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If that midfield came up against Fergal Doherty of Derry and Enda McGinley (he of Tyrone fame)  I'd say mine would come out on top 

Well mcgrath took doherty to the cleaners in the first round of the champ.  And whoever tyrone were playing in midfield got cleaned out by Gordon in the first round of the championship also??

1) Jason Reilly

2) Andy Mallon
3) Conor Gormley
4) Ricey

5) Davy Harte
6) Ryan McCluskey
7) Ciaran McKeever

Marty McGrath
9) Dan Gordan

10) Brian Dooher
11) Sean Cavanagh
12) Benny Coulter

13) Seanie Johnston
14) Ronan Clarke
15) Paddy Bradley

1 Derry, 2 Down, 2 Cavan, 2 Fermanagh, 3 Armagh, 5 Tyrone.

That midfield would take some beating!!

Raphael looks good - where's the twin brother?

creativity in midfield is the major headache for fergie in scholes' absence and arguably has been for 5 years. i think the 30m spent on berbatov would have been better spent on a modric type player. giggs will be the stop gap but little more than that (fine pass for rooney's goal). anyone think rooney could flourish in the attacking / creative midfield role? i think that's where he'll end up later in his career

Fabio is out at the moment with a shoulder injury - I think he is expected back in around 6 weeks.

I think rooney could flourish if he had two sitting midfielders behind him, say carrick and hargreaves, but i wouldnt be happy with him playing a central midfield role in a 4-4-2.  I dont think he has the discipline to be honest.  Interestingly, anderson has always been perceived in brazil as being a really creative player, almost in the ronaldinho mode.  Perhaps if he gets a more advanced role in midfield while scholes is out we could see more of this side of his game.

Is anyone else starting to get cheesed off with Nani??  Yes we can see he has talent, but he constantly seems to choose the wrong option.  I also dont agree that ronaldo was just as bad in his first couple of seasons

An okay performance yesterday.  looked good going forward but we were saved by some last ditch tackles at the back.  VDS looked dodgy, hopefully Foster fulfills his promise in time for next season.

Also quite wasteful up front, but i suppose the job was done.

How many do u guys think ronaldo can get this season?

I think around 35.  He's bound to hit a barren spell, but im enjoying it while it lasts!

Fermanagh to send out a pretty much full strength side against an experimental derry team should see fermanagh through to the final where they will beat close neighbours cavan in a tight game.

This will springboard the wee county to promotion in the National league and an ulster final appearance.

Am I in dreamland?

To be honest lads i wouldnt be happy with any of the people strongly linked with the job i.e. maguire, mulrone, o'neill.  I was part of a county minor setup under o'neill and can't believe he's in the frame.  No disrespect to these men but are they really gonna deliver the anglo celt?  could they outwit mickey harte and co?  I really dont think so.

Personally i feel we should be pulling all the stops out for the best possible next manager.  lets face it, with armagh and tyrone in transition this is our best chance in the last 15years to win ulster and we need the right in charge.  If the right men dont want it then thats fair enough but the top available managers (i.e. moran, kernan) must be approached.

I would also be delighted with dom corrigan or o'rourke, but it doesnt look like they will happen.

we need someone bigger than mulrone, o'neill or maguire

why has no-one mentioned temps on botanic avenue?

If you really wanna impress this girl i recommend temps.  The chicken is so tender and the pizzas are second to none.

okay, so with the hargreaves deal basically finalised, im strugglin to imagine what our starting 11 will be next year.  I know its great to have a good bench, but perhaps the 17m could have been better spent on a world class striker or maybe a left winger.  In my opinion our midfield is fine for another year or two until scholesy retires, and on yesterdays performance that doesnt look too soon.  However, fergie is the main man and I trust him to have something up his sleeve, maybe a 3-man midfield??
Here's my selection for next season:
                                                          VDS

                              G neville          Vidic           Rio       Evra

                                            HArgreaves  Carrick
                        Ronaldo                Scholes            Giggs
                                               
                                                  Rooney

What u guys think?  Id prefer to see a flat four in midfield with another striker bought to partner rooney, but its going to be very hard to drop scholes, hargreaves or carrick.

Also what realistic targets would u like to see at OT.  Huntelaar's goal record is v. impressive, and I also think berbatov would be a great addition, b ut probably too expensive.  Not sure about the left wing though, theres a real lack of left sided players in the premiership.  U guys know of anyone?  Ive heard rumours about Nani, but he would be unproven and a risky buy IMO

owen hargreaves will sign for 17m within the next few days.  The fee has been agreed he just has to put pen to paper.  Its on skysports.  What u guys think?

I have just heard from a VERY reliable source that owen mulligan is starting somewhere in the full forward line.  Any of u guys hear anything?

Name me a better full back.

Graham Canty

Okay, this is a pretty futile argument since a lot of it is just down to opinion. All i will say that to have won two all-stars at full back before the age of 25 playing for fermanagh has gotta make him a pretty special player.

And getting back to my original point, i just cant see young cavanagh giving him a "torrid time."  I dont even think FF is his best position.  The fermanagh forward line lacks physicality, but yes theres plenty of speed and guile in there.  Do u guys think tyrone would prefer fermanagh to play a more traditional big man at FF or will mickey be happy enough to see the wee men playin?

the current best full back in the country

Give me a break ffs.


Is john devine a total bolt from the blue to be in goals lads?

Name me a better full back.

Also to the guy wondering about steven maguire.  There were rumours that he would play this year, and he attended the fermanagh trials.  However, apparently he doesnt get on with the management.  As well as that he got married in January and needs an operation which he is due to have this autumn.  Not sure exactly whats wrong with him but dunno if he'd be 100% for inter-county football.  All the same, he's a massive miss

I really cant see a young lad making his championship debut giving the current best full back in the country a "hard time." 

Colm Cavanagh is a bit more than just a "young lad" in fairness and it's been a couple of years since Owens has shown he can perform at the top level.  I'm not sure how you can declare him as the country's best when he hasn't performed against any top forwards recently.

Im calling him a young lad because he's only outta school a year.  Barry owens was named a vodafone all-star full back last year. thats why he's the best in the country

im nervous about the lack of a target man at ff. I feel this is an area we can get at tyrone and o reilly is a playmaker

. I think Cavanagh could give Owens a hard time.

I really cant see a young lad making his championship debut giving the current best full back in the country a "hard time."  And i dont think there's much doubt that barry owens is indeed the best full back in the game.  I may be wrong, however i just cant see it.  I see colm cavanagh as a better runner with the ball than a target man, and think his best position might be at 10 or 12.  Ive only seen the lad playin twice at senior level though, what do u tyrone lads think?
I wouldnt pay much heed to the fermanagh team thats announced tonight, im afraid charlie likes to keep his cardsa very close to his chest, but i can see us goin with the following:
1)Tinney/Breen
2)Bogue  3)Owens  4)Goan
5) mcdermott 6) lyons 7) P. Johnston
     8)mcbarron 9)mcgrath
10)maguire 11)little  12) Brew
13)Mcgurn  14)Doc  15) O'Reilly

I think he'll go with a two man full forward line of doc and mcgurn.  Two big target men to pump the high ball into. I think o'reilly will roam out a little to try to pick off points from distance.  I can see us doing it lads, i really can.


Wat ya's think?