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Billy Sheehan is not an insider pick,  he is merely serving his own C.V as he did when he played for Emo and Laois.  Be he a success or failure he adds nothing long term to Laois.  Sugrue long term even now will benefit Laois.  Whatever reasons he left I doubt it's to manage another county. Billy is an outsider the same as Micko (utterly useless long term) and all the others we choose to waste our money on for short term success.  Give it to someone in Laois,  good or bad he will be better for the experience.  I am for Malachy, Clancy, Kearns or Cotter all are risky but all will be giving back to Laois football in 50 years.  If Billy wants to come down live in Laois train a club, I have no objection.  But it's high time, we copped on to ourselves improve our own coaching rather than waste time on what are high risk outsiders anyway.  No objection to paying outsiders to help our management but the top job must remain within.

We need to make our own coaches better.

Billy played the bulk of his senior career with Emo and involved in the Laois set up. To essentially say the only reason he played with Laois was self serving is somewhat derogatory. He was of intercounty standard and he knew it, he was a valuable addition to our county and always gave his best. Like it or loath it he gave serious service to both his adopted club and county. Ask any of his former intercounty teammates what they think of Billy having played with him and you'll get as close to unanimously positive feedback as possible. What more does he have to do to prove his Laoisness? Sing Lovely Laois on main street Portlaoise wearing the 1986 replica jersey?

Malachy is probably a non contender. Our choices are slim pickings at best. I've a feeling our next manager is someone not even on our radar at the moment but Billy wouldn't be the worst choice. 

Some great people involved in both Arles clubs but if they continue to let a family feud or whatever it is divide them then they're being shortsighted in the absolute extreme. It's time to build bridges for the sake of their best players, supporters and young lads coming through. Laois football needs credible opposition to Portlaoise, and with the talent both clubs still have at their disposal they could provide it in the short term at the very least.

Billy Sheehan would be my insider pick. Got a lot of stick from absolute clowns who couldn't kick a ball themselves to save their lives during his career. He'd take no prisoners as well. Anyone who knows Billy would tell you just how articulate and methodical he is. Wouldn't mind seeing Clancy getting it alternatively.

Be interesting to see what Sugrue does now. My guess is he takes another sabbatical. Having a young family and being self employed are only compatible with intercounty commitments for so long

Are the town what they used to be? No.

Are they still better than any other team in Laois? Yes, by a distance.

Do they have credible opposition in this years championship? Possibly Port if they were up for it.

What should be done to address this imbalance plaguing our championship for over 10 years?

We could start by implementing what was recommended in the strategic review which took place 2 years ago but this should not be done at the expense of Portlaoise doing well and being successful and merely in response to the growth of the area.

A new club is needed for the health of gaelic games in Portlaoise. The more playing football and hurling in the town the better. Our championship is weak because our structure allows it to be. This year will be a handy procession for Portlaoise as 11 out of the last 12 have been. There is no reason why the next biggest urban areas like Port and Graigue shouldn't be challenging them. A smaller more cutthroat championship or one with area teams would force them to get their act together.

Sorry for getting sidetracked 

Championship starting Wednesday lads and barely even a whisper around the place! Anyways here's my first round predictions to get things started:

1. Portlaoise v Ballylinan: Has the makings of a decent game but without Walsh Ballylinan to lose by about 9

2. Killeshin v Stradbally: Very 50/50. Killeshin down Evan Lowry and Deering. Stradbally to win narrowly

3. Port v the Heath: Fancy Port to win handy enough. Best equipped to challenge Portlaoise

4. Joseph's v O'Dempsey's: O'D's by 6

5. Graigue v Ballyfin: Can't see anything other than a handy Graigue win. Graigue +8.

6. Killeen v Crettyard: No Cha but I fancy Cretty to scrape by. Two poor teams who'll be happy enough to face each other

7. Emo v Ballyroan: Tough one to call. Fancy Ballyroan, Emo are poor defensively

8. Courtwood v Kilcruise: Courtwood to win but only just

Laois 7/2 outsiders to win on PP  Really looking forward to Sunday, this team can rubbish those odds. The fact that we can leave the likes of Jack Owens and Niall Dunne on the bench speaks for itself, this is a very strong side. Can't wait for Friday!

I somehow doubt Zach Tuohy would walk away from being a professional athlete to slog it out with Laois in a likely battle to stay in Div 2. Healy is over the road as far as intercounty football goes I'd imagine unfortunately, and Meredith has no interest in going back. Time to look to the future as Sugrue has been this year. The likes of Scully, Pigott, Benny Carroll, Saunders, Eoin Dunne, Tyrell, Barry, O'Flynn etc are all hopefully capable of taking over from the old guard.

Martin Breheny is unhappy that the likes of Laois, and even Cork, could qualify to play in the Super 8s....

https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/martin-breheny-qualification-system-not-delivering-real-super-8-38277153.html

The elitism in the GAA is astonishing.

Why don't we get a new system in place where all Division 1 teams automatically qualify for the super 8s irrespective of form and all the other 24 teams take part in the brand new Peter Pan cup? Then we won't have the situation of upstarts like Laois going on a run through the backdoor. We deserve to be in the last 12. Cork have beaten Limerick to get here ffs. Dublin haven't faced a side that were in D1 side yet.  The only team Cork beat to get to this stage was Limerick. Galway only beat London and Sligo. In spite of the provincial imbalance regarding numbers and how the competition is run which certainly won't be getting addressed anytime soon, we have won 3 games and earned our way here more than most.

Delighted for all Laois hurling people. Have to say, Paddy Purcell's speech really tug at the heartstrings. The way he called up Pat Delaney to lift the trophy was a real class touch. A great bunch of lads

Donie was worth the entrance fee alone. Sublime. The strength of an ox combined with the feet of gymnast.

This is without question our best result at any grade in the past 10 years or so in my eyes. To get one over those f**kers after years of absolute misery and torment at underage and senior against them is so, so positive for Laois football. I think a lot of the good that's happening in our county at the moment is because we're starting to wake up. Standards were let slide for far too long. We have signs of green shoots at underage. Today and to a lesser extent our minors show we can compete with the best Leinster has to offer. We've always had damn good players in this county and we always will have, but we can't afford to get complacent again. For too long our underage structures failed whatever talent was at their disposal. The signs are we're finally heading in the right direction.

Offaly are decent enough. Kept finding themselves in great positions in the league and vs Meath before more often than not shitting the bed completely. Confidence or a lack thereof likely the culprit. But to their credit they've come on this past few weeks. This is a great tie for both sides, we've waited too long for a Laois Offaly game in championship football.

Some win up there. Think about it: Pigott, Collins, O'Sullivan, O'Flynn, Lowry, Barry, Scully etc all blooded by Sugrue and all stood up today when needed. Our future is looking a hell of a lot brighter than 2 years ago.

Donie, Begley and Collins all in from the start apparently if the rumours are true. Don't see how we could possibly set up without Donie on the Meath games basis.