County Manager Merry go round

[Rossfan]

Early this year but that time again
Padraig Davis Longford and Mike Quirke Laois fallen on their swords.

[Blowitupref]

Tally the latest.

https://www.the42.ie/paddy-tally-down-manager-5490185-Jul2021/?

[Blowitupref]

Hyland calls time on three-year spell as Leitrim boss. Against Mayo last Sunday he was probably the most disinterested manager I have ever seen for a match.

[Blowitupref]

Davy Fitzgerald has stepped down as Wexford senior hurling manager after five years.

[rodney trotter]

McGeeney ratified for a 8th season with Armagh https://t.co/PFAnHXp9Wo?amp=1

[Jim Bob]

McGeeney ratified for a 8th season with Armagh https://t.co/PFAnHXp9Wo?amp=1

Good news for other Ulster counties

[fearsiuil]

McGeeney ratified for a 8th season with Armagh https://t.co/PFAnHXp9Wo?amp=1

7 seasons done with Armagh after 6 with Kildare I think. What has he achieved to get these long tenures?

[mup]

McGeeney ratified for a 8th season with Armagh https://t.co/PFAnHXp9Wo?amp=1

I'd take him back to Kildare in a blink.

[APM]

McGeeney ratified for a 8th season with Armagh https://t.co/PFAnHXp9Wo?amp=1

I'd take him back to Kildare in a blink.

McGeeney has his knockers in Armagh and for good reason.  Progress has been slow with one step forward, two back at times.  It's been frustrating that it has taken so long to get this team as far as he has got them, and yet they still haven't managed to beat a Monaghan, Tyrone or Donegal in the Ulster Championship, and while they preserved their Division 1 status, they still couldn't put away Donegal when it mattered.

However, there is something in this team that he has assembled and you get the feeling that they are capable of making a breakthrough.  Whether that potential is more based on McGeeney's management abilities or on the performances of the O'Neill brothers in particular, is definitely up for debate.  Would another management team do any better given the lack of defensive quality - I'm not so sure and think we are better of with him in place.  He has got them moving now and hopefully progress will continue.

At the end of the day, Armagh supporters want silverware and that's all that count, nomoreso than in Kildare. 

Nonetheless, for all of the negative comments about McGeeney from outside the county, he has turned Armagh into a team that are fantastic to watch (most of the time).  Kildare likewise.  There might be a question-mark over whether McGeeney is good for Armagh and what he done for Kildare.  But there is no question that he sends his teams out to play positive football that is great to watch.  Cold comfort when you are knocked out of the Ulster Semi Final mind you. 

[Armamike]

This about sums up my thinking.  There's been no headway made in the Ulster championship during his time, which is disappointing. The manner of some of the defeats has been hard to take.   But for a long number of years now we just don't have enough strong enough players in defense. McGeeney or anyone else can't do much about that.  Like a lot of supporters I have issues with the rash decision making, poor tackling and poor discipline in our defending.  Can only assume the management have been working hard on this with the players, but the bottom line is that the ability isn't there.   The quality hasn't been coming though from underage.

[seafoid]

McGeeney ratified for a 8th season with Armagh https://t.co/PFAnHXp9Wo?amp=1

He's not cut out to be a football manager.

[APM]

McGeeney ratified for a 8th season with Armagh https://t.co/PFAnHXp9Wo?amp=1

He's not cut out to be a football manager.

He has a lot attributes that make him suited to be a good manager.  However, if I would have one criticism, it would be that he doesn't seem to drop anyone from the panel.  I wonder if he is  too close to the players and isn't brutal enough in his discipline. 

You say he isn't cut out to be a manager.  You don't explain why.  On the basis of results, I would argue that 95% of the managers in intercounty GAA are not cut out to be a manager.  You might say in response that most of them aren't involved without a break for 14 years.  On that basis, however, you could equally argue that if he wasn't cut out for it, he would have lost the dressing room in Armagh and Kildare, and players would have seen through him - which hasn't happened. 

That brings me back to the original point.  I think the loyalty of the players explains the weakness. He isn't brutal enough. 

[Rossfan]

Westmeath Hurling manager steps down.

[yellowcard]

What is the skill set required at county management level now? It seems to me that the biggest one is the ability to convince the best players in the county to buy into the set up that is put in place. That requires the manager to be able to appoint the correct backroom team set up and to find the necessary resources to fund it. I think McGeeney has ticked all of those boxes although there may be question marks over some of the backroom staff that he has appointed in the past. He seems to appoint a lot of former colleagues who he knows and can trust. The appointment of Donaghy was the first time that he veered away from this policy and I hope that he can stay on for another season.

There have not been too many players who have opted out during McGeeney's time as manager that were obviously better than what is already in the squad. For a mid tier county trying to climb the ladder that is a good starting point and McGeeney has always commanded and retained the loyalty of most of the players that he has had.

The reality is that county management at the top level is as much about delegating responsibility and appointing the right people around you to do their jobs. Most of the top level county management teams will have anywhere up to 20 backroom staff members - managing those is often just as important.

[Armagh Cúchulainns]

The reality is that county management at the top level is as much about delegating responsibility and appointing the right people around you to do their jobs.

And herein lies the reason why some deem him as more of a failure than a success at Inter County level.
Appointments from the Class of 02 primarily - some of which you wouldn't let run a bath let alone a line in an intercounty setup.

To overcome a problem you sometimes have to take an outsider looking in with a critical eye - yes men who all want to get along with each other will talk around a problem but often fail in addressing the problem.

When Mc Corry came in he seemed to nudge things in a slightly different way - now with Donaghys appointment maybe the change is happening. For a while though that backroom team was tactically and analytically very poor.