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Brian McIver is set to be ratified as Donegal football manager at next Monday's county board meeting.
It is believed that McIver has been given the nod by the five-man selection committee to take up the post he walked away from in mid-July.
McIver is understood to have beaten off the challenge of Charlie Mulgrew, Jim McGuinness and Donal Reid for the post.
McIver resigned in mid-July after Donegal's championship exit only to change his mind two weeks later.
McIver's decision to quit following the defeat by Monaghan had been something of a surprise as he had steered Donegal to the county's first ever Allianz National Football League title in April.
When he announced his decision to quit, McIver insisted he would not return to county management.
However, there has been speculation that his backroom team convinced him to change his mind.
Any word on how long he's being reinstated for? Is it to see out his final year, or is he going to start a new two or three year term?
Hopefully Brians change of mind will reflect itself in the team changing room - better attitude needed next year to reflect the expectation we have for this team.
Quotebetter attitude needed next year to reflect the expectation we have for this team.
Plus ca change.................
McIvor needs to get rid of a few bad apples in that setup beofre Donegal fulfill thier potential
Quote from: tyroneman on September 26, 2007, 01:26:26 PM
Quotebetter attitude needed next year to reflect the expectation we have for this team.
Plus ca change.................
McIvor needs to get rid of a few bad apples in that setup beofre Donegal fulfill thier potential
Interesting - and who would you suggest??
Worried about your clubmates Goath Dobhair Abu? ;D
Quote from: J70 on September 26, 2007, 01:45:29 PM
Worried about your clubmates Goath Dobhair Abu? ;D
Mc Ivor needs his head looked at...any man with a brain wouldn't touch that weak bunch
Will probably step down in 2010 and take the Tyrone job in 2011 ;)
Quote from: J70 on September 26, 2007, 01:45:29 PM
Worried about your clubmates Goath Dobhair Abu? ;D
Not at all J70, the team couldn't perform without its heart! ;)
But seriously, I'm interested to hear who Tyroneman thinks should be removed from the team?
Quote from: Maximus Marillius on September 26, 2007, 01:55:39 PM
Quote from: J70 on September 26, 2007, 01:45:29 PM
Worried about your clubmates Goath Dobhair Abu? ;D
Mc Ivor needs his head looked at...any man with a brain wouldn't touch that weak bunch
well if he wanted a team with tradition, he wouldnt be going to Derry anyway,
what have ye again remind me, 1 All Ireland? :D
Quote from: BallyhaiseMan on September 26, 2007, 02:32:08 PM
Quote from: Maximus Marillius on September 26, 2007, 01:55:39 PM
Quote from: J70 on September 26, 2007, 01:45:29 PM
Worried about your clubmates Goath Dobhair Abu? ;D
Mc Ivor needs his head looked at...any man with a brain wouldn't touch that weak bunch
well if he wanted a team with tradition, he wouldnt be going to Derry anyway,
what have ye again remind me, 1 All Ireland? :D
au contraire
there are loads of traditions in Derry
managing to underachieve being one of the main perennials....
I know all about Cavan traditions... ;)
I hope Donegal refuse McIver back - in a mass huff.
then we can possibly rebel and have crozier kicked out and McIver inserted as Derry manager !
(with max as head of entertainment)
Quote from: BallyhaiseMan on September 26, 2007, 02:32:08 PM
Quote from: Maximus Marillius on September 26, 2007, 01:55:39 PM
Quote from: J70 on September 26, 2007, 01:45:29 PM
Worried about your clubmates Goath Dobhair Abu? ;D
Mc Ivor needs his head looked at...any man with a brain wouldn't touch that weak bunch
well if he wanted a team with tradition, he wouldnt be going to Derry anyway,
what have ye again remind me, 1 All Ireland? :D
What the Foot has derry got to do with Mc Ivor taking Doneagal...they are menetally weak and that is not going to change for the next period...
Quote from: lynchbhoy on September 26, 2007, 02:35:09 PM
Quote from: BallyhaiseMan on September 26, 2007, 02:32:08 PM
Quote from: Maximus Marillius on September 26, 2007, 01:55:39 PM
Quote from: J70 on September 26, 2007, 01:45:29 PM
Worried about your clubmates Goath Dobhair Abu? ;D
Mc Ivor needs his head looked at...any man with a brain wouldn't touch that weak bunch
well if he wanted a team with tradition, he wouldnt be going to Derry anyway,
what have ye again remind me, 1 All Ireland? :D
au contraire
there are loads of traditions in Derry
managing to underachieve being one of the main perennials....
I know all about Cavan traditions... ;)
I hope Donegal refuse McIver back - in a mass huff.
then we can possibly rebel and have crozier kicked out and McIver inserted as Derry manager !
(with max as head of entertainment)
I think Donegal should install Charlie Mulgrew as their manager.
a Tyrone Man in charge of Derry? :o
sure ye have Damien Cassidy to take over there dont ye?
Quote from: Maximus Marillius on September 26, 2007, 03:11:56 PM
Quote from: BallyhaiseMan on September 26, 2007, 02:32:08 PM
Quote from: Maximus Marillius on September 26, 2007, 01:55:39 PM
Quote from: J70 on September 26, 2007, 01:45:29 PM
Worried about your clubmates Goath Dobhair Abu? ;D
Mc Ivor needs his head looked at...any man with a brain wouldn't touch that weak bunch
well if he wanted a team with tradition, he wouldnt be going to Derry anyway,
what have ye again remind me, 1 All Ireland? :D
What the Foot has derry got to do with Mc Ivor taking Doneagal...they are menetally weak and that is not going to change for the next period...
absolutely nothing,i just cant resist having a pop at you when you put other teams down ;)
Aswell as being mentally weak,
Physically the Donegal team that was played against Monaghan had lots of big men but IMO was too slow for inter county level.
McIvor will need to look at that.
Nothing wrong with a Tyrone man getting the Derry job, sure arent half the Derry team from Tyrone anyway.
I must say I'm a wee bit puzzled at him going back but he is the right man for the job ! A great manager. Donegal are lucky to have him.
What has changed since he basically quit in disgust after the Monaghan game?
I know he had a big clear-the-air meeting with the players before he announced his interest in going back, but haven't we down the road of being promised full commitment from the Donegal players just about every year over the past five years? I know that after the league there was a bit of a reassessment in the press, wondering whether everyone had been too hard on them, but when you get local papers publishing accounts of a number of players staggering around the diamond in Donegal Town in the wee hours after the Tyrone hammering, you obviously still have to wonder what is going on with certain individuals. Tom Comack wrote a piece basically saying that a number of players were happy to be on the county panel and to take the recognition that goes with that, but that they weren't willing to put in the effort that is required to seriously compete at that level. Hopefully, McIvor will be either get it from them or show them the door. He has shown, at least to a greater degree than his predecessor, that he won't pick players based on past reputation, but he needs to be more ruthless and decisive on the line at times e.g. the Monaghan game, where neither Devenney nor McFadden should have come out for the second half.
Quote from: Tyrone Dreamer on September 26, 2007, 07:46:58 PM
Nothing wrong with a Tyrone man getting the Derry job, sure arent half the Derry team from Tyrone anyway.
jealous ? ;)
Mc Iver is getting the job. Charlie Mulgrew was told last night that he isn't getting it so it must be Mc Iver. Don't understand the selection committees decision. They were looking for someone for a three year term, so how can they trust Mc Iver when he says he will stay 3 years. Remember he was not re appointed to simply finish his last year of his original 3 year term.
Another point which needs to be made is that the main men behind " Club Donegal" (Mick Mc Ginley and Michael Mc Loone) seem to have a lot of power lately and were firmly behind Mc Iver. Heard from a good source yesterday that if Mc Iver did get the job then major names would role from the panel.They will not even get a chance simply dropped and no way back. (E Mc Gee, Mc Fadden, and Whoppa,) for sure plus a few more lesser names probably.
QuoteHeard from a good source yesterday that if Mc Iver did get the job then major names would role from the panel.They will not even get a chance simply dropped and no way back. (E Mc Gee, Mc Fadden, and Whoppa,) for sure plus a few more lesser names probably.
Proper bloody order too.
Mc Ivor is goig to have to come in and swing the axe - there's a few players who need to be chased and told never to come back - get rid of the drinkers !
Quote from: glenswilly gael on September 27, 2007, 09:59:47 AM
Mc Iver is getting the job. Charlie Mulgrew was told last night that he isn't getting it so it must be Mc Iver. Don't understand the selection committees decision. They were looking for someone for a three year term, so how can they trust Mc Iver when he says he will stay 3 years. Remember he was not re appointed to simply finish his last year of his original 3 year term.
Another point which needs to be made is that the main men behind " Club Donegal" (Mick Mc Ginley and Michael Mc Loone) seem to have a lot of power lately and were firmly behind Mc Iver. Heard from a good source yesterday that if Mc Iver did get the job then major names would role from the panel.They will not even get a chance simply dropped and no way back. (E Mc Gee, Mc Fadden, and Whoppa,) for sure plus a few more lesser names probably.
Has Woppa been acting the maggot too? Maybe Michael Doherty will get a run out again now, although I'm not convinced he's up to it at the highest level. Any word on your clubmate, Colin Kelly, coming back? He looked promising in his couple of cameos in 2006. Well able to take a long-range score.
Agree Colin Kelly is a good player and could make it at county level but the lad has absolutely no interest in football. The club have a hard time keeping him involved, not a mad drinker or anything but no real interest, strange but true.
Who is Whoppa ?
kevin mc meniman is woppa.. good wee player.. i'd say it miht be the end of the road for sweeney, roper, campbell maybe devenney
Quote from: donegal gael on September 27, 2007, 06:04:31 PM
kevin mc meniman is woppa.. good wee player.. i'd say it miht be the end of the road for sweeney, roper, campbell maybe devenney
Sure devenney's played little more than a cameo role the last couple of years. Pity to see such a precocious talent go to waste. What's his beef anyway?
I think there's going to be a clear out ! Mc Ivor wouldn't have went back until the messers were sent packing !
They've been his messers for long enough now and he did nothing
Who should go?
Sweeney, McFadden and Devenney for 3................
I think Mc Ivor has been given assurances that he can do what he wants in terms of chopping players from the squad etc. Don't like naming names but you could be right there Tyroneman. And that's just for starters.
Quote from: tyroneman on September 30, 2007, 04:43:19 PM
Who should go?
Sweeney, McFadden and Devenney for 3................
Granted Sweeney and Devenney and poss Roper are reaching their sell by dates, but McFadden (barring his anger management issues ;) ) is a player worth holding onto.
Hopefully McIver will use the McKenna cup to give some of the younger players a runout.
McFadden is not dependable. One day he is unmarkable, the next he couldn't hit a barn door. He got a lot of abuse in the Monaghan game for going for points from long-distance line balls, but there are some days when that kind of stuff comes off for him. Unless there is a bit more talent coming through, and the likes of Leon Thompson, Michael Doherty and Colin Kelly make the grade, we are probably stuck with McFadden as our best option, which doesn't bode well. Stephen Griffin from St Naul's is talked about as a good prospect, but we'll have to see how he does if McIver thinks he worth a run, perhaps in the McKenna Cup.
This from this morning's Donegal News on the appointment.
Quote
Finding committed players is McIver's main aim
BY CHRIS MCNULTY
BRIAN McIver has vowed to find 30 men who are 'totally committed' to Donegal football as he bids to spearhead the county's bid for success over the next three years, following his installation to the hotseat on Monday night last.
Having been in charge of the senior footballers for the last two years, McIver stepped aside from the position after the Championship defeat to Monaghan and the search began for a new manager.
However, after consulting with his backroom team, a meeting was sought with the panel at which the players gave a commitment to McIver, should he decide to give it a go for another term in office.
After announcing that he was quitting, however, the search for a new man had already commenced by the time McIver opted to seek a return to the position and as such he was treated on a level footing with the other four candidates.
The Co Tyrone native, who guided Donegal to their first National title in 15 years with the National League success back in April, beat off competition from former Donegal players Charlie Mulgrew, Donal Reid and Jim McGuinness and had his name put forward for ratification at Monday night's meeting.
Despite a number of delegates speaking against his return, when the votes were cast 38 voted in his favour, six voted against while there were two abstentions. The general consensus was that now he has been installed he should get getting no less than 100% backing from the clubs.
The 'new' boss has said that it will be his first priority to ensure that discipline in the camp is sorted out once and for all. After dropping Eamon McGee and Kevin Cassidy for a period in 2006, it looked as if he had a handle on the problem that had dogged Donegal football for an eternity.
Yet, it was to raise its ugly head again in 2007. After the impressive win over Kerry at O'Donnell Park, rumours began circulating of a number of breaches in discipline. Although it was denied by McIver at the time, he noted on Monday night when speaking to members of the local media that discipline continued to be a 'big, big priority.'
"Make no mistake about it the players themselves have taken the first step in that," he commented.
"They had already discussed that issue before I met them that night. They themselves are very much aware that it has to be sorted out and our aim will be to have players who are totally committed. By that I mean in every sense of the word 'committed.
"It will be the number one priority to get a team that is totally disciplined and totally dedicated. If I don't get 30, if I am down to 24 I will accept that. 24 men who are totally committed in every facet of their preparation is designed to make them the best players in the country."
With a number of players expected to step aside from the intercounty scene, it is expected that there will be quite a few new faces in the green and gold by the time the new season comes around in January.
"There is always a trawl for new talent," he pointed out while saying that it didn't matter who they were or where they came from.
"I have no preference, I am not involved in the politics of Donegal football as in I don't care what club they're from, I don't care whether they're from the North of the county or the south of the county and I don't care what side of the gap they're from. The only priority is that they can play football and that they'll be totally committed."
McIver said that he felt totally 'disgusted' at the loss against Monaghan and also noted that he had no intention of resigning heading into that clash, stating that he had every hope that his side would have been facing Kerry.
"I felt that I myself had to make a statement and had to make a stand. For two weeks, I assure you the McIver household was very quiet. I was saying very little. I am not someone that takes defeat lightly."
That disappointing reversal was the second occasion in which Donegal suffered disappointment in the Championship, having exited Ulster thanks to a humiliating defeat against Tyrone.
"I was worried going into the Tyrone game because I felt that people didn't appreciate that there was a difference between Tyrone's style of play and Armagh's style of play. Tyrone are a much more mobile side that can kill you with ten or 15minutes of fast football whereas Armagh's game will always be tight.
"The Tyrone game I felt we got caught a bit in terms of drifting in from one big game to the other."
While there was a sense of regret on a couple of occasions in both his Championship sojourns with Donegal, his crowning glory to date has undoubtedly been the winning of the National Football League back in April of this year.
Coming into the campaign with the aim of consolidating their place in Division 1A, Donegal got into their stride and chalked up some impressive victories along the way as a semi-final meeting with Kildare was booked. This game, McIver felt, was a big one for the current crop of green and gold hopefuls.
"Whenever we went to play Kildare in the semi-final it was a big game for the progression of this particular panel. It was a big game at that time. Donegal had to be able to go into Croke Park and win matches and we did that," he said.
Of course with a place in the final sealed, there was another monkey that had to be shaken off the back. "We got into the final and all the talk was of Donegal's record in finals since '92, losing 13 consecutive finals. That became a very big game and again for the players to achieve at National level was very important."
The year didn't turn out as he would have liked however and the capitulation against Monaghan looked as if it was to be his swansong at intercounty football after saying that he would not return to manage another county.
Just over two months later, he holds the Tir Chonaill reins once more and with some valuable lessons on board from the last two years, he will be quietly confident that he and the Donegal of 2008 could make a claim for a place at the top table.
The immediate task is to finalise his backroom team with the installation of an Assistant Manager top priority. The squad will not resume training until December and then it is all systems go for the new year.
He reiterated his comments that there is a serious lack of floodlit training facilities in Donegal when he spoke following his ratification on Monday night last. Expressing the belief that so much more could be done in relation to coaching if floodlights were provided, McIver told the Donegal News that clubs should be putting their installation to the top of their respective priority lists.
"I think there is a misconception in Donegal that if you put up lights the county's going to use them," began the Donegal boss.
"Certainly the county may use them one night a week, but that still leaves you with six nights. To me, for a great percentage of the year coaching can be done under lights and it is not obviously being done."
Having been there and done that with his native clubs in Tyrone and Derry over the years, McIver knows all too well that a lot of hard-work is required and such vast pieces of infrastructure do not get installed overnight.
He believes that the work and graft would be all the more worthwhile if it would ensure proper coaching facilities are available.
"Challenges are presented in front of you and you can either talk about them or you can do something about them," he commented.
Noting that he passes clubs with impressive floodlights when he is on his way to training, McIver pointed out that it would be of a huge benefit to the clubs themselves.
"I think clubs need to get lights for their underage players to train from February, March onwards and the. Right across the county, there is a lot more coaching that can be done, but to do that you need to have the facilities in place to allow it to happen."
He hopes to introduce new talent when he resumes work in a few weeks time. He also hopes to see seeds set to ensure that a conveyor belt of talent emerges in the county.
"I do think even if it was possible for two or three clubs to work together to provide a facility in a certain area that they would use it between them for a few years," he said.
"To me, pitches have to be used a good bit of the year round, not just for the summer months or whenever you have a bit of light. The greater percentage of coaching needs to be done in the February, March, April part of the year. Thereafter it is all football, but how do you do that if you don't have lights to do it."
McIver is also of the view that the current fixtures situation in Donegal needs addressing and a greater emphasis must be put on ensuring that the ordinary club player is given games.
County Board vice-chairman PJ McGowan had alluded to the point at Monday night's meeting of the County Committee and manager McIver was also quick to stress the point when he spoke to the Donegal News after being installed as the new manager of the senior football team.
Presently, the Championship is run on a two-legged basis with the result that some clubs can be playing a handful of Championship games and not even make the latter stages of the competition. A case in point would be Ardara, who played three games and didn't reach the first round - they were beaten in a Preliminary Round play-off by Aodh Ruadh - while Aodh Ruadh played seven games and exited at the quarter-final stage.
"A lot has changed for clubs since the backdoor system. In Donegal, before getting to a quarter final there will be up five or six weekends; in most other counties five or six weeks will get you to a county final. I do think that the structure and the league system needs to be looked at. A great percentage of club players need top be playing for a great percentage of the year as opposed to in a very confined space of time. I know for some clubs there are problems because of county men or whatever, but I think, if it was possible, games should be paired off."
He can see the point of young players who drift from the GAA to soccer, where they are given regular games.
"For the sake of two players, there is maybe 20players in a club not getting football and that can't be good," he commented.
"For a team a team in April, May, June and July, they need to be playing a great percentage of club football at that time of year, not now in October and November when pitches are heavier," he said.
"At least in soccer, players are regularly given games and I can understand why young lads drift away. That (playing regularly) needs to happen in club football."
I hope the players stick to their promise - expected big things Donegal in the season just passed, they have the talent
Quote from: stephenite on October 05, 2007, 01:20:33 PM
I hope the players stick to their promise - expected big things Donegal in the season just passed, they have the talent
We'll live in hope, but we've been down this road a few times before! It's generally ended in tears, on-field indiscipline and severe hammerings. 2006 was an exception, but there was zero expectation around that team and its cobbled-together forwards.
Watch out - Mc Ivor is coming !! with a big axe ! That was a big statement this morning - " If all I have is 24 players, then fine ! "
This man is pissed off and has been given licence to swing the axe !