Next Laois football manager

[Countyminor]

Billy Sheehan would be my insider pick. Got a lot of stick from absolute clowns who couldn't kick a ball themselves to save their lives during his career. He'd take no prisoners as well. Anyone who knows Billy would tell you just how articulate and methodical he is. Wouldn't mind seeing Clancy getting it alternatively.

[Keyser Söze]

Maybe I was harsh on LT there, and maybe their list being so similar to this thread is symptomatic of the lack of options we have.

From what I know of Sugrue you can be guaranteed
1. There will be no parting shots fired type statement
2. He won’t be changing his mind next week & walking back into the job
3. He won’t be heading North up the M7 because he was offered a few quid more.

[BallyroanAbu]

Billy Sheehan is not an insider pick,  he is merely serving his own C.V as he did when he played for Emo and Laois.  Be he a success or failure he adds nothing long term to Laois.  Sugrue long term even now will benefit Laois.  Whatever reasons he left I doubt it’s to manage another county. Billy is an outsider the same as Micko (utterly useless long term) and all the others we choose to waste our money on for short term success.  Give it to someone in Laois,  good or bad he will be better for the experience.  I am for Malachy, Clancy, Kearns or Cotter all are risky but all will be giving back to Laois football in 50 years.  If Billy wants to come down live in Laois train a club, I have no objection.  But it’s high time, we copped on to ourselves improve our own coaching rather than waste time on what are high risk outsiders anyway.  No objection to paying outsiders to help our management but the top job must remain within.

We need to make our own coaches better.

[From the Terrace]

Im with high fielder on this. Need to hear from sugrue about his decision. If he says Family & Business to look after first that is grand. But very surprised with the whole situation.

[Chrimtain]

I am surprised that Chris Conway's name has not been mentioned.

[BallyroanAbu]

Chris also fine

[Don Draper]

Im with high fielder on this. Need to hear from sugrue about his decision. If he says Family & Business to look after first that is grand. But very surprised with the whole situation.

We have no right to hear anything from the man. The players perhaps, but he owes Laois supporters nothing.

[High Fielder]

He mightn't owe anybody an explanation, but it would be helpful if he gave one. At the moment it just looks like we fucked up again. It's not an ideal way to move forward, and supporters support more when they trust what's in front of them.

[Joeythelips]

Anyone think Billy O’Loughlin would be a good fit? in fairness his CV going by the Laois Today article is decent and he has got a good tune out of the current u-20 team. Maybe a mix of Liam Kearns and Billy O’Loughlin or something like that. Kevin McStay is another one who is not on the list.

[Countyminor]

Billy Sheehan is not an insider pick,  he is merely serving his own C.V as he did when he played for Emo and Laois.  Be he a success or failure he adds nothing long term to Laois.  Sugrue long term even now will benefit Laois.  Whatever reasons he left I doubt it’s to manage another county. Billy is an outsider the same as Micko (utterly useless long term) and all the others we choose to waste our money on for short term success.  Give it to someone in Laois,  good or bad he will be better for the experience.  I am for Malachy, Clancy, Kearns or Cotter all are risky but all will be giving back to Laois football in 50 years.  If Billy wants to come down live in Laois train a club, I have no objection.  But it’s high time, we copped on to ourselves improve our own coaching rather than waste time on what are high risk outsiders anyway.  No objection to paying outsiders to help our management but the top job must remain within.

We need to make our own coaches better.

Billy played the bulk of his senior career with Emo and involved in the Laois set up. To essentially say the only reason he played with Laois was self serving is somewhat derogatory. He was of intercounty standard and he knew it, he was a valuable addition to our county and always gave his best. Like it or loath it he gave serious service to both his adopted club and county. Ask any of his former intercounty teammates what they think of Billy having played with him and you'll get as close to unanimously positive feedback as possible. What more does he have to do to prove his Laoisness? Sing Lovely Laois on main street Portlaoise wearing the 1986 replica jersey?

Malachy is probably a non contender. Our choices are slim pickings at best. I've a feeling our next manager is someone not even on our radar at the moment but Billy wouldn't be the worst choice. 

[BallyroanAbu]

How is it self serving he only kicked with Emo so he could play County football as soon as that was over he was gone.  He would of played with any county that would of taken him,  he no doubt had ability but should have never been considered for Laois.  He serves no purpose for Laois bar he was slightly better than our own.  I have no truck with him,  but our managers should be from within always.

[blueandwhite1]

Billy Sheehan is not an insider pick,  he is merely serving his own C.V as he did when he played for Emo and Laois.  Be he a success or failure he adds nothing long term to Laois.  Sugrue long term even now will benefit Laois.  Whatever reasons he left I doubt it’s to manage another county. Billy is an outsider the same as Micko (utterly useless long term) and all the others we choose to waste our money on for short term success.  Give it to someone in Laois,  good or bad he will be better for the experience.  I am for Malachy, Clancy, Kearns or Cotter all are risky but all will be giving back to Laois football in 50 years.  If Billy wants to come down live in Laois train a club, I have no objection.  But it’s high time, we copped on to ourselves improve our own coaching rather than waste time on what are high risk outsiders anyway.  No objection to paying outsiders to help our management but the top job must remain within.

We need to make our own coaches better.

Billy played the bulk of his senior career with Emo and involved in the Laois set up. To essentially say the only reason he played with Laois was self serving is somewhat derogatory. He was of intercounty standard and he knew it, he was a valuable addition to our county and always gave his best. Like it or loath it he gave serious service to both his adopted club and county. Ask any of his former intercounty teammates what they think of Billy having played with him and you'll get as close to unanimously positive feedback as possible. What more does he have to do to prove his Laoisness? Sing Lovely Laois on main street Portlaoise wearing the 1986 replica jersey?

Malachy is probably a non contender. Our choices are slim pickings at best. I've a feeling our next manager is someone not even on our radar at the moment but Billy wouldn't be the worst choice.

Agree completely with you. There has always been a few Billy haters on here. He soldiered for a good many years with Laois and showed up many of our 'native' stars who had very short inter county careers. The 'outsider' logic is bizarre with regarding Billy. He did some soldiering for Laois, more than Sugrue and look what John has achieved and contributed long term in a couple of years !!

[Chrimtain]

I'm not sure what they might say in Emo, but for me, when Billy Sheehan played with Laois, he always displayed a great attitude. He always played with passion and never let us down. Maybe not a bad option to replace John Sugrue?

Apparently he was very close to getting the job last time round.

[Giovanni]

I hope "playing with a great attitude" or "soldiering for Laois" are not going to be the main criteria. Billy Sheehan is as entitled as anyone else to think he has a chance but he should be able to convince that he has the skills to do a complicated job with the senior team and that he has some idea how to develop useful structures for the future of football in Laois.

[BallyroanAbu]

Right easiest thing in this county is to be from somewhere else and we love them.  Criteria don’t come from Laois as we regard ourselves as simpletons and poor footballers.  Proud to be from Laois and happy to support Laois. But sick of we can’t do it attitude, don’t matter to me.  The reason Sugrue succeeded is he got us to believe in ourselves,  now your back at it again.  Every day Billy played he took that position off some young Laois player would Kerry do the same for us?  We are plenty good enough ourselves.  TOF Liam Kearns same racket I’d rather one of our own give him everything and rather than criticize