Tyrone County Football and Hurling

[Angelo]

So many great, great memories under Harte.

A legend of Tyrone GAA. All the best Mickey.

[Tyrone Gaa]

Farewell Mickey Harte - Legend

Thankfully he didn't try to fight and make the process messy. He will forever be a Tyrone GAA legend but the time was right for a change.

The next man in has an unenviable task to follow MH. Almost like following Fergie at united and that's not going to well

[Jeremiah O]

Farewell and good luck to the greatest manager we've ever had.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Some memories, some legacy, and some manager was Mickey Harte -- ádh mór ort a chara. 

[omaghjoe]

Just heard

Total Legend Mickey!

Thanks for the memories and bringing us to the Promised Land, we're eternally indebted

[BennyHarp]

It's been a pleasure to follow Mickey Harte's Tyrone teams over the years. Yes there have been frustrating times but that will always be outweighed by the best of days in 2003, 2005 and 2008. Thanks for the memories, Mickey! Lets hope he gets the respect he deserves over the coming days.

[WT4E]

Mickeys a legend.

County board should have agreed to his proposal and it was poor form. I'll be happy to see a change all the same to see if we can play a different style at least.

[onlyonefut]

I am old enough to remember the days when we won nothing. A huge thank you to Mickey Harte and I wish him well going forward.

[Eire90]

What will mickey do now is that him done with all mangement.

[Angelo]

I watched a video of the 05 final during the lockdown and the interview at the end where Harte breaks down when talking about Cormac would touch a raw nerve with you. His views might not have been to the liking of everyone but I think he was a very warm man deep down, I think he did an awful lot for a lot of those players outside their football lives.

I'm not sure how many GAA managers would have touched someone like McCarron after his past but Mickey did an awful lot to get him back and find some meaning in his life.

[Christmas Lights]

Gutted,  big mistake from Tyrone, one more non covid year under Mickey would have been good, he at least deserved that!! We will struggle to replace him, change isnt always for the best. Look at Manchester United and Arsenal for examples. Not always easy replacing massively successful managers,  no one will do for Tyrone what Mickey has done.

[From the Bunker]

In 18 years


3 All Irelands
1 National League
6 Ulster
12 McKenna Cups

In the last 10 years


2 Ulsters
8 McKenna Cups

Mickey is one of the best. Some say he had the players. And I would not disagree. He definitely had a great bunch circa 2002-2008. But it is doubtful that group would have won AI titles without him. He got the upper hand on a very good Kerry team of that era. The next generations were not as much up to speed. Ways and tactics of old are not as effective anymore. Probably stayed 5 years too long, but what do I know?

[restorepride]

It's been a pleasure to follow Mickey Harte's Tyrone teams over the years. Yes there have been frustrating times but that will always be outweighed by the best of days in 2003, 2005 and 2008. Thanks for the memories, Mickey! Lets hope he gets the respect he deserves over the coming days.

Can I also say that it has been a pleasure as an Ulsterman/Derry man to have enjoyed those years and some of the performances were simply outstanding - Stephen O'Neill, Dooher, Brian McGuigan, Cormac, Mulligan and Canavan etc - quality stuff.  He will of course get the respect he deserves - anyone who knows the soul and grassroots of the GAA has utmost respect for what he achieved.  As for the rest - either jealous or ignorant.  I supported Tír Eoghain in Croke Park in 1984, 1986, 1989, 1995 and 1996 but it was under Mickey that the  breakthrough was made and for that he will always be honoured.   Gael go smior.

[Lamh Dhearg Alba]

He did stay too long and the manner of his departure is unfortunate, but Mickey Harte will forever be a legend in Tyrone GAA. Yes he did have hugely gifted players in his first decade as manager but he also played a significant role in developing those players, on and off the field. Those teams had talent but they also had a belief that previous Tyrone teams had lacked. Mickey was key to that.

His 2005 team was one of best I've ever seen but perhaps his 2008 team was his greatest achievement. PtG was gone, SON retired, Mugsy out of form and shape, and Brian McGuigsan reduced by his injuries. Yet Mickey made the very most of his remaining marquee players while also getting more than seemed possible from others on the panel. Truly a team which was greater than the sum of it's parts. A remarkable achievement.

In a way that greatest achievement also marked the start of the decline. He then, understandably perhaps, went back to his tried and trusted lieutenants rather than letting the team develop, and didn't have great success in bringing through players from other successful underage teams. Losing to the McGuinness Donegal team got to him badly and shaped the way he tried to rebuild the new team of the past few years, a team to me which never really had a clear identity or consistent plan after being thumped by the Dubs in 2017. All that said, his teams were consistently involved in the latter stages of the championship.

A man who was absolutely pivotal to the greatest era in Tyrone's history and a man who has handled himself with such integrity and dignity, and through times of huge personal loss. Thanks Mickey.

[Aaron Boone]

Farewell Mr Harte, just as a potentially great forward-line is coming through. 

Ironically in his final year, Tyrone finally beat Dublin, Kerry and Mayo (in  the League).