Leinster Senior Football Championship 2016

[Keyser Söze]

Yeah, I'm a big fan of Jason Ryan, but his stay at Kildare (Replace with Offaly) was not so good. He did a great job in Wexford and had them very competitive.

Ditto Pat Roe

He seems off the radar now, though.

Ditto Pat Roe

[Unlaoised]

Cunningham is doing more than picking up bibs...From what I hear he is the main man now!

[Tony]

Sure he's still in Spain on holidays - how is he the main man. I highly doubt that.

[Tony]

"That's me done with Laois," he said on Off the Ball. "I'm finished with them. I'm not supporting them any more.

"The thing I'm annoyed about is Laois have two or three years to be competitive in Leinster.

"After that, when the 2003 minors are too old, (Colm) Begley and these fellas, Laois are not going to be competitive.

"There was a chance of another two or three years, if someone good enough came in, to be the second best team in Leinster and that's not going to happen now.

"I am sad about that and I am disillusioned."
-Colm Parkinson.

When I read this way back before the season started, i was slightly worried, but put it down to Parkinson's personality and his falling out with Lillis. But you know what, it's becoming clear that he was spot on. Cunningham's appointment is a desperate move and it has come too late. I fear for Laois in Nowlan Park and the qualifiers - it should not be this way, had someone given a damn and had a bit of foresight about the next few years. Turley or Higgins were far greater choices, the people at the top should have known that Lillis is just not up to taking Laois to a good level. In Parkinson's words, he's out of his depth. I feel sad above all for the lads putting in the huge effort - all for what? To get an average Junior B set up?

[The Boy Wonder]

Do some fellas get some buzz from continually spouting negative stuff on here, particularly with the team preparing for a big game shortly ?

[Tony]

Yeah, I get a great buzz from knowing that the team is already doomed as they haven't done the necessary preparation due to an obviously inept and incompetent management team. Brilliant buzz altogether.

[Unlaoised]

Yeah, I get a great buzz from knowing that the team is already doomed as they haven't done the necessary preparation due to an obviously inept and incompetent management team. Brilliant buzz altogether.

I do think the same you have to be realistic but sometimes coming on here and reading some of the stuff would turn your stomach..

They have a new trainer that came in with Cunningham he is doing it all so I'm told!

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

So Lillis is no more than a selector now if what you say is true. That is positive news for me and if the new man can up the fitness levels a few notches in the next two weeks he will have done great work.
Hopefully Cunningham can devise some sort of a holding system to at least slow down the Dubs and give us a small chance of keeping the score down. These lads deserve to be able to hold their heads up after the game knowing that they put in a performance that will carry them on to the qualifiers with some hope and confidence.

[Tony]

Exactly. Look, at the end of the day, we all want what's best for the team. Sometimes it's just frustrating when you know they deserve so much better and can do so much better. But I understand that talk gets a bit much after a while and it's all being said already. So best of luck to all involved for the big Dublin match. I've never seen a better football team in my lifetime - they're like a team of all-stars. But that's exactly what lads with ambition want to play against. It will be a great challenge and a great occasion. We'll all be behind the team, win lose or draw, the negative talk just stems from wanting the best for your county team, that's all. Laois abu and will be there with bells on.

[Dave like the tv channel]

Where and when do Laois train? Are they open to the public?

[les Antiques]

During the league I know the sessions were open to the public but as far as I know now there all behind closed doors .

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

Jim McGuinness says that the Dubs can be beaten and this is how.... 

McGuinness believes the key cog in the Dublin machine is Cian O'Sullivan and that Mayo, in particular, are capable of recreating the upset we saw in August of 2014.

For me, Mayo had a very good opportunity last year. They had Barry Moran, who's 6ft 4in or 6ft 5in, and Aidan O'Shea — two massive men who would need marking inside, so that carries a goal threat.

The team that beats Dublin will need a very good No 11 who can get on the ball, dictate the pace of the game, score points and make incisions.

You've got to pull O'Sullivan out of position and if you pull him out of position and he doesn't pick up, that guy has got to get the ball. And when he gets the ball, he's got to have the capacity to do damage.

If he's doing that and fires it on the diagonal and you have two massive men in there, with maybe a Cillian O'Connor coming on the loop, then you've got an aerial threat inside, a quality forward on the loop and a No 11 who's dictating that space.

Space that he was very comfortable in last year isn't there.

You need a very intelligent, structured game-plan and you need very good players to carry it out.

[blueandwhite1]

Don't suppose Jim is looking for a job next year?

[Tony]

That's exactly it. How nice it would be to have a motivator with a good attitude and a very astute tactical brain. What we have appears to be an average, re-active brain : "The pick of the four teams there today wouldn't beat Dublin" and "I don't think it's possible to beat Dublin, we didn't even have a pitch to train in for months  "

But look, if Lillis proves me wrong and we get a great performance for rest of season, I'd be absolutely delighted and singing his praises - I'd just be incredibly surprised as there are lots of red flags regarding prep and performance to date.

I just think going forward, we definitely need an intelligent brain and motivator. His name doesn't have to be Jim McGuiness. But it stands to reason that if you put an average lad in there, you'll get average results. Put an excellent, motivated brain in there and...

Yes those people are rare but it's exactly what we should be looking for to get the best out of our squad that does have good potential. Justin McNulty's system was not perfect but it had us in an all-ireland 1/4 final and had us very competitive with a lesser squad than we have now. Can we improve on Justin McNulty? Why not try.

[ILikeStrawberryJam]

Fair play Tony , you talk a lot of sence.
Lillis heart is in the right place but its too much for him.
At least cunningham has big game experience.
Hopefully he has tactical know how to go along with it.
Our fitness is not what it needs to be nor is our tackling.
Obviously we all want laois to do well but a hiding on what
will be a big razmatazz sky opening match day could set us
back a long way. A scoreline of 6-20 to 0-14 is a possibility.
Roscommon and monaghan show what can be done
It comes back to lack of vision within the county board for me.
Other counties got off their hole and innovated, we stood still
looking at them. Kilkenny will probably be an annihilation..

All is not lost though .. http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=255812