What makes a winning team?...

Thumper · December 28, 2007, 04:27:32 PM

Over the past few weeks I've listened to people talking about their special recipes for many award winning dishes. This has got me thinking. What is the recipe for an all conquering Gaelic football team? What special ingredients make up a winning formula?....What type of player should play corner back?.....What is the best combination at Midfield?........Can a modern day Gaelic football team carry a specialist free taker who contributes only that to his team?........What type of Master Chef/ Manager, can make best use of these ingredients? In essence, which 15 players over the past 10 years would be included in this recipe and which individual is best equipped to Manage such a team?...These are just a few of the many questions that need answered....... Many of you out there can talk the talk, but I just wonder can you walk the walk!!!!!!!!

ugliragman · December 28, 2007, 04:59:35 PM

Best team in the last 10-15 years?.....Im going to stick with Ulster Players

1 Mickey Mc Veigh
2 Tony Scullion
3 Cormac Mc Anallan
4 Kieran Mc Keever
5 D.J. O'Kane
6 Conor Gormley
7 Kieran Mc Geeney
8 Anthony Tohill
9 Sean Cavanagh
10 Greg Blaney
11 Brian Mc Guigan
12 Stephen O'Neill
13 Mickey Linden
14 Peter Canavan
15 Stephen Mc Donnell

Management Team Mickey Harte, Pete Mc Grath and Paddy Tally

orangeman · December 28, 2007, 05:24:20 PM

From now on, money might have a big influence on whether a team is successful or not - the pay packets !

Thumper · December 28, 2007, 05:33:27 PM

Quote from: orangeman on December 28, 2007, 05:24:20 PM
From now on, money might have a big influence on whether a team is successful or not - the pay packets !

As I said earlier Orangeman, some people talk the talk!!!!!!!.......Didn't think you were one of them???

ONeill · December 28, 2007, 06:57:30 PM

Quote from: ugliragman on December 28, 2007, 04:59:35 PM
Best team in the last 10-15 years?.....Im going to stick with Ulster Players

1 Mickey Mc Veigh
2 Tony Scullion
3 Cormac Mc Anallan
4 Kieran Mc Keever
5 D.J. O'Kane
6 Conor Gormley
7 Kieran Mc Geeney
8 Anthony Tohill
9 Sean Cavanagh
10 Greg Blaney
11 Brian Mc Guigan
12 Stephen O'Neill
13 Mickey Linden
14 Peter Canavan
15 Stephen Mc Donnell

Management Team Mickey Harte, Pete Mc Grath and Paddy Tally

I think your forward line and midfield is close to spot-on from an Ulster perspective. I definitely wouldn't have McAnallan in there. He only played 4 Championship games at FB. Believe it or not Francie, for me, fits the bill. Also, because this is based on mid-90s onwards I'd drop Kane for Jordan and re-jiggle the HB line to Gormley-Geezer-Jordan. Phillip Jordan rarely errs.

Plenty of speed in the FF line and McDonnell's ball-winning abilities from the air would compensate for the lack of height in 13/14.

whyarerefssobad · December 28, 2007, 07:48:18 PM

would have coulter in before linden if we are talking what ingredients we need the full forward line is too simular not saying coulter is better but would suit the two boys better

redcard · December 28, 2007, 08:15:23 PM

Quote from: ugliragman on December 28, 2007, 04:59:35 PM
Best team in the last 10-15 years?.....Im going to stick with Ulster Players

1 Mickey Mc Veigh
2 Tony Scullion
3 Cormac Mc Anallan
4 Kieran Mc Keever
5 D.J. O'Kane
6 Conor Gormley
7 Kieran Mc Geeney
8 Anthony Tohill
9 Sean Cavanagh
10 Greg Blaney
11 Brian Mc Guigan
12 Stephen O'Neill
13 Mickey Linden
14 Peter Canavan
15 Stephen Mc Donnell

Management Team Mickey Harte, Pete Mc Grath and Paddy Tally

Did i read somwhere that Scullion didn't like training? Talented and all as he was would a team get away with that today?

ONeill · December 28, 2007, 08:34:11 PM

Quote from: whyarerefssobad on December 28, 2007, 07:48:18 PM
would have coulter in before linden if we are talking what ingredients we need the full forward line is too simular not saying coulter is better but would suit the two boys better

Coulter - Canavan - Linden
or
McDonnell - Canavan - Linden

I'd definitely prefer the latter. I take it you feel a FF line needs a fielding specialist. McDonnell has been as good a fielder, albeit not as spectacular, as any forward in the last 10 years.

Thumper · December 28, 2007, 09:28:02 PM

Quote from: redcard on December 28, 2007, 08:15:23 PM
Quote from: ugliragman on December 28, 2007, 04:59:35 PM
Best team in the last 10-15 years?.....Im going to stick with Ulster Players

1 Mickey Mc Veigh
2 Tony Scullion
3 Cormac Mc Anallan
4 Kieran Mc Keever
5 D.J. O'Kane
6 Conor Gormley
7 Kieran Mc Geeney
8 Anthony Tohill
9 Sean Cavanagh
10 Greg Blaney
11 Brian Mc Guigan
12 Stephen O'Neill
13 Mickey Linden
14 Peter Canavan
15 Stephen Mc Donnell

Management Team Mickey Harte, Pete Mc Grath and Paddy Tally

Did i read somwhere that Scullion didn't like training? Talented and all as he was would a team get away with that today?

Come on Red Card, walk the walk.........name your team........Mc Geeney is the only man I have ever heard that liked training.!!!!!!!!.......Wouldn't hold that against Scullion

Pangurban · December 29, 2007, 12:16:33 AM

Any study of great teams will provide a simple answer to your question.ie. a strong spine down the middle from FB.to FF. in terms of height and physicality. You can have all the skill and mobility possible on the wings, but if you lack a strong spine,they will always struggle.
Some deluded Managers believe the modern running,short passing game has negated the need for a strong spine. None of the aforesaid Managers will ever feature in Croke Park in September. History is a great teacher

Armagh4SamAgain · December 29, 2007, 09:47:27 AM

Best Ulster team of the last 20 years.

B Tierney,
J McNulty,
E McNulty,
F Bellew,
A O'Rourke,
K McGeeney,
A McCann,
P McGrane,
J Toal,
P McKeever,
J McEntee,
O McConville,
S McDonnell,
R Clarke,
P Canavan

time ticking away · December 29, 2007, 11:34:19 AM

Alternative best 15

1. P O Dowd
2. SM Lockhart
3. B Owens
4. R Mc Menamin
5. Pascal Canavan
6. C Deegans
7. P Jordan
8. B Mc Gilligan
9. P Mc Grane
10. B Coulter
11. M Mc Hugh
12. J Mc Mullan
13. J Brolly
14. R Clarke
15. T Boyle

Thumper · December 29, 2007, 11:39:02 AM

Quote from: Pangurban on December 29, 2007, 12:16:33 AM
Any study of great teams will provide a simple answer to your question.ie. a strong spine down the middle from FB.to FF. in terms of height and physicality. You can have all the skill and mobility possible on the wings, but if you lack a strong spine,they will always struggle.
Some deluded Managers believe the modern running,short passing game has negated the need for a strong spine. None of the aforesaid Managers will ever feature in Croke Park in September. History is a great teacher

And which players over the past 10-15 years would you consider, would make up this 'strong spine'?

l-iver · December 29, 2007, 01:14:51 PM

1 Sean McGreevey
2 SM Lockhart
3 Francie Bellew
4 R Mc Menamin
5 DJ Kane
6 H Downey
7 P Jordan
8 P Mc Grane
9 D Mc Cabe
10 O Mc Conville
11 G Blaney
12 S Cavanagh
13 M Linden
14 T Boyle
15 P Canavan

lynchbhoy · December 29, 2007, 01:25:23 PM

an open ended question. Think everyone will pick subjective teams, but in reality these teams may never have won the AI if playing together as an 'intercounty' team.

You have to play with what you are dealt, and for a start the above listed teams are too full of star performers and lacking imo a bit of balance etc
eg
as fantastic as the full forward lines are, imo you are better off playing a two man FF line (if you have the right kind of men to play in at FF - any two of canavan, linden, coulter, boyle, mcdonnell , p bradley etc etc would be ideal)

then how do you deploy the third full forward , cover for half back line, augmenting the midfield or picking up breaking ball.

you pick your team to suit the strengths of of your panel and your team style also accordingly.
different styles, tactics an templates are no good for certain teams (eg a long high ball into a FF line is of no use if you have tyrone sized oompa loompas on your team)