Donegal v Kerry AIQF

[rrhf]

Make no mistake about it, Tyrone Kerry this year appears to have been an irrelevance in the whole scheme of things.  Neither team were near the top table and were shadows of their former selves.  The game wasnt in Croke Park where Kerry havent beaten Tyrone from 1986, it was home advantage 300 miles from home for Tyrone which gave Kerry a huge advantage before the game even started, it wasnt a semi final or final, and on hindsight we built it up to be something based on two historically great teams.  How wrong we were.  The teams to beat now are not Tyrone and Kerry but Donegal, Cork, Dublin and time will tell us on Mayo.  To say something matters when it patently dosnt overall, shows an egotistic delusionary strait, which I for one would be embarassed for you Mike as Im sure sensible Kerry folk would too.     

[imtommygunn]

Everything is cyclical though. The worry now for Kerry is where the talent to replace some of these quality players and the worry for Tyrone is how they bring quality underage players through.

It still takes a hugely impressive defensive system to beat Kerry. Donegal have that this year and Tyrone have had it but the legs aren't there any more. I think there are teams left Kerry would beat.

I don't think Kerry are as far gone as people think. Tyrone need new blood. They just haven't had enough coming through to seniors in the last few years. They'd be needing quality players of the 24/25 mark to step up now but , unless I'm mistaken, don't seem to have them.

Due to who they are though teams still fear them. I can't see Kerry players retiring en masse just yet. Tyrone maybe.

[All of a Sludden]

Jack O'Connor has confirmed to the Chairman of Kerry County Committee Patrick O'Sullivan that he has resigned as Kerry Senior Team manager.

The Chairman wishes on behalf of Kerry GAA to thank Jack, his selectors and backroom team for all their commitment and hard work over the past number of years.

[cadence]

Jack O'Connor has confirmed to the Chairman of Kerry County Committee Patrick O'Sullivan that he has resigned as Kerry Senior Team manager.

The Chairman wishes on behalf of Kerry GAA to thank Jack, his selectors and backroom team for all their commitment and hard work over the past number of years.

wonder how many players will call it a day now? blow to kerry this i would have thought.

[johnpower]

No doubt it is a blow for Kerry. I wonder will it influemce the retirement decisions of some of the senior players? It will be an interesting few months for Kerry football.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

True John, it adds to the fin de siecle sentiments for Kerry football

[GalwayBayBoy]

Billy Keane is still bullish in de Indo today anyway. Saying Kerry will still win an All-Ireland in the next two years. Maybe even the next two on the trot.

[eviemonkey]

I'd have a lot of respect for Jack O'Connor. He was a very good manager who got an awful lot more right than wrong. I'd say two of his sweetest days were the Armagh QF in 2006 and AIF in 2009, two games where his tactical input was a key factor.

Where this leaves Kerry will be interesting. A new guy could come in and keep things ticking over with the same squad and Kerry wouldn't be far from winning an All-Ireland. And in Kerry the only objective at the start of any year is to win the Sam Maguire. But the longer Kerry delay over-hauling the squad the longer it will be for the 'new' Kerry team to bed in and win an All Ireland of their own further down the line.

I think the opening might have come too soon for Eamon Fitzmaurice who may prefer to keep working with the under-21s for another couple of years until he takes over with his Kerry group of players.  Until then, maybe John Evans would be a good option?

[johnpower]

I'd have a lot of respect for Jack O'Connor. He was a very good manager who got an awful lot more right than wrong. I'd say two of his sweetest days were the Armagh QF in 2006 and AIF in 2009, two games where his tactical input was a key factor.

Where this leaves Kerry will be interesting. A new guy could come in and keep things ticking over with the same squad and Kerry wouldn't be far from winning an All-Ireland. And in Kerry the only objective at the start of any year is to win the Sam Maguire. But the longer Kerry delay over-hauling the squad the longer it will be for the 'new' Kerry team to bed in and win an All Ireland of their own further down the line.

I think the opening might have come too soon for Eamon Fitzmaurice who may prefer to keep working with the under-21s for another couple of years until he takes over with his Kerry group of players.  Until then, maybe John Evans would be a good option?

I agree with you. I think some times managers stay on too long. The thing is that most people wanted him to stay. Is it me or is Footballl getting much more serious.

[eviemonkey]

I agree with you. I think some times managers stay on too long. The thing is that most people wanted him to stay. Is it me or is Footballl getting much more serious.

I think he was right to stay on this year. It would have been very difficult to walk away from the game after losing last year's All-Ireland in the manner they did. If he retired last winter there would always have been a lingering element of 'if what'. Better to stay on a year too late than retire too early.

Football is a serious business these days and directly or indirectly I think the 'results-first' philosophy inhibited O'Connor's thinking this year. At times Kerry seemed to be playing with the hand-brake on. The gameplan was more conservative than before, with an over-emphasis on the lateral hand-passing and as a result too much slow ball going in to the inside forward line.

The pressure to succeed is always there in Kerry, but maybe over the last 12 months they became too pragmatic and lost a bit of their 'off the cuff' style of football which didn't suit them?

[johnpower]

I agree with you. I think some times managers stay on too long. The thing is that most people wanted him to stay. Is it me or is Footballl getting much more serious.

I think he was right to stay on this year. It would have been very difficult to walk away from the game after losing last year's All-Ireland in the manner they did. If he retired last winter there would always have been a lingering element of 'if what'. Better to stay on a year too late than retire too early.

Football is a serious business these days and directly or indirectly I think the 'results-first' philosophy inhibited O'Connor's thinking this year. At times Kerry seemed to be playing with the hand-brake on. The gameplan was more conservative than before, with an over-emphasis on the lateral hand-passing and as a result too much slow ball going in to the inside forward line.

The pressure to succeed is always there in Kerry, but maybe over the last 12 months they became too pragmatic and lost a bit of their 'off the cuff' style of football which didn't suit them?

Yes I agree but look at the teams in the last 4. I expect the this type of guff to be spouted on talk shows and written on forums and in print (Dublin if they dont win back to backs will be dismissed as lucky .Cork despite been around a long time will be dismissed as having only won 1 against a poor Down team and Mayo will get the same guff)

[armaghniac]

Usain Bolt to visit Donegal. To the winners the spoils!

[Fuzzman]

Yeah that was inevitable as he already had the kit from last year.
They'll probably play him as another sweeper rather than his favourite No 7 position
Is that McGlynn in the background.