Antrim Football Thread

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

FWIW I thought McGinley should have gone after the Leitrim defeat. It was an awful championship campaign.
But whether I (or anyone else for that matter) thought it or not is pretty much irrelevant. He thought it himself and stood down.

[bannside]

100% correct. A very disappointing period.

Andy was at the senior final, and a few players caught his eye from both sides. That's why he was there.

Altogether between Cargin and Portglenone he had already seen a dozen at county training over the last few years. Right/Wrong?

[Spike]

At least thats honest.

Here its water under the bridge.  Going forward is now what matters. 

Just want to see the team moving forward, not treading water. 

Big season 3 for Andy, i hope he is being proactive

[Milltown Row2]

At least thats honest.

Here its water under the bridge.  Going forward is now what matters. 

Just want to see the team moving forward, not treading water. 

Big season 3 for Andy, i hope he is being proactive

Change the manager rinse and repeat..

What's your plan Spike?

[Hoof Hearted]

Andys opinion will be different from the antrim supporters
As a "professional" he will have his goals  which will probably vary from supporters  goals. As a "professional" if it was me I'd be setting targets, so promotion and/or a tailtain cup final WIN is absolute minimum.
Supporters? IMO, the same.

[Spike]

Big big plans MR2. A lot of people.  And maybe even some money spent on the football.

2 phases, 4 strategic target areas, 3 central hubs, 30 players, 4 years.

We'd never see Div 4 again. Cant promise Div 1 though.

Whats your plan?  Dont say the tried and tested 'do nothing' route?

[bannside]

Big big plans, interesting. I will be the first to salute you if or when this 4 year plan delivers a positive outcome.

You're 100% right, many have tried to make a difference, but it hasn't worked  - our long term rating, stuck  somewhere between about 18th and 28th in the country for about 5 decades.

This does need new thinking of some kind, don't think anyone will disagree with that.

[Milltown Row2]

Big big plans MR2. A lot of people.  And maybe even some money spent on the football.

2 phases, 4 strategic target areas, 3 central hubs, 30 players, 4 years.

We'd never see Div 4 again. Cant promise Div 1 though.

Whats your plan?  Dont say the tried and tested 'do nothing' route?

Ok, where's that money/investment coming from?

30 players,  they've been there, would have seen it regularly enough down at Jordanstown pre season.

At senior level it's down to commitment, and the players need to buy in, if you think Andy hasn't a plan then you'd be wrong, even a basic club manager when setting his stall out has a plan.

We don't have the personnel currently, unfortunately looking down the tracks we don't have that.

Unfortunately there's no commitment, I've seen (ref'd) some of these development squads at juvenile level in football over the years,  basic football skills are missing.

Growing up the hurl was never out of my hand, the gable walls were getting a pounding. But you don't see it anymore, kids go training and they don't lift a ball or hurl till next session

Your plan is a start but Christ we are so far behind when club is king

[bannside]

Anyone describing Andys two years as "mediocre" needs to take a look at themselves, honestly!

That's definitely a cheap shot right there Spike. You've obviously got an agenda or a gripe, which is it?

To lose 9 players between year 1 and 2 from a team that was developing nicely and fitting into his plan of how he wanted to play would have rocked most management teams.

Antrims comeback performance against Fermanagh away in Brester Pk was as memorable as any Antrim game I've seen. I'd be optimistic that this year we can find more than last year and finish it off stronger, to answer EOC question, especially if Adam, Conchuir, Stew and Peter Healy are available.

[Spike]

BS, mediocrity is being polite to Andy and theres nothing cheap about it.  Ive never hid my distain for the tailteann cup and its irrelevence. I stand by that.  Others like you disagree and priortise it over the real championship, fair enough.

League and championship runs have been average for 2 years now. To say anything else is simply misguided.  Thats my opinion, you obviously have yours. Again fair enough.

But its all about his 3rd year, hopefully hes learned enough from his first 2. Andys been around enough corners to know what he has now and im expecting a good showing in the league, at least a single  championship victory in ulster and nothing short of a Tailteann Cup win seeing the importance we put on it.

Andy has the experience, players and resources to win the Tailteann. Personally id love a proper league campaign with him throwing everything at it to gain promotion and see where it takes us come championship

[bannside]

Personally I think Andys year two was satisfactory and a much fairer word than mediocre, given the circumstances.

Andy is competitive and he Tom and Terry have stuck with this group because they feel with some players returning from injury, a few fresh faces  and a load of players benefitting from their game time last year that could bring them on - a better year is probable.

Yes, definitely this is the big year, and likely the one that his tenure will be most judged on.

Let's not mix that up with the fact that anything less than promotion ( very tough league this year) an Ulster cship win, (against the All Ireland champions) and taking home the Tailteean would represent anything less than average.

Looks like you're trying to set extremely high parameters by which he will be judged, and those are all high bars.

I'd settle for 20 - 30% improvement in our overall performances, and that would leave us with plenty of positives to ponder over.

[Spike]

Surely a good league run and a respectable performance in ulster is a low enough bar to set?

[bannside]

That's true.

[Milltown Row2]

At least a single championship win? Who's Antrim meeting this year in Ulster?

[Spike]

Beat before we start.