Down Club Hurling & Football

[Open yer eyes Man]

I hear that Mayobridge are on the lookout for a new man.

Perhaps the 'bridge men could confirm or deny this.

[thegael]

Rumours abound about who is getting the bridge job !!!

Paddy O'Rourke ,
Jody Gormley ,
Pete McGrath,
Shane Mulholland ,
James Mc Cartan ( only if he can bring Kevin  Mc Gourty as a player with him along with a caravan)

...............There is endless speculation even the bar man from Gormans !!

Who would even consider them the great Ulster flops - ah yes a bar man!!!



                                                    the gael takes no prisoners!!

[Open yer eyes Man]

Surely Pete will take Rostrevor now that it is available - a welcome homecoming for the 'prodigal son.'

[Open yer eyes Man]

Surely Pete will take Rostrevor now that it is available - a welcome homecoming for the 'prodigal son.'

Prodigal son---Why did he leave and take his share of the family silver and now he is being forgiven?

Now that you mention it, he did have a falling out with the club a few years back over his nephews but I'm sure its all sorted by now.  So maybe he has forgiven them 

[5 Sams]

The hoors arent having Shane Mulholland


We fcukin need him.

[Open yer eyes Man]

The hoors arent having Shane Mulholland


We fcukin need him.

Surely it would be too big a step for a rookie manager?

[5 Sams]

Wouldnt say he's a complete rookie....he was player manager for us for a year.....didnt work out....but I'd have to say he commanded total respect in the club and would be tactically astute....not worth a fcuk howver if you have a big centre half back up your hole and you trying to make changes and decisions.

[thegael]

Shane Mulholland is a very capable guy and if he had the chance to work with good players ( no insult intended towards the ballyholland guys) at any level and i mean intercounty too he would in the gael's opinion be a success.He is one of those can do guys whatever he turned his hand to he would be a success.He has a great way with him in an understated way yet earning the respect of his peers and more.










                                                    the gael takes no prisoners!!

[5 Sams]

I cant believe I'm gonna slide towards agreeing with THE GAEL.


Shane is defo management material...but not yet...lave him alone lads he was probably our best player last year in the 1st divison ffs.


BTW a wee bit of trivia for yiz....Shane is the last Down player to be nominated for an allstar!!

[Lecale2]

Wouldnt say he's a complete rookie....he was player manager for us for a year.....didnt work out....but I'd have to say he commanded total respect in the club and would be tactically astute....not worth a fcuk howver if you have a big centre half back up your hole and you trying to make changes and decisions.

Player managers don't work in my opinion. We've had bad experience of it.

[spiritof91and94]

Bill just seems to have managed quite a few clubs fair play he must be a decent manager !! Anymore word on the managerial merry go round or is it too early ?

Heard reports Castlewellan have a new man and bryansford?

No annoucements around the ford yet - hopefully someone within the club though...

[Open yer eyes Man]

Bill just seems to have managed quite a few clubs fair play he must be a decent manager !! Anymore word on the managerial merry go round or is it too early ?

Heard reports Castlewellan have a new man and bryansford?

No annoucements around the ford yet - hopefully someone within the club though...

Isn't Liam Hardy taking Castlewellan?

[Joxer]

So its the Bridge, Rostrevor, Castlewelland and Bryansford looking for new managers?

Seems the same pattern is forming in alot of counties- Big teams looking managers, but not enough managers capable out there.

The bridge one will be interesting!

[thewobbler]

There's a number of reasons for this managerial merry go round.

The biggest one is that club committees (and supporters) mostly have higher expectations of their players than what those players can actually deliver. Having watched young fellas progress from being promising teenagers to average senior footballers, they want someone to blame apart from the players himself.

Instead of looking at the reality - that the players aren't good enough, or just won't be committed enough to get better - or accepting that external factors - drink, women, travelling commitments, work commitments - mean that players can't and won't step up another level, there is the constant pursuit of the manager who can instill the belief, the will, the team ethic, the commitment required to maximise each player's potential.

And most committees believe that for £50/£60/£100 a session, then the manager should deliver exactly that. Most locals know they can't deliver this (at least the ones who are capable mostly seem to know this), so don't offer.

In truth, unless a manager gets the core of his team when they are still young, impressionable, and 100% in love with playing football, he has no chance of making that happen. Converting the mindset of an settled, established core of twentysomethings is nigh-on impossible. Dropping them isn't an option, for at the first sign of back-to-back defeats, the manager would be hounded out of the club, and back on the merry go round they go.

In fairness, I don't think many managers (certainly in Down anyway) are worth the fees they are commanding. Club managers should be able to maintain a basic level of fitness throughout their squad, and more or less select the right players in their right positions each week. And a lot of these fellas aren't doing that.

[Joxer]

Good post wobbler!