Mayo v Roscommon - Connacht SFC Semi-Final, June 20, Venue TBC

[stephenite]

The continuing efforts at undermining the team management and young players in the lead up to the championship proper is rather depressing, if not very mayo like. 

Mac's not coming back - f**king get over it.

[Foreverhopeful]

From what i have seen of seamus o shea he is up for it. Couldnt separate him/parsons last yr for the U-21's. Nobody saying parsons not up for midfield. Just think he better option than trevor at no.11 and could do great things for us. If you were to assess Parsons from last yr you would be seeing a lot more ticks in the attacking stats then the defensive.

Crying shame mcD not there, hurts everytime it mentioned.  It like Fergie letting Giggsy go and look what can happen - player of the year. CLASS IS PERMANENT so yeah i would put my house on mcD to deliver if called upon

[Tubberman]

Lads, it's 2 years since McDonald played and he's not going to be playing this year (or any other year in all likelihood).
The panel we have are coming along pretty well, I think everyone was in agreement there were a lot more positives than negatives from this year's league.
Regardless of the rights and wrongs of McD's omission, he's not there and there's very little point repeating the same old conversation.
We should be focussing on the players that are there, and who will be playing for us against Leitrim or Ros - that's what the thread it about after all

[ildanach]

We should be focussing on the players that are there, and who will be playing for us against Leitrim or Ros - that's what the thread it about after all

I concur!
Anyone heading to the challenge match on friday night v dublin?

[stephenite]

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of McD's omission, he's not there and there's very little point repeating the same old conversation.
We should be focussing on the players that are there, and who will be playing for us against Leitrim or Ros - that's what the thread it about after all

Well said

[Foreverhopeful]

As long as we see trevor wearing the no.11 jersey we will continue to harp on about McD unfortunately. Thats the comparator. Trevor doesnt come close to a no.11 so thats why we crave McD and thats why he is being mentioned. Sad but true. So unfortunately its gonna remain relevant until we get someone else in at no.11 who does a better job. For me that is Tom Parsons.

Dublin have named a very strong team for challenge. Ross McConnell put at no.11. Should be an interesting task for our no.6 as he is very physical and can play a bit too. Magee and Whelan at midfield - gonna be physical! Davoren at ff is also a threat, clever footballer, Caf will have a good test there.

[moysider]

Lads, it's 2 years since McDonald played and he's not going to be playing this year (or any other year in all likelihood).
The panel we have are coming along pretty well, I think everyone was in agreement there were a lot more positives than negatives from this year's league.
Regardless of the rights and wrongs of McD's omission, he's not there and there's very little point repeating the same old conversation.
We should be focussing on the players that are there, and who will be playing for us against Leitrim or Ros - that's what the thread it about after all

Nobody likes being a miserable f***** about something  but personally I cant be an Uncle Tom about this one.

[Lar Naparka]

As long as we see trevor wearing the no.11 jersey we will continue to harp on about McD unfortunately. Thats the comparator. Trevor doesnt come close to a no.11 so thats why we crave McD and thats why he is being mentioned. Sad but true. So unfortunately its gonna remain relevant until we get someone else in at no.11 who does a better job. For me that is Tom Parsons.

Dublin have named a very strong team for challenge. Ross McConnell put at no.11. Should be an interesting task for our no.6 as he is very physical and can play a bit too. Magee and Whelan at midfield - gonna be physical! Davoren at ff is also a threat, clever footballer, Caf will have a good test there.

I don't think you can forget McDonald.
I was one of the first on this board to accept the fact that a manager has the sole right to select his panel. In most counties, that is one of the terms under which a manager is appointed; but with absolute control over his side come absolute responsibility to act in the best interests of the county he is being appointed to.
Mayo is no exception.
O'Mahony came along, second time around, with a proven track record of achievement. Mind you, he did point out, right from the beginning, that he could not guarantee overnight success.
He may not have used those every words but his meaning was plain; the road ahead would be tough and progress was going to be slow.
So far, so good...
His first acid test was the manner in which he handled the question of Ciaran McDonald's anticipated return to the fold.
On every possible ground, O'Mahony failed miserably. I doubt if even his mammy would say he came out of that episode with credit.
To me, the fact that McDonald seems to be a bit unstable doesn't come into the picture at all. He is/was/will never be the manager.
The manager has the ultimate say; ergo, the manger carries the can.
Was Mayo football best served by the way in which John O'Mahony announced the retirement of the most charismatic footballer of his generation or did he muck things up to such an extent that Mayo football is still in turmoil?
For as long as McDonald swings a ciotog at a football, Mayo followers will sigh, "Ah, if only...."
Present players are bound to feel the pressure to succeed- if only to get away from the feeling that they are not half the team they could be. Whoever fills the no. 11 spot, knows he will be measured in popular opinion against Crossmolina's favourite son -and will be found wanting.
Really, all of us have a comfort blanket to curl up and suck for a long time to come.
Whenever we finish second, a fate we are well used to, we can only say," Sure, things would have been different if only....."
When one thinks about it, that is a damning indictment of those who take the field and give it their best shot- as I'm sure they all will.

I imagine we do have a stronger panel that we have had for the last couple of years.
Credit given where credit is due.
But as we head into a season for the third time under O'Mahony, I am worried that he seems to be no closer to fielding the best side available to him than he was at the very outset.
I have been following the posts here about Pat Harte with interest. He has been suggested for the no. 11 spot. So have Tom Parsons, Trevor, Alan and Uncle Tom Cobley and all. What about the full forward spot or any position, other than the three already mentioned?
Like Trevor, Andy M is serious danger of losing his amateur status as a Traveller as he is shifted from corner forward to half forward and out to the half backs and back again. Ditto applies to BJ.
I can see us getting through the next game and possibly the following one, although I very much suspect that Liam Sammon is more certain of his first choice 15 than our man is of his.
Once again, this for me will be one of hoping for the best while expecting the worst.
However, I could be wrong!
C'mon on Johnno and prove you are more than a pretty face!

[stephenite]

There's been plenty of 'if only's' over the years Lar - I still think of Kevin O'Neill and where the f**k was he in 1996 - I just feel that as young players are coming through they don't need to be hearing or reading passionate supporters grumble that these young fellas don't really stand a chance because the manager couldn't get along with a player the majority of them never played with.

Some of these lads are the only Mayomen able to run that have Inter county All Ireland medals - let's get behind them, without looking back.

[rosnarun]

Some of these lads are the only Mayomen able to run that have Inter county All Ireland medals - let's get behind them, without looking back.

woouldn't that also include mc donald as well  -twice ??

but in geral i agree As far as im concerned JOM ( who i have slagged pre season) is on his last chance  but it is a chance and we can only support him while he is in the job. Ifhe fails again this year lets discuss that then .
while im not trying to say people shouldn't criticize lets keep it realistic  and accept the following
until mayo loose this year

Mcdonald wont play nor will kevin oneill, liam mchale or tj killgallon
JOM will be there
Parsons will be midfield withMc garrity
evry thing else is up in the air

[stephenite]

Some of these lads are the only Mayomen able to run that have Inter county All Ireland medals - let's get behind them, without looking back.

woouldn't that also include mc donald as well  -twice ??

[/quote]

Would it?

[small white mayoman]

There's been plenty of 'if only's' over the years Lar - I still think of Kevin O'Neill and where the f**k was he in 1996 - I just feel that as young players are coming through they don't need to be hearing or reading passionate supporters grumble that these young fellas don't really stand a chance because the manager couldn't get along with a player the majority of them never played with.

Some of these lads are the only Mayomen able to run that have Inter county All Ireland medals - let's get behind them, without looking back.

Not getting in to the debate as to whether he should play or not but of the 15 that started against New York the only players  that Mc D wouldn't have played with would be the 4 debutants against new york and Tom Parsons from last year certainly not the majority of the players.

[stephenite]

There's been plenty of 'if only's' over the years Lar - I still think of Kevin O'Neill and where the f**k was he in 1996 - I just feel that as young players are coming through they don't need to be hearing or reading passionate supporters grumble that these young fellas don't really stand a chance because the manager couldn't get along with a player the majority of them never played with.

Some of these lads are the only Mayomen able to run that have Inter county All Ireland medals - let's get behind them, without looking back.

Not getting in to the debate as to whether he should play or not but of the 15 that started against New York the only players  that Mc D wouldn't have played with would be the 4 debutants against new york and Tom Parsons from last year certainly not the majority of the players.

Which is why I specified 'these young fellas'

[Foreverhopeful]

bring back mickey moran!

[Lar Naparka]

There's been plenty of 'if only's' over the years Lar - I still think of Kevin O'Neill and where the f**k was he in 1996 - I just feel that as young players are coming through they don't need to be hearing or reading passionate supporters grumble that these young fellas don't really stand a chance because the manager couldn't get along with a player the majority of them never played with.

Some of these lads are the only Mayomen able to run that have Inter county All Ireland medals - let's get behind them, without looking back.

I'm in agreement with you- that should be the case. It is the only logical thing to do. But the reality is that the divisive effects are still there.
Here on this board, in any Mayo-related topic, the controversy comes up and the sore still rankles. I have said the pressure on young fells to "measure up" is unfair, because in any comparison they will be found wanting. The danger is that in time to come the exploits of Fionn McCumhail will pale in comparison to the alleged heroics of Mc.
Only a sustained successful run will relieve O'Mahony of the blame for failures along the way.
Another pity is that O'M is having difficulties coming up with a settled team.
Whoever plays at no. 11 is always going to be found wanting -unless he turns out to be a genuine FmcG prototype. 
BTW, much as I admire MC, I'd still have P Joyce in my team before him. Mc has been a genius okay but he is not without faults.