Sligo Football - Where do we go from here?

[magpie seanie]

Karol O'Neill, despite getting treated disgracefully all year travelled over and was left on the bench for the whole game yet again. No-one can tell me that is right or proper. Its totally inexplicable.

I'm not going to say an awful lot more but I will say this. The players not being interested is not good enough especially in light of their actions in recent weeks. I'm far from anti player and I admire their efforts in general but when you take a stance like that you have to see it through.

[SLIGONIAN]

Was talking to a few county panelists last few weeks, my first question is always what happened this yr??? and dont tell me ye dont know because ye do... fairly direct but i got 2 same answers from most of them.

1. answer seriously we werent fit this yr at all not even close to yr before levels, training was very amateur and very disjointed and poorly organised. Some older players holding the young ones back, very often telling lads to slow down. Management not organizing structured training drills.

2. Some players treating training like a social get together more than an emphasis on football. The guys told me dont get them wrong training has to be enjoyed and all but lads werent taking it serious all yr.

I pointed out that there is an obligation on the players to get themselves fit aswell in there own time if training isnt doing it. But they were the main reasons the players decided to meet up and vote out the last manager.

Interesting enough as it explains alot, being 6 pts up in games and lose and no where near the level of intensity shown this yr on the field especially in leitirm and mayo games.

[Sligoper]

Sligonian! The man who is Getting to the bottom of this crisis to educate the county! 

[SLIGONIAN]

Sligonian! The man who is Getting to the bottom of this crisis to educate the county! 

I dont believe we are in crisis to be honest, just giving a players perspective on here as they dont be posting on here Sligoper or do they?

[Sligoper]

I sincerely hope not cos reading some of this would depress them. Anyway, direction to start in, get manager in next 20 days, let him watch bit of championship, first training in the next 6-7 weeks. Clear out some of the players who arn't fit or good enough etc...

[SLIGONIAN]

I was talking to chairman murphy in the last few weeks aswell, at a few of our club presentations, and i asked him about the search for the new manager. He didnt say much just nothing much done on it yet. I asked him was selection commitee formed. I honestly didnt get an answer.

I agree with sligoper, people say dont rush these things etc... and end up appointing him in november or december, but id like to see a man in place ASAP so he can watch the latter stages of club championship, watch as many games as possible take notes on as many players as possible. And start the training early aswell. If I knew i was going to go for it I would be working hard to maximise my knowledge of sligo football and each club to know what I was getting myself into especially if i was an outsider. Poor jordan was relying on kent and few others and i believe was mislead to his own detriment.

Also on Sligopers point about a clearout, ages ago i wrote a post with about 8 players of the current squad that I would drop but i wasnt brave enough to post it. It would get shot down fairly quickly on here. There are wasters in the current squad and should be shown the door.

Great to see we see things the same way Sligoper .

[Sligoper]

Whether the clear out happens is another thing or not. There is a massive comfort zone that exists around Sligo Intercounty football.

Perfect Scenerio would be:

Manager appointed with the next two weeks so basically before the club quarter finals.
Let the manager watch the games and the monday after the county final, each club should be contacted and told to send any players who they think will be good enough. Trials/Training, Fitness tests etc should be carried out for 4-5 weeks and by the end of october panel cut. There by on November 1st we will have the 30 best players in the county ready for action and will already have had 4 weeks hard training!

I feel the only stumbling block here is the timeframe of the managers appointment.

But by following the above plan we can whittle down a large number of players to the best.
It is very achievable and also low cost,  also a major advantage is that by doing is this way we can stop arguments over club politics or this lad is constantly ignored for county etc. If they are good enough they're club will send them and they will get a fair chance.

My idea may not fix things but it's better than any plan in place at the minute.

[magpie seanie]

Did you see the latest about the manager? It says on sligogaa.ie that clubs are being asked to nominate people for senior, U-21 and minor jobs for discussion at September meeting. Hard to believe.

[paddypastit]

It's politics Seanie - means at the end of the day that Execd will be able to turn round and say - "well ye got yer chance" I might be wrong but I think that this was the way that Kearns's appointment started out which is no great omen

[SLIGONIAN]

From Sligo GAA.ie

John Murphy Chairman of An Coiste Chontae Sligeach has written to all club secretaries seeking nominations for the vacant Managerial positions of the Senior,u21 and Minor panels. The matter of team management will be on the agenda of the September Board meeting. It is hoped that candidates will be selected shortly after that date for referal to a sub committee.



What are these lads playing at? The only result from this is getting shit candidates.

The reality from our county board is they obvously know they are shit and havnt the balls to stand by another appointment. They dont want any responsibilty. Will it ever change ffs.

So does this mean o flatherty (u21) and moyles (u18) are gone aswell?

[baoithe]

As paddy says, it has to be done. You're right sligonian we'll have a bag load of shit candidates who will be given an interview by the selection committee. In fairness I'd give any money to sit in on some of those interviews - I'd say a couple of them will be hilarious.
I personally don't think there is anyone within the county who is a county standard manager but I could be wrong (maybe Anthony Brennan??). That said, who'll want it from outside the county?

[magpie seanie]

Paddy - yeah, you are right. Probably not the best way to go about things but my major problem would be the wasted couple of months. Quarter finals will be over by the next county board meeting and I really think any assesment of potential talent for next season is better measured in Markievicz Park in August than some training field in November/December. I can see why the Exec are going this way alright. They got a lot of unjustified criticism over the last manager (by this I mean no matter who we had in charge we were going nowhere last year).

Sligonian - as far as I'm aware O'Flaherty wants the U-21 job again but was probably only appointed on a one year term last time. I'd be inclined to put him in there again. People say he erred tactically in the game they lost but even if that is the case I reckon the good outweighed the bad with his stint last year. We have somethnig to build on at this level for the first time in a while.

As for candidates for the senior job I wonder would Charlie Mulgrew be an option?

[SLIGONIAN]

Despite my criticism of the o flatherty regime the good does out way the bad just. That u21 team left connacht behind them big time this yr. The reality is at underage you can get seriously lucky too with the talent available. A manager has to get the best of them and oflatherty did for a game and half. The NW league was atrocious stuff and 2nd ahalf against ros equally so. He needs to get better at changes, and tactics during the games. I can only pray he has learned and can do better next yr to faciltate what looks like another strong sligo u21 side.

Lads on the Sligo manager thing in my opinion its awful lazy approach relying on clubs to come up with candidates. It sends out the message too that the county board havent a clue who would be a candidate in sligo which shows there lack of knowledge of sligo club football. You cant just rely on sligoman to be next manager you have gather a list of AVAILABLE outside managers aswell. It could be the difference with our current panel to get someone in who has a great reputation at county level. In Sligo who will gain the respect from the players. NO ONE. So for me create a great package for an proven outside manager and try to entice them is what I would do. They are out there and money talks.

Personnally Id love to get fergal o donnel. What he did with ros minors was outstanding. With Michael ryan at there helm maybe we have a good chance get him.

On charlie mulgrew, i know his brother well, if he gets the job he may ask me to be selector . In all seriousness alot of fermanagh people i know are not complimentary about him which is suprising but looking from the outside in he did a great job so its hard to know.

I hear loads of good things about anthony brennan but cant remember him in a charge of team ive watched so cant judge him. I know he manager of sligo minors but cant remember what yr. He is supposed to have done a good job at IT Sligo.

Brendan kilcoyne was sligo captain in 97 and manager of st eunans when i worked in letterkenny, did a fine job up there but would be worried about lack of intercounty experience. And also he wouldnt be the first person people think of and a bit of risk. Safer bets probably needed now.

John Maughan is supposed to be interested but he was a disaster with ros. He never really got any good performances out of them. So i wouldnt like him.

Who are the candidates lads? Can anyone list the outside mangers available and within travelinng distance? Who do yee rate in Sligo?

[joemamas]

Liam McHale, David Brady and John Casey.

[jjjshabadoojnr]

I hate to say it because I am not particularly fond of the man - he comes across as a right arrogant so and so, but I think John Maughan could be the man to shake up the squad. I know he didnt endear himself to the Rossie folk, but he broke up the old boys club click that existed within their county team, similiar to what we have now. I think he is the man to ruffle up some of the old guard (if rumours are to be believed some of these guys were telling younger members of the squad to take it handy at training and slow down!!)
I think we would need a fairly tactically astute selector/assistant along with him as his past record in this regard is pretty shocking - Mayo /Meath All Ireland Final being the prime example.
Paudi O'Shea has Sligo connections and we all now that his motivational powers brought a provincial title to a Westmeath team who played with serious heart. Would be serious moneyimplications though and distance is also an issue here.
Mickey Moran is an option (think he got shafted by Mayo), but doubt he would take the job again.

Luke Dempsey is knocking around after his stint at Longford, Mulgrew is available.
At the end of the day the co board need to get the finger out and appoint someone at the very latest by first week in October. We do not want the situation like this year when players fitness levels never reached the levels of the Brehony campaign because the hard miles were not put in in the winter months.
I know SLIGONIAN that you have reservations about O Flaherty at u-21, but I have talked to some of the lads who played at this level and also at senior level last year  and they have said his training and dedication to detail was way ahead of what was encountered in the senior set up this year. I would definetly have him as u-21 manager again next year and I think that he should be involved with some level with the seniors with a view to grooming him for the senior job in a few years.

F*ck ye lads, if ye are out there will ye at least give our players a chnce for next year and appoint someone soon!!!!