Mickey Harte joins the Irish News

[full back]

Cheers FoSB

[muppet]

Interesting article.

[Fuzzman]

Interesting indeed.

I don't wanna start another Tyrone v Armagh slagging match but would many of ye admit that the Armagh squad always seem to take their football much too serious ALL the time. Remember reading in Harte's book Knocking down Heaven's door that they all met at some event before the final in 2003 and that the focus on the Armagh players faces was such that no-one would dare smile or risk having a laugh in case they were seen as enjoying themselves too much before a big game.

Would any of ye concur with this point? I was wondering about this when reading Benny's article.

[Tyrone Dreamer]

Interesting indeed.

I don't wanna start another Tyrone v Armagh slagging match but would many of ye admit that the Armagh squad always seem to take their football much too serious ALL the time. Remember reading in Harte's book Knocking down Heaven's door that they all met at some event before the final in 2003 and that the focus on the Armagh players faces was such that no-one would dare smile or risk having a laugh in case they were seen as enjoying themselves too much before a big game.

Would any of ye concur with this point? I was wondering about this when reading Benny's article.

Think that was at the Irish News All Star awards. The story was that they turned up together looking very serious, didnt talk to anyone outside their group and left early.

[armaghniac]

Imagine that. If Donegal had been there they would have invited everyone off to the pub for a sociable session.

[Gaffer]

Interesting indeed.

I don't wanna start another Tyrone v Armagh slagging match but would many of ye admit that the Armagh squad always seem to take their football much too serious ALL the time. Remember reading in Harte's book Knocking down Heaven's door that they all met at some event before the final in 2003 and that the focus on the Armagh players faces was such that no-one would dare smile or risk having a laugh in case they were seen as enjoying themselves too much before a big game.

Would any of ye concur with this point? I was wondering about this when reading Benny's article.

Think that was at the Irish News All Star awards. The story was that they turned up together looking very serious, didnt talk to anyone outside their group and left early.

It was at the Irish News Do. Was there myself. Armagh ones came in late and left as soon as the event was over. Whereas the Tyrone boys were there from early on and had a great night it appeared. ( Had a great day a couple of weeks later)

[Aaron Boone]

Reading Benny's blog, it's hard to know whether less is more or more is less.

[Fuzzman]

Anyone got today's Harte attack?

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Here you go Fuzz...

Rules reaction has bordered on hysteria
Mickey Harte

Reaction from certain quarters with regard to the failure of the proposed experimental rules at congress is bordering on the hysterical.

Emotive outbursts from several media personnel allied to the mis-representative views enunciated by the chairman of the Rules Task Force, Liam O'Neill have revealed people in these quarters as selective democrats. You could be forgiven for thinking that the two-thirds majority rule was secretly and deceptively foisted upon the delegates at Congress, such is the furore over the majority vote losing the decision.

Everyone knew that a simple majority would not suffice. Spurious suggestions were made in the media that somehow team managers were holding the games to ransom. It was also implied by one commentator that inter-county players were equally culpable in what were erroneously described as retaining the nastier components of the sport. Ironically this blinkered view was supported by suggesting that it was a media campaign launched by team managers and county players that prevented the rules from being accepted. So, those who were for the rule changes had no media access?

This same contributor said it was not difficult to understand why managers want the present system to remain as they want to be able to break the rules. If that wasn't enough to convince you who the bad guys were in this scenario, the children were introduced. Using such graphic and emotive language as "beheading" in an U14 match as a natural result of the failure of these rules to be implemented was a further attempt to demonise anyone opposed to them. It is important to remember that this was not a vote to abandon all the rules of gaelic games. There are already sufficient sanctions within the referee's repertoire to deal with all things of an unsavoury nature. Indeed, in recent times interference with an opponent after he plays the ball was particularly highlighted as a yellow card offence.

The referee is at liberty to determine if a late challenge (foul) on a player as he plays the ball necessitates an equal sanction. If match officials choose to ignore such actions, should the blame be laid at the manager's door? This power of the manager theme was further endorsed by Liam O'Neill where he afforded those of us in that position much more influence than we have noticed to date.

How does that argument square with the fact that Jack O'Connor (Kerry), Ross Carr (Down) and Damien Cassidy (Derry) were opposed to the changes, yet their counties voted to retain them? If my influence was as strong as he suggests in administrative circles, Ulster Championship match against Armagh would be in Croke Park. Furthermore we are told by the same administrator that we should stick to managing and let those charged with administrating get on with the job. I would totally agree with him on this point, and would respectfully suggest that no current county manager that I am aware of cast a vote on the floor of Congress. Additionally, I do hope that this dictum about what we as managers should be about doesn't extend to not allowing us to have an opinion –  especially one acutely relevant to the task we are entrusted with.

The attempts to ostracise those opposed to the changes received a further boost in the Sunday papers where one contributer refuted the suggestion that the reforms were backed by massive PR campaign. In fact, he suggested that O'Neill and Daly merely supplied some positive statistics and were simply too honest. He went on to bemoan the disadvantaged position the Task Force leaders were in with the managers coming out every week and voicing dismay. (Did it not occur to him that most managers cannot come out every week and express an opinion about anything unless they are invited to do so by some of his fellow journalists?).

As highlighted by former All-Ireland final referee Paddy Collins, a man with high-ranking Leinster Council Official experience, you can be opposed to the experimental rules and be against cynicism in our games. In the aftermath of this defeat for the proposed rules changes, there was widespread reference to the lack of democracy within the GAA voting structures. As I alluded to earlier, was anyone unaware of this fact?

This was no rabbit pulled out of the hat by the pro-status quo people.

So let's deal with the stark facts and detach ourselves from extremism – journalistic and otherwise – and accept that the rules are fine, and it is consistent interpretation and application remains a challenge.

Real life savers on the Lough

Last Saturday morning, Brendan and Brigid McAnallen continued the positive and invaluable work of the Cormac Trust when they visited the Lough Neagh Rescue Station at Ardboe.

They were joined there by the lifeboat crew from Kinnego, where Brendan and Brigid handed over defibrillators to assist with their life-saving capacity at both stations and on their rescue boats on the Lough. Trevor McKee, chairman of Lough Neagh Rescue, expressed his deepest gratitude to the to the McAnallen family and the Cormac Trust for their most generous gesture. He went on to say that this equipment would be vital not only to the lifeboat service, but also to the communities surrounding the station at the Battery harbour, Ardboe and Kinnego marina in Lurgan. He was pleased to relate that the lifeboat crews have been trained in the correct use of the defibrillators and having them on board the boats at all times would enhance their life-saving capabilities at the scene of incidents on the Lough and its tributary waters.

Myself, Chris Lawn and current Loughshore players Brian McGuigan and PJ Quinn were given a tour of the station and a scary cruise of the Lough. It was an experience which opened our eyes to the hidden dangers of the Lough and the skill and commitment of the rescue volunteers. The Kinnego crew, complete with their orange Armagh life jackets, proceeded to initiate the rivalry due for completion on May 31 when they set about soaking the Tyrone lads before they returned to shore.

These life-savers, who are all volunteers, deserve immense credit for the excellent service they provide and all of us should be conscious of supporting their fund raising efforts in the future.

Incidentally, in the past year these men have attended 28 call outs and brought 75 people to safety.

[The GAA]

Jesus. 2 well articulated and reasoned articles in a row from harte that i agree with. i'm off to tell the king that the sky is falling in.

[Fuzzman]

He makes good points again but as some forecasted when he took over this role, will all this have a negative impact on Tyrone.

He certainly has rubbed a few up the wrong way in the GAA & it will be interesting to see come championship time will Refs & the southern media be a little biased in their judgements of Tyrone & Mr Harte. If there are any bad tackles over the summer will the CCCC take a sterner view than normal.

Its all fine and dandy having your say on such a public medium, even if he does often speak the truth but would it not be better to keep a low profile and not be giving ammunition for those with scores to settle.

[Minder]

He makes good points again but as some forecasted when he took over this role, will all this have a negative impact on Tyrone.

He certainly has rubbed a few up the wrong way in the GAA & it will be interesting to see come championship time will Refs & the southern media be a little biased in their judgements of Tyrone & Mr Harte. If there are any bad tackles over the summer will the CCCC take a sterner view than normal.

Its all fine and dandy having your say on such a public medium, even if he does often speak the truth but would it not be better to keep a low profile and not be giving ammunition for those with scores to settle.

It depends on how high a profile you seek.

[EC Unique]

He makes good points again but as some forecasted when he took over this role, will all this have a negative impact on Tyrone.

He certainly has rubbed a few up the wrong way in the GAA & it will be interesting to see come championship time will Refs & the southern media be a little biased in their judgements of Tyrone & Mr Harte. If there are any bad tackles over the summer will the CCCC take a sterner view than normal.

Its all fine and dandy having your say on such a public medium, even if he does often speak the truth but would it not be better to keep a low profile and not be giving ammunition for those with scores to settle.

Could it get any worse?

[muppet]

Read the article again. It is not a reasoned analysis of the rule changes or their impact. All it says is that the rules are fine, referees and the disciplinary processes aren't.

Most of the article is spent protesting that he and other managers have little influence on decision making. It is hard to know is he moaning about this lack of influence or is upset that people think he does have influence but actually doesn't.

Everything above this line is rubbish and shouldn't have appeared in the article: "So let's deal with the stark facts and detach ourselves from extremism – journalistic and otherwise – and accept that the rules are fine, and it is consistent interpretation and application remains a challenge."

That would have been a good starting point and it would have been interesting to hear his views on that. Instead he spent the whole article, as seems to be his style, assuming the role of victim to some Gaa official/southern media/refereeing attacker. It is all very tiresome when it could be so much better.

[Mike Sheehy]

& the southern media be a little biased

I think what you meant to say, surely, was will the southern media (who are a lot more even handed than nordie commentators) respond to a concerted propaganda campaign by Harte to gain advantage for his team ?