Alan Mulholland has been appointed as the new Galway football manager.

[moysider]

I have to be honest and say that my priority is to make a team difficult to beat. That does not make me a hypocrit. I actually enjoyed what Donegal were at and I would have done the same thing if I thought it would win an Ulster title after 19 years falling off Championship games. The end justifies the means and to hell with the begrudgers. Donegal have as much cred as Dublin or Kildare imo and they will probably refine their game going forward. But what they managed in one year was extraordinary from the base they were coming from.

I would like to think likes of Galway could keep their game and still be a top team though. But although the penny has not dropped for a lot of people in The West that is not going to happen. Galway will have to keep the ball more and kick the ball less. Same as everybody else. Mulholland s comments in that interview months ago would suggests he knows the game is up. Remember Peter Forde was brought in to introduce a more 'practical' approach in Galway after Johnno. Galway were not ready for it then but may be ready for it now. They were not ready for big Joe either. I m sure Mulholland will meet with less resistance with the old guard gone from the dresssing room.

The appointment of Cian O Neill in Mayo is an interesting and welcome development. Gone are 2 lads that have coached more footballers than a lot of people have had hot dinners. And they were no daws. But I imagine O Neill s role will be physical trainer(hands-on or consultancy, I dunno), but I can t see him have much input in coaching. Horan will be hands-on there and realistically needs to be.
Mayo started from nowhere as regards physical conditioning this year. Wihat happened previously, we put that to bed a few years ago. I believe O Neill is there to get players to a new level physically - not to discover or coach new forwards or the team in general. Kevin McLoughlin will be bigger and stronger and cover more ground and last full 70 mins. The O Sé s will be meaner and leaner. Barry Moran and Trevor Howley will get their chronic injuries sorted. Parsons will melt himself to get to where he should be. More hardness all round. Those are attainable goals. Discovering natural forwards is not an attainable goal. There are a couple of forwards out there that could improve things and there will be changes in personnel in Mayo from this year. But Horan seems to realise the biggest gain will be made in preparation.

[ross matt]

Mulholland was always going to get the Galway job if he wanted it. He'll get the time others didnt because they  simply cant change managers as quickly as they have been and he will obviously need time anyway to blend in his successful underage players. He may have to adapt some of the modern possession/defensive tactics but he Galway still have forwards that can kick from distance so they will probably be more attack minded than most other teams.

[Zulu]

Cian o'neill will be the football coach, not the physical coach so his role is too develop the football side of things. Moysider, I think you're over stating this whole defensive thing. Neither Mayo Galway need to get 14 behind the ball, in fact Donegal don't need to do it. I know (for sure) what three IC teams have worked on over the past few years and none of them did anything on forward play. They knew what to do defensively but not when they had the ball, do Mayo or Galway? 8 or 9 players is more than enough players to get behind the ball getting anymore results in diminishing returns.

[sammymaguire]

Has Padraic Joyce announced his retirement from inter county football yet?

Or is there life in the old dog yet?

[GalwayBayBoy]

Has Padraic Joyce announced his retirement from inter county football yet?

Or is there life in the old dog yet?

As far as I know he seems to coming back for another year but nothing official yet.

[sammymaguire]

Has Padraic Joyce announced his retirement from inter county football yet?

Or is there life in the old dog yet?

As far as I know he seems to coming back for another year but nothing official yet.

He'd still be a big loss to Galway if he decided to hang up the boots. Some invaluable experience there to pass on to the younger lads coming in to the squad and his link up and creativity play.

I'd say it could be a watch this space...

[mouview]

Has Padraic Joyce announced his retirement from inter county football yet?

Or is there life in the old dog yet?

As far as I know he seems to coming back for another year but nothing official yet.

Heard contrary, but nothing official released yet. Nicky training well under Mulholland apparently.

[Gaabellting]

Say that managing Nicky Joyce will be one of Mulholland's biggest challenges in his first year of senior intercounty management.

These training programmes seem to be the biggest joke around and making a mockery of the training ban. All the major counties have players training in smaller groups of 15-20 players but aren't being referred to at all as being the senior intercounty panel.

If a county abides by the training ban it will mean that they are 4 weeks or more behind other counties in terms of fitness and preperation and results may suffer at the start of the league

[GalwayBayBoy]

Say that managing Nicky Joyce will be one of Mulholland's biggest challenges in his first year of senior intercounty management.

No doubt. I imagine it's like trying to herd cats.

That said if he can actually get Nicky playing he's a very good footballer when he has his head on straight. He'll be needed as well as Michael Meehan is still struggling to overcome his injuries. And may not overcome them at all going by reports.

[Mayo Mick]

See that Niall Coleman is back in Galway panel. I expect a big challenge from Galway in 2012 and the Connacht Final should be a cracker. Horan will want more from our lads who it could be argued threw away a great chance of an AI this year. Galway with Mulholland at the helm can expect (barring injuries) to have all available players hungry and interested and will probably win DIv 2 giving the a bit of momentum coming into the c 'ship. The clash with the Sheep thieves will bring them on further so we can expect a period challenge come Connacht Final day – our easy passage to the final is a worry. On the other hand we are a bit further along the learning curve and Horan has the first year out of the way with reasonable progress made. He will be upping the ante in 2012 and demanding more from the players and I can't see him being satisfied with anything less than a CF victory. Have to say I am glad to see things taking shape in Galway and that the last couple of years of turmoil seem to be over. A good Connacht C 'ship needs a good Galway team and will help to keep us sharpened as we aim for bigger things.

[Captain Obvious]

See that Niall Coleman is back in Galway panel. I expect a big challenge from Galway in 2012 and the Connacht Final should be a cracker. Horan will want more from our lads who it could be argued threw away a great chance of an AI this year. Galway with Mulholland at the helm can expect (barring injuries) to have all available players hungry and interested and will probably win DIv 2 giving the a bit of momentum coming into the c 'ship. The clash with the Sheep thieves will bring them on further so we can expect a period challenge come Connacht Final day – our easy passage to the final is a worry. On the other hand we are a bit further along the learning curve and Horan has the first year out of the way with reasonable progress made. He will be upping the ante in 2012 and demanding more from the players and I can't see him being satisfied with anything less than a CF victory. Have to say I am glad to see things taking shape in Galway and that the last couple of years of turmoil seem to be over. A good Connacht C 'ship needs a good Galway team and will help to keep us sharpened as we aim for bigger things.

Is this post for real? narrow victory in the Connacht final in a game Roscommon threw away,beat a depleted Cork team & were handed another footballing lesson by Kerry. After the London game I'd say Horan & all the players were shocked how far they got.

[spuds]

See that Niall Coleman is back in Galway panel. I expect a big challenge from Galway in 2012 and the Connacht Final should be a cracker. Horan will want more from our lads who it could be argued threw away a great chance of an AI this year. Galway with Mulholland at the helm can expect (barring injuries) to have all available players hungry and interested and will probably win DIv 2 giving the a bit of momentum coming into the c 'ship. The clash with the Sheep thieves will bring them on further so we can expect a period challenge come Connacht Final day – our easy passage to the final is a worry. On the other hand we are a bit further along the learning curve and Horan has the first year out of the way with reasonable progress made. He will be upping the ante in 2012 and demanding more from the players and I can't see him being satisfied with anything less than a CF victory. Have to say I am glad to see things taking shape in Galway and that the last couple of years of turmoil seem to be over. A good Connacht C 'ship needs a good Galway team and will help to keep us sharpened as we aim for bigger things.

Is this post for real? narrow victory in the Connacht final in a game Roscommon threw away,beat a depleted Cork team & were handed another footballing lesson by Kerry. After the London game I'd say Horan & all the players were shocked how far they got.

Is your post for real ! The truth lies somewhere between these 2 polar opposite posts. Roscommon hardly threw away the Connacht final, it was a game played on an extremely windy wet day that made a lottery of the result and Mayo adapted better with Killian O´Connor coming of age. Cork probably underestimated us but we beat them fair and square playing the better football. Kerry was a poor performance but after the way the summer started in London there were a lot more positives than negatives during the campaign.

[Captain Obvious]

See that Niall Coleman is back in Galway panel. I expect a big challenge from Galway in 2012 and the Connacht Final should be a cracker. Horan will want more from our lads who it could be argued threw away a great chance of an AI this year. Galway with Mulholland at the helm can expect (barring injuries) to have all available players hungry and interested and will probably win DIv 2 giving the a bit of momentum coming into the c 'ship. The clash with the Sheep thieves will bring them on further so we can expect a period challenge come Connacht Final day – our easy passage to the final is a worry. On the other hand we are a bit further along the learning curve and Horan has the first year out of the way with reasonable progress made. He will be upping the ante in 2012 and demanding more from the players and I can't see him being satisfied with anything less than a CF victory. Have to say I am glad to see things taking shape in Galway and that the last couple of years of turmoil seem to be over. A good Connacht C 'ship needs a good Galway team and will help to keep us sharpened as we aim for bigger things.

Is this post for real? narrow victory in the Connacht final in a game Roscommon threw away,beat a depleted Cork team & were handed another footballing lesson by Kerry. After the London game I'd say Horan & all the players were shocked how far they got.

Is your post for real ! The truth lies somewhere between these 2 polar opposite posts. Roscommon hardly threw away the Connacht final, it was a game played on an extremely windy wet day that made a lottery of the result and Mayo adapted better with Killian O´Connor coming of age. Cork probably underestimated us but we beat them fair and square playing the better football. Kerry was a poor performance but after the way the summer started in London there were a lot more positives than negatives during the campaign.

Very real potatoes as ever i'm just stating the obvious. Roscommon threw it away with poor discipline in that second half. Cork did underestimated Mayo they had Kerry set in there sights though the guys missing still played a huge part in the final result.

Mayo Mick said  "it could be argued threw away a great chance of an AI this year." i really don't know how he jumped to that conclusion.

[muppet]

See that Niall Coleman is back in Galway panel. I expect a big challenge from Galway in 2012 and the Connacht Final should be a cracker. Horan will want more from our lads who it could be argued threw away a great chance of an AI this year. Galway with Mulholland at the helm can expect (barring injuries) to have all available players hungry and interested and will probably win DIv 2 giving the a bit of momentum coming into the c 'ship. The clash with the Sheep thieves will bring them on further so we can expect a period challenge come Connacht Final day – our easy passage to the final is a worry. On the other hand we are a bit further along the learning curve and Horan has the first year out of the way with reasonable progress made. He will be upping the ante in 2012 and demanding more from the players and I can't see him being satisfied with anything less than a CF victory. Have to say I am glad to see things taking shape in Galway and that the last couple of years of turmoil seem to be over. A good Connacht C 'ship needs a good Galway team and will help to keep us sharpened as we aim for bigger things.

Is this post for real? narrow victory in the Connacht final in a game Roscommon threw away,beat a depleted Cork team & were handed another footballing lesson by Kerry. After the London game I'd say Horan & all the players were shocked how far they got.

Is your post for real ! The truth lies somewhere between these 2 polar opposite posts. Roscommon hardly threw away the Connacht final, it was a game played on an extremely windy wet day that made a lottery of the result and Mayo adapted better with Killian O´Connor coming of age. Cork probably underestimated us but we beat them fair and square playing the better football. Kerry was a poor performance but after the way the summer started in London there were a lot more positives than negatives during the campaign.

Very real potatoes as ever i'm just stating the obvious. Roscommon threw it away with poor discipline in that second half. Cork did underestimated Mayo they had Kerry set in there sights though the guys missing still played a huge part in the final result.

Mayo Mick said  "it could be argued threw away a great chance of an AI this year." i really don't know how he jumped to that conclusion.

From the 2010 Sam Maguire winning team they had Cotter instead of Carey in the corner back position, they had Fintan Goold instead of Ciaran Shehan and Fiachra Lynch instead of Daniel Goulding. Goudling's free-taking apart they were missing damn all compared to who played.

[Captain Obvious]

See that Niall Coleman is back in Galway panel. I expect a big challenge from Galway in 2012 and the Connacht Final should be a cracker. Horan will want more from our lads who it could be argued threw away a great chance of an AI this year. Galway with Mulholland at the helm can expect (barring injuries) to have all available players hungry and interested and will probably win DIv 2 giving the a bit of momentum coming into the c 'ship. The clash with the Sheep thieves will bring them on further so we can expect a period challenge come Connacht Final day – our easy passage to the final is a worry. On the other hand we are a bit further along the learning curve and Horan has the first year out of the way with reasonable progress made. He will be upping the ante in 2012 and demanding more from the players and I can't see him being satisfied with anything less than a CF victory. Have to say I am glad to see things taking shape in Galway and that the last couple of years of turmoil seem to be over. A good Connacht C 'ship needs a good Galway team and will help to keep us sharpened as we aim for bigger things.

Is this post for real? narrow victory in the Connacht final in a game Roscommon threw away,beat a depleted Cork team & were handed another footballing lesson by Kerry. After the London game I'd say Horan & all the players were shocked how far they got.

Is your post for real ! The truth lies somewhere between these 2 polar opposite posts. Roscommon hardly threw away the Connacht final, it was a game played on an extremely windy wet day that made a lottery of the result and Mayo adapted better with Killian O´Connor coming of age. Cork probably underestimated us but we beat them fair and square playing the better football. Kerry was a poor performance but after the way the summer started in London there were a lot more positives than negatives during the campaign.

Very real potatoes as ever i'm just stating the obvious. Roscommon threw it away with poor discipline in that second half. Cork did underestimated Mayo they had Kerry set in there sights though the guys missing still played a huge part in the final result.

Mayo Mick said  "it could be argued threw away a great chance of an AI this year." i really don't know how he jumped to that conclusion.

From the 2010 Sam Maguire winning team they had Cotter instead of Carey in the corner back position, they had Fintan Goold instead of Ciaran Shehan and Fiachra Lynch instead of Daniel Goulding. Goudling's free-taking apart they were missing damn all compared to who played.

Without those players Cork wouldn't have won the All Ireland in 2010.