Maughan launches attack on 'unrealistic' media

[heineken_on_tap]

ROSCOMMON football manager John Maughan has accused sections of the media of having "an agenda to undermine Roscommon football."

And the former Mayo and Clare boss has said sections of the media in the county "have unrealistic expectations" and "have not been honest and fair".

Maughan's comments came in a wide-ranging interview in yesterday's Roscommon Champion newspaper, where he also says the door to the intercounty panel is open to every footballer in the county.

This follows criticism of his decision to exclude Francie Grehan and Frankie Dolan from his squad.

He said: "I felt a number of them have agendas to undermine what we are trying to do. I feel they have unrealistic expectations.

"We're going through a transition phase, I think the media have to respect that.

"There was an incident during the year that I kind of laugh at, where a certain member of the media called for my head during half-time in the game and he was the first member to run across the pitch and embrace me having won the game.

"I consider that a joke. I respect a journalist who understands Gaelic football, who knows what they are talking about but I won't sit down with people who don't.

"I quote an example when we took the team away to Portugal this year. Why shouldn't Roscommon football be entitled to go away for a training camp? It's not that this was a holiday. The records were there, the county secretary travelled with us and he will quote exactly what type of work ethic we had, what type of lifestyle we lived for the six days we were there.

"I believe a reporter was determined to try and establish where the financing of that particular trip came from. I would say that is none of his business. It would be better for him to comment on games and comment on players and comment on football affairs in the county rather than being totally focused on trying to dig up some ... I don't know what he is trying to do but it doesn't wash with me to be perfectly honest, it doesn't bother me."

Personally think Maughan is wrong here - la journalist has a job to do and in fairness the local media in Roscommon wouldnt be the worst. It was a bad year for us so no journalist can paint a differt picture. IMO it is part and parcel of the job - after the Sligo display what did he expect??

[inisceithleann]

What is Maughan's problem? Journos will always write on such issues. The county team belongs to everyone, and anyone is entitled to their opinion and should in IMO be entitled to write what they want. Whats the general consensus in Roscommon regards Maughan? Do most people like him? I know he never really had the backing of the people in Fermanagh.

Jaysus will Maughan lauch a scathing attack on me now for saying that? 

[dodo]

It's a few weeks since Maughan has been mentioned in the media so he whores himself out for some publicity. Biggest surprise with him is that he doesn't have some way of showing us all his tanned legs in the process !!

[orangeman]

Roscommon footballers have not exactly covered themselves in glory on the field so John need to get into the papers for something.

[heineken_on_tap]

Whats the general consensus in Roscommon regards Maughan? Do most people like him?

Generally I think most people have no problem with Maughan the person - he has obviously invested a lot of time and energy with these lads. He seems to be a decent bloke and all the players under him this year hold him in high regard.

However think it is fair to say people in Ros are not convinced about him as a Manager. Alot of talk about his severe lack of tactical ability and obviously leaving high profile players off the panel. Most people would be pleased if he was not given a third term. It is my opinion that while we are obviously no world beaters Maughan simply isnt getting the best out of these lads. But not sure wiould a new manager make any significant difference with the current panel. In fairness it wouldnt be a job too many would want

[An Gaeilgoir]

Whats the general consensus in Roscommon regards Maughan? Do most people like him?

Generally I think most people have no problem with Maughan the person - he has obviously invested a lot of time and energy with these lads. He seems to be a decent bloke and all the players under him this year hold him in high regard.

However think it is fair to say people in Ros are not convinced about him as a Manager. Alot of talk about his severe lack of tactical ability and obviously leaving high profile players off the panel. Most people would be pleased if he was not given a third term. It is my opinion that while we are obviously no world beaters Maughan simply isnt getting the best out of these lads. But not sure wiould a new manager make any significant difference with the current panel. In fairness it wouldnt be a job too many would want

I wonder though would Roscommon be any better off if some of these high profile players came back in? There can only be one chief in any tribe.

[Rossfan]

Pity this arrogant sod wouldnt sod off home to Mayo.
The cheek of the ******.
He is upset because some of the GAA reporters in the Ros Herald questioned where we are going or what he is up to with the team.
They also queried what was done during the expensive week in Portugal to leave a team being outscored 9 points to 1 by Sligo in the second half and losing a game where they were 2 goals up after 40 minutes.
Trying to undermine Ros football = not slavishly ass kissing JM and reporting him word for word.They are criticising HIM which is NOT the same as undermining Ros football. I know the lads he's referring to and the last thing they would do is undermine Ros football -even with one of them being from Galway.
He is reputed NEVER to have attended a club game in Ros, yet writes every week in a local Mayo freesheet about Mayo club games.
He refused to speak to the local media after the abject debacle  v Kildare yet 2 hours later he was the "Expert" analyst on Radio for the Mayo Cavan game.
HOME TO MAYO ! HOME TO MAYO !

[Barney]

I think he's doing a fine job

[orangeman]

Ross - that simply COULD NOT be true that JM has never attended a Roscommon club match - that would be ridiculous - and if it were true, no wonder he's having a bad run ! But I'd be amazed if that statement were true.

[Rossfan]

It's the widely held belief in Roscommon anyway.
I havent been to many of the bigger club's games but I know I NEVER saw him at any club  game I was at and I've heard several people from the bigger clubs say they never saw him at games.

[orangeman]

That's hardly the basis for saying that he NEVER ever went to a Ross club match ?

[Rossfan]

My original comment was that "he is reputed to have never ....".
I have yet to meet anyone who said they saw him at one and it's generally claimed around Ros that he has never been to a club game.
This oft repeated claim has never been denied by Co Board or the TANager  8)himself. 

[stephenite]

Was he not photographed at last years County final, and it was in the Indo on the Monday? Could be wrong,

Think the Rossies are missing the point, Ros was in disarray and the Senior team was full of indisciplined headcases. They needed someone to come in and put the right structures in place and turf the headcases out on their ear - he was never going to turn it round overnight.

I wouldn't bet against the Rossies winning Connacht next season, whatever about Maughan, his teams ave always been fit, well organised and disciplined.

He was exactly what the Rossies needed at the time and even if he doesn't take them any further, they'll be in a better position all round for the younger guys coming through

[spectator]

Think the Rossies are missing the point

With respect, i think you're missing the point stephenite & you surely can't have seen any Ros games in the last year or two.


You talk about how fitand well organised Maughan's teams are;

Explain then how we died on our feet during the second half of the Galway game in The Hyde last year. Five points up at half time, we ended up trailing home by five.

Ditto the gutless second half against Meath in the first round qualifier last year, when we rolled over & accepted our thrashing without so much as a whimper.

Where was the speedy, superfit performance he'd been promising us was coming on the dry summer ground?

The same thing happened against Meath in the Div. 2 final this year. It has never been typical of Ros teams to roll over and die, these days it's almost commonplace.

Explain please, how we were overrun & coughed up a 6 point lead five minutes into the second half against Sligo at The Hyde this year, being outscored 9 points to one in the process.

My point is that we're living very much in the present in Ros & there's a big problem with the fitness & motivation of this particular Maughan team.

He's foisted a style on Ros - much along the lines of the sideways crab_like football he had ye playing - & truth be told, he hasn't managed to convince the players about its merits, judging by their onfield performances & capitulations anyway.

He must bear the responsibility for the lack of leadership being shown in the second half of our games also - it was his decision to drop whatever leaders we had - why can't he motivate the senior players left there to take up the mantle?

Fair enough re- your point about the long term good to Ros of getting rid of the good ole boys, time will tell. Something had to be done at the time.

I find it most astonishing though, that you should assert JM would be happy with simply clearing out the good ole boys & setting up a platform for future success in Ros.

Says it all really.

[stephenite]

Think the Rossies are missing the point

With respect, i think you're missing the point stephenite & you surely can't have seen any Ros games in the last year or two.


You talk about how fitand well organised Maughan's teams are;

Explain then how we died on our feet during the second half of the Galway game in The Hyde last year. Five points up at half time, we ended up trailing home by five.

Ditto the gutless second half against Meath in the first round qualifier last year, when we rolled over & accepted our thrashing without so much as a whimper.

Where was the speedy, superfit performance he'd been promising us was coming on the dry summer ground?

The same thing happened against Meath in the Div. 2 final this year. It has never been typical of Ros teams to roll over and die, these days it's almost commonplace.

Explain please, how we were overrun & coughed up a 6 point lead five minutes into the second half against Sligo at The Hyde this year, being outscored 9 points to one in the process.

My point is that we're living very much in the present in Ros & there's a big problem with the fitness & motivation of this particular Maughan team.

He's foisted a style on Ros - much along the lines of the sideways crab_like football he had ye playing - & truth be told, he hasn't managed to convince the players about its merits, judging by their onfield performances & capitulations anyway.

He must bear the responsibility for the lack of leadership being shown in the second half of our games also - it was his decision to drop whatever leaders we had - why can't he motivate the senior players left there to take up the mantle?

Fair enough re- your point about the long term good to Ros of getting rid of the good ole boys, time will tell. Something had to be done at the time.

I find it most astonishing though, that you should assert JM would be happy with simply clearing out the good ole boys & setting up a platform for future success in Ros.

Says it all really.

Some good points, and fair enough, I haven't been to see any Ros games in the last year, the highlights I do get to see, of course don't tell me enough.

If, however as you point that out, that it seems the players haven't bought into him or his 'philosophies' than that maybe is the answer to the other questions you've posed?

There was sarcely a harder critic of Maughan than myself when he was over Mayo, however I still feel he can be of great benefit to some inter county teams and with Galway and Mayo rebulding I still wouldn't rule out a Connacht title for ye under Maughan. And I suppose that's where I was coming from