Brendan Hackett

[AN other]

Maybe Hackett wanted Glennon to try something different.  Like maybe not soloing around in circles for 15 minutes before losing the ball. Also maybe he asked him to get up off his knees afterwards, rather than staying down flapping his hands in exasperation like an auld wan who realises she's too late to do her weekly €2 Lotto quickpick.

+1.
It was only a matter of time. Let him off...

[Bord na Mona man]

Glennon probably misses the thrill of avoiding passing it to Dessie Dolan at all costs!

[INDIANA]

What are the odds of westmeath being relegated? Has to be the safest bet going.

[heffo]

I believe Michael Carruth has the Westmeath panel doing a bit of boxing training up in Dublin

[thebandit]

I believe Michael Carruth has the Westmeath panel doing a bit of boxing training up in Dublin

I think it might be football training they need

[Bord na Mona man]

Westmeath boss Hackett facing player revolt after league woe

By Liam Kelly

Thursday April 15 2010

IN the latest outbreak of player power, beleaguered Westmeath football manager Brendan Hackett is coming under fire in the wake of his side's disastrous league campaign.

Talks were scheduled to take place after a training session last night to thrash out the issues. This followed a meeting on Monday night between some players and key county board members.

It is believed the players made clear their unhappiness with Hackett and his stewardship of their football team. Hackett has overseen a seven-game losing streak and relegation to Division 3 of the National Football League.

Now senior players and some U-21s who reached the Leinster final are questioning the manager's performance as they begin preparations for their championship opener against the winners of Wicklow versus Carlow on June 6.

Players were reluctant to speak about the issue last night, while county board officials responded with a blanket "no comment" when contacted by the Irish Independent. Hackett was unavailable for comment.

Westmeath football has been in a spiralling slump since the 2009 league, in which they also lost all seven games in Division 1 to be relegated under Tomas O Flatharta. They exited last year's Leinster championship following a crushing defeat to Dublin at Croke Park, before suffering a 10-point loss to Meath in the All-Ireland qualifers, following which O Flatharta resigned.

Hackett, former team manager of Longford and Offaly, but most recently chief executive of the Athletics Association of Ireland, was appointed in September. A native of Monaghan, he was an early proponent of using psychology to improve GAA teams. Hackett has a wide view of his role with Westmeath. He brought in former Olympic boxing champion Michael Carruth and canoeing Olympian Eoin Rheinisch as part of his backroom team.

At his first media conference as team manager, he said: "I would see it as director of football as well. If you see Brendan Hackett as just managing the senior football team, you are wasting an opportunity, because Brendan Hackett can offer so much more because of the background and experience I have."

He has support among some fans who agree with his view that Westmeath are in transition, but senior Westmeath players are appalled at the run of form and can't wait for a few years to see pride in their county restored.

Top star Dessie Dolan didn't join Hackett's squad for the start of the league and experienced Denis Glennon opted out after early-season defeats.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Not in the least bit surprised but I don't think there's much point changing horse in midstream. But to continue Hackett has to jetson Carruth, Rheinisch and even Spike Fagan and bring in a football man with proven football knowledge, it's been poor lineups and poor decision making on the line that has cost us. I think most in Westmeath would agree that we are in transition but anyone I've been talking to has agreed that Hackett is poor and is costing us on the line. The county board have a lot to answer for here as well for pushing through a motion that the manager had to come from outside the county. Unless there's a major turnaround in the next couple of months Hackett has to go at the end of the summer.

[Hardy]

Westmeath football must be nostalgic for the days when it was on its knees.

Free shot now for anyone from the daughter county that wants to take a pot.

[AZOffaly]

On the one hand, it's getting way too easy for players to pass the buck to the manager these days. It seems to be the default option. Maybe some of those players should consider why the following is the case. Hackett was nowhere near them then.

Westmeath football has been in a spiralling slump since the 2009 league, in which they also lost all seven games in Division 1 to be relegated under Tomas O Flatharta. They exited last year's Leinster championship following a crushing defeat to Dublin at Croke Park, before suffering a 10-point loss to Meath in the All-Ireland qualifers, following which O Flatharta resigned.

On the other hand, I'm always suspicious of someone who talks like this...

I would see it as director of football as well. If you see Brendan Hackett as just managing the senior football team, you are wasting an opportunity, because Brendan Hackett can offer so much more because of the background and experience I have

AZOffaly thinks that anyone who talks like that has a serious ego problem.

[INDIANA]

He's out of date for this level of football. Said it at the time of the appointment and I say it now. It wasn't a good appointment. Hasn't trained any teams at senior inter county level for a while.

At the same time Westmeath need to be realistic as well talent wise. But they need a guy who is well used to getting the best out of limited resources.

[Croí na hÉireann]

On the one hand, it's getting way too easy for players to pass the buck to the manager these days. It seems to be the default option. Maybe some of those players should consider why the following is the case. Hackett was nowhere near them then.

Westmeath football has been in a spiralling slump since the 2009 league, in which they also lost all seven games in Division 1 to be relegated under Tomas O Flatharta. They exited last year's Leinster championship following a crushing defeat to Dublin at Croke Park, before suffering a 10-point loss to Meath in the All-Ireland qualifers, following which O Flatharta resigned.

On the other hand, I'm always suspicious of someone who talks like this...

I would see it as director of football as well. If you see Brendan Hackett as just managing the senior football team, you are wasting an opportunity, because Brendan Hackett can offer so much more because of the background and experience I have

AZOffaly thinks that anyone who talks like that has a serious ego problem.

I don't think you can compare last years league campaign to this years AZ. For a start there's a big gap between the quality in Division 1 and Division 2 now. We did manage to push a couple of teams close last year and while we lost out narrowly to both Eastmeath and Kildare this year, they were both rubbish beyond belief and we still couldn't put them away. Team selection is a joke, ffs 7 of the starting lineup against Tipp the last day hadn't seen any league action up to that game, too late in the day to be trying lads out. That was the first game that we managed to score 10 points, 10 points, in the league.

Hackett certainly has an inflated sense of himself alright, he's always talking about "I know this" and "I believe that" as opposed to the magic word "we"...

[heffo]

To the Westmeath posters - Would Dessie Snr be seen as a credible candidate?

Won championship with Ballymahon with Frankie Dolan on board (I think) a few years ago..

[shark]

To the Westmeath posters - Would Dessie Snr be seen as a credible candidate?

Won championship with Ballymahon with Frankie Dolan on board (I think) a few years ago..

He probably would be seen as a good choice alright.  Although when he trained his own club, Garrycastle, a few years ago he didnt do near as well as previous or subsequent managers.
Will have to be someone from within the county who will know the players.
Nobody in Westmeath would suggest that there is a team of world beaters available but the dogs on the street know that some of the team selections have been farcical. 

[AZOffaly]

Dessie Dolan isn;'t liked at certain levels of the Westmeath CB, but to pour oil on the waters, he will have to get the job. Sink or swim then, the factions will have nothing to fight about.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Dessie Snr would be looked on favourably by the players alright. When Lukie was trying to hold on towards the end of summer 03 he was gonna bring him in to help with his ticket. The county board and some clubs within the county don't want him though, that's why there was a motion passed to go outside the county last year. And like his dear departed friend Eamon Coleman, Dessie Snr wouldn't be a fan of the county board and it's debatable as to whether he'd take up the post if it was offered to him now.