Who are the team of the decade?

[Lazer]

I agree. There are so many ways of looking at this. First you could say its Kerry because they won more. Second you could say its Tyrone because they beat Kerry 3 times. However its not as simple as that, because the Tyrone team of 2003 was different to that of 2008. You could say that the Kerry team of 2006 were really great as they hammered Mayo and could also say that the Armagh team of 2002 was the best. Its all pretty subjective.  

If you say its Tyrone are the team of the decade cause the beat the best, and now that makes them the best, are Down therefore the team of the year?

This is exactly why Tyrone are one of the most hated counties in Ireland - an attitude like this, not content with being All Ireland champions, they want to be crowned Team of the decade.

Kerry are the team of the decade, like they are in most decades, just accept it and get used it. And trhe arguement that you can't compare munster and ulster is nonense, especially as Tyrone lost in Ulster this year
Although I have to say fair play to them and Kerry, it was a good match, very entertaining football and a lot less of the dirty tactics Tyrone have been guilty of in recent times, although the elements of them still there, as in Kerry too!

[puskas]

Not pointless at all. It's what keeps people going.

Of course they would have walloped you last year that's not the point. The point is Tyrone were never going to win it last year. The litmus test was they couldn't beat never mind wallop you in a year that Tyrone were a contender. Hope you take my point.

(Can't believe I'm arguing a pro-Tyrone line against a Tyroneman).

No, can't accept that. Surely being a contender every year (and winning the majority) is better than being a contender in only 3 out of the 9 years already. It's not Kerry's fault Tyrone weren't a contender in 00/01/02/04/06/07.

Being a contender and failing is no great shakes. Ask Dublin, Armagh, Mayo.

I have said several times it's not Kerry's fault Tyrone weren't there to challenge them every year of the decade. Look, if you're arguing that Kerry's consistency, reaching finals, semi-finals etc over the decade as well as winning is their claim to best team, then you could make a case for Armagh being the Ulster team of the decade - on the basis of Ulster titles won - which would not be true.

My criteria for team of the decade is the relative value of your All-Irelands, 2 All-Irelands won against Mayo and neither Tyrone or Armagh in the mid noughties is less than 2 All-irelands won by Tyrone against Kerry in the mid-late noughties. Don't make me argue for Tyrone against you O'Neill, that's just plain wrong.

[puskas]

Agreed, to an extent.

Kerry's 35 AIs are indisputable and to be envied. I'm just saying that in some years they won the All-Ireland that for reasons beyond their control and hence not their fault they were tested less than they might have been, hence the All-ireland was 'softer'. It's not a criticism of Kerry but a statement of fact. The concept of All-Irelands which are softer than others does exist. Come on, surely a Kerryman would have taken more pleasure in and given more value to their All-Ireland in 2004 had they beaten Armagh in the final and not Mayo, look at the pleasure you boys got out of the 2006 defeat of Armagh. And rightly so. You won a harder All-Ireland and deserved the plaudits, beating one of the other big 3 at the time. Likewise in 2007 had Tyrone been fit to mount a more serious challenge and you'd beaten them.

Right then I'm going to strike the 2000 and 2006 All Irelands from the record as we only beat Armagh on the way and needed a second chance to do it in 2000. as well as only beating Connaught opposition in the finals. Tainted forever we shall now only claim 33.

Now you're being black and white about it when there are darker and lighter shades of grey. Softer and harder All-Irelands. 2 of your 4 All-Irelands in the noughties I would say were of the softer variety, while all of Tyrone's 3 All-Irelands were of the harder variety as they beat the other main challengers of the time on the way. We should probably just agree to disagree.

[Main Street]

Team of the decade is a big one, critera is Sams in the closet and Sams only.
In the event of a tie then head to head in finals has to count next.


Do we adopt official or common?

OFFICIALLY a ten-year period beginning with the year 1, as 1921-1930, 1931-1940, etc.
COMMON  usage, a ten-year period beginning with a year 0, as 1920-1929, 1930-1939, etc.

[ONeill]

Not pointless at all. It's what keeps people going.

Of course they would have walloped you last year that's not the point. The point is Tyrone were never going to win it last year. The litmus test was they couldn't beat never mind wallop you in a year that Tyrone were a contender. Hope you take my point.

(Can't believe I'm arguing a pro-Tyrone line against a Tyroneman).

No, can't accept that. Surely being a contender every year (and winning the majority) is better than being a contender in only 3 out of the 9 years already. It's not Kerry's fault Tyrone weren't a contender in 00/01/02/04/06/07.

Being a contender and failing is no great shakes. Ask Dublin, Armagh, Mayo.

I have said several times it's not Kerry's fault Tyrone weren't there to challenge them every year of the decade. Look, if you're arguing that Kerry's consistency, reaching finals, semi-finals etc over the decade as well as winning is their claim to best team, then you could make a case for Armagh being the Ulster team of the decade - on the basis of Ulster titles won - which would not be true.

My criteria for team of the decade is the relative value of your All-Irelands, 2 All-Irelands won against Mayo and neither Tyrone or Armagh in the mid noughties is less than 2 All-irelands won by Tyrone against Kerry in the mid-late noughties. Don't make me argue for Tyrone against you O'Neill, that's just plain wrong.

You're talking about All-Ireland finals. Kerry hammered Armagh in 06.

This decade stuff is nonsense. Football doesn't re-invent itself at the start of every decade. Team of the last decade perhaps (ie the last 10 years) or the last 5 years or 3 years or 20 years. It's an article feeder for journos.

[In the Onion Bag]

Lads,
I have enjoyed reading this thread but must repeat that it is a premature debate until 09 is settled.  I still lean towards Kerry as they have 4 v 3. 

Another factor I believe in sorting out 'good teams' from 'great teams' is the ability to win back-to-back AIs.  So far this has eluded Tyrone but not Kerry so there's another point in Kerry's favour.  If Tyrone can win next year then they will really have joined the greats.

No one more than me (outside of the Tyrone faithfull of course) enjoyed Tryone's beating of Kerry last Sunday but I must agree with Hardy's sentiment which implies that the lust for recognition expressed by Tyrone fans on this thread speaks more of an underlying lack of self belief than anything else. 

I say be content that you are the 2008 Champs by merit plus you now have two more than Arma.  Just sit back and wait for others to award additional plaudits, don't go begging for them.  Bet M Harte isn't wasting time think about team of the nougties.  From what I've read he already has his mind on 09.   

[puskas]

Not pointless at all. It's what keeps people going.

Of course they would have walloped you last year that's not the point. The point is Tyrone were never going to win it last year. The litmus test was they couldn't beat never mind wallop you in a year that Tyrone were a contender. Hope you take my point.

(Can't believe I'm arguing a pro-Tyrone line against a Tyroneman).

No, can't accept that. Surely being a contender every year (and winning the majority) is better than being a contender in only 3 out of the 9 years already. It's not Kerry's fault Tyrone weren't a contender in 00/01/02/04/06/07.

Being a contender and failing is no great shakes. Ask Dublin, Armagh, Mayo.

I have said several times it's not Kerry's fault Tyrone weren't there to challenge them every year of the decade. Look, if you're arguing that Kerry's consistency, reaching finals, semi-finals etc over the decade as well as winning is their claim to best team, then you could make a case for Armagh being the Ulster team of the decade - on the basis of Ulster titles won - which would not be true.

My criteria for team of the decade is the relative value of your All-Irelands, 2 All-Irelands won against Mayo and neither Tyrone or Armagh in the mid noughties is less than 2 All-irelands won by Tyrone against Kerry in the mid-late noughties. Don't make me argue for Tyrone against you O'Neill, that's just plain wrong.

You're talking about All-Ireland finals. Kerry hammered Armagh in 06.

This decade stuff is nonsense. Football doesn't re-invent itself at the start of every decade. Team of the last decade perhaps (ie the last 10 years) or the last 5 years or 3 years or 20 years. It's an article feeder for journos.

football reinvented itself at the start of the decade with the intro of the qualifiers, seems a reasonable enough benchmark to me, but whatever you're having yourself

[ONeill]

That's great then. Rules out Kerry's in 2000. 3-3.

[puskas]

Kerry's All-Ireland in 2000 is worth 2 as they beat Armagh in the semis who would surely have beaten Galway in the final, plus they get a further bonus half-All-ireland's worth on account of there being no back-door at the time. Tough luck.

[In the Onion Bag]

OK then,
So its Kerry 3.5 v Tyrone 3.  Anymore claims for 1/2 or 1/4 points out there?

[Seamus]

First of all congrats to Tyrone, deserved winners, well done especially to the great Tyrone fans I met before, during and after the game. Their graciousness in victory eased the pain.

I have no interest in getting into the debate of team of the decade, it seems so irrelevant. I do have a question for puskas, outside of Kerry has any other team in the history of the GAA won a soft All Ireland?   

[puskas]

First of all congrats to Tyrone, deserved winners, well done especially to the great Tyrone fans I met before, during and after the game. Their graciousness in victory eased the pain.

I have no interest in getting into the debate of team of the decade, it seems so irrelevant. I do have a question for puskas, outside of Kerry has any other team in the history of the GAA won a soft All Ireland?  

Sure. Depends on how you rate the competition in a given year. Surely every AI is harder or easier won than another. Who did you beat on the way? How many games? How many games against serious opposition? Did you beat a decent Kerry side? In the semis and final did you beat a traditional powerhouse playing to their maximum of their ability, the reigning or recent champions or an emergent side happy to be there for the day, e.g. Dublin 77, Tipperary 89. Is there a dominant team of the era that you have to get past as Offaly did in 82? Or were you just least worst.

You could argue Down 91 was soft, definitely a soft semi-final against a mediocre Kerry, and fortunate enough in the final to squeak it against an exhausted Meath. Not detracting from their achievement in ending a Down and Ulster famine but the cards did fall the right way for them. Galway's 98 had a softness about it, Kerry still ordinary (soft AI in 97), a knackered Derry side followed by Kildare a nice team to meet in your first All-Ireland final in a while, not a traditional intimidating powerhouse at their peak of their powers lacking belief.

[puskas]

Dublin 95.

[SouthArmaghBandit]

Look lets just call Tyrone the "Team of the Millennium" and be done with it. Are you happy now? You could get TOTM tadtoo-ed on the players arms to remind them how great they are.

[KERRYMAD]

IF TYRONE ARE TO CONVINCE ME THEY ARE TRULY THE TEAM OF THE DECADE I WOULD EXPECT THEM TO APPEAR IN AT LEAST ONE BACK TO BACK FINAL TO CLAIM THE TITLE.

BOTH PADDY POWER & BOYLE SPORTS HAVE THEM IN  SECOND SPOT TO FAVOURITES KERRY FOR THE 2009 CHAMPIONS.

SO FROM MY VIEW  IF TYRONE DONT WIN A BACK TO BACK 2008 & 2009 OR DONT MAKE THE FINAL FOUR YOU HAVE NO RITE TO THE TEAM OF THE DECADE TITLE.

REASON FEWER ALL IRELAND MEDALS & NO CONSISTENCY.

BUT AGAIN WELL DONE SUNDAY YOU DESERVED YOUR WIN