Loup he managed before?

Every year there is some story coming out of Derry about some county player getting his jaw broke etc. Mickey Harte seems to have been able to get around the civil war type club football that seemed to exist in Tyrone. Where can Derry find someone to do the same?

[tonesfirstandlast]

John Brennan putting pride back in wearing the Derry Jersey

I don't think so! John Brennan doesn't give a dam about Derry.

Remember last year with Loup, their three players were withdrawn from the county panel.
This year, O'Boyle is withdrawn from the county panel.

Brennan and Downey only took the Lavey management this year provided that none of them would play for the Derry hurling team.

Is this man, everyone wants to lead our county?

[gaagaa]

Gerard O'Kane is the only top class player we will have in the panel next year - he played with injuries all season and in all honesty he risked his career by doing this.  Granted Mark Lynch has had a good season but I'm not sure of his consistency.  We will seriously struggle without the Bradleys - the "better off without them" brigade will unfortunately get what they asked for!!!

Personally I think our trouble starts with the no 1 jersey and the rest of the defence doesn't make for pleasant watching either!

With eventual retirements and the suspension to Eoin Bradley, I think we are seriously looking at division 3 inside 12 months.  I can't see us getting a decent manager as most are more concerned with protecting their reputations and Derry's county team is damaged goods in terms of (in)discipline, lack of tactical awareness and ability.

Fair play to Down and good luck to them in the AI fnal (and Tyrone minors too).

[gaagaa]

John Brennan putting pride back in wearing the Derry Jersey

I don't think so! John Brennan doesn't give a dam about Derry.

Is this man, everyone wants to lead our county?

I don't agree - John Brennan only gives a damn about the team he is managing - it's called a winning mentality!

[oakleafgael]

John Brennan putting pride back in wearing the Derry Jersey

I don't think so! John Brennan doesn't give a dam about Derry.

Remember last year with Loup, their three players were withdrawn from the county panel.
This year, O'Boyle is withdrawn from the county panel.

Brennan and Downey only took the Lavey management this year provided that none of them would play for the Derry hurling team.

Is this man, everyone wants to lead our county?

TFAL,

The problem with players withdrawing from the county panel lies alot closer to your own club. Was Brennan managing Bellaghy when McNally refused to play for the county?

If boys dont want to be part of the derry panel thats their own choice but I can guarantee that the 15 men who would line out for the county under Brennan would have a bit more spirit than under the last man with the job