LAOIS SENIOR FOOTBALL 2016

[on the hop]

looking at the kildare forum, and while taking into account their blind hatred of us, it appears the current set up is extremely poor

[Kuwabatake Sanjuro]

Fairly meaningless challenge game. It was a completely 2nd string Kildare team with no more than 1 or 2 likely to start against Wexford. I'd say 7 or 8 of the Laois team would be 1st choice but I don't think either team are up to anything. If you can somehow put Cunningham in charge and sideline Lillis you might start heading in the right direction.

[County Man]

Some general thoughts on yesterdays draw.

Very encouraging to see a much improved defensive structure. Much tighter than anything before this year. Much more organisation. An experimental defense in first half with Darren Strong showing good leadership at centre back.

Damien O'Connor at 7 played well and showed a great turn of pace going forward.

Both of the Farrells tried hard.

Thought Paul Cahillane had a fine game at centre forward. A sort of playmaker role, he got on a lot of ball.

Gary Walsh was in fine form, some lovely scores and unlucky not to get a goal hitting the post in 2nd half.

Both teams brought on some of the bigger guns in 2nd half with Quigley and O'Carroll getting game time for Laois and Cribben and Moolick coming in for Kildare. Have to say Cribben got 2 sublime points, great player.

Brody very solid in goals and a clean sheet.

John O'Loughlin powerful in midfield.

A good challenge overall to lead to Wicklow game in 12 days.

Great to hear about Anthony Cunningham joining the set up. Very encouraging.

Feeling much more optimistic about the championship now. Laois ABU

[Tony]

The real question is - how will Anthony Cunningham play a background role with Lillis there - that's like Pep Guardiola hanging around the set up in the background with Steve Staunton in charge.

No offense to lillis but even he knows he's inept - hence the addition of Cunningham.

Cunningham has got real pedigree & he's really a man I can get behind with his CV. Unlikely he can make a significant difference in 2016 when the ground work hasn't properly done but if we don't scare him away, i'd love to see him play a huge role (manager) in 2017. Interesting times ahead.

[Unlaoised]

Interesting times in indeed ..

John O Loughlin and Darren Strong were very good as was cahilanne. ..team looked a lot hungrier

[BallyroanAbu]

This will have no major effect on our year.  It might have done 6 months ago but a fitness guy coming in April is way too late.  How on earth should this guy get the Laois job, he is a fitness guru and that makes a difference at club level but county that's a big leap.  Let's see if he can somehow spring a miracle this year and then think about the job.

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

Worrying post from the Kildare website.....

PostSubject: Re: Kildare V Laois   Yesterday at 6:06 am 


Was stood near both management teams for the match and the difference between them was astonishing at this level. For a start the Kildare management stood together in discussion and there was constant tactical coaching come in from the line to the players with a lot of focus on reminding them they had Morgan back as cover (interestingly). Focus on getting players to come wide when we had possession also and on midfielders (Daryl mainly) dropping back when a wing back went forward. The Laois management meanwhile stood a long way from each other, Lillis hardly a said a word just walked up and down the line with his A4 notebook and another of his selectors (don't know his name) seemed to bark abuse at the players. A lot of effing and blinding when a mistake was made, permanently frustrated with Kingston's lack of effort, and the only coaching was of the "ah for feck sake let it in" variety. Seems Woolberto is spot on..
Having said all that we still couldn't beat them. Primarily because their midfield dominated in the same way Clare did, because they were able to create a couple of goal chances and took one (Kingston) and (sorry to say) because we gave away another hatful of frees for lazy poor tackling.

On the plus side Healy had a decent first half, Morgan did well generally as sweeper and Matty Byrne got through a mountain of work at midfield, while Flynn again was excellent after coming in for the second half. McGrillen was disappointing and I wonder is he going to make the championship cut.

Eanna O'Connor got a few scores and produced some good passes in a decent display.

But it was a generally poor Laois side, no better than what we've been facing in Div 3. Strong around the middle but very little in attack. Kingston looked out of shape and disinterested.

Eoin Doyle looked fit and sprightly when introduced - slotted in around midfield rather than CB. Great to see him back. Might only be a sub for Wexford although you never know with 3 more weeks training.

Feely, Niall K, Fitz, Keith C, Tyrell and Peter K were all not involved which is a bit worrying. Tyrell seemed to be walking ok after his injury last week though. McCormack didn't play.

[les Antiques]

I think that pretty much sums it up .
Kingston looks nowhere near been fit which is alarming so close to the Wicklow game .

[redsetanta]

It sounds like the game is up if a proven inter county manager is brought in to be the head coach.

Maybe he will shake things up and whip everyone into shape. What then is Lillis's job? If it's picking the team then he'd be as well off as a selector!

[ILikeStrawberryJam]

http://www.the42.ie/anthony-cunningham-galway-laois-2747380-May2016/

Can only be a positive thing but it has to dilute Lillis authority .. Good call by whoever made it to get him involved

[Tony]

This will have no major effect on our year.  It might have done 6 months ago but a fitness guy coming in April is way too late.  How on earth should this guy get the Laois job, he is a fitness guru and that makes a difference at club level but county that's a big leap.  Let's see if he can somehow spring a miracle this year and then think about the job.

How on earth should he get the job- what? Are you forgetting he has a better record at club level vs Lillis and has inter county experience with Galway hurlers who were in the all-ireland last year? He's vastly more qualified than Lillis and he has a tactical brain and a good man manager. He's a fine all-rounder. You're right about one thing - it's way too late to expect miracles this year. It's ridiculous that we've gone so far back in terms of fitness. The set up sounds inept in 2016, but we'd be lucky to have a man like Cunningham in 2017. Who else will arrest the slide - Lillis seems resigned to the thought that we're not good and are div 3 /4 standard. We just don't need that attitude - this year is predictable already. Win vs Wicklow likely (as they are a worse version of us), 13 men behind the ball against Dublin (as practiced vs Kildare) with our lads scoring less than 12 points and them still getting 20+ points. 0 - 2 wins in the qualifiers depending on who we get but no more than 2 wins. That's 95% chance of what we'll get this year - the setup clearly does not have a good vision and attitude and towards the year. It's a write off, but maybe, just maybe we can get someone decent with aspirations like Cunningham for 2017 in addition to proper underage structure (at least the centre of excellence should be ready by 2018). Otherwise lillis' vision for us will come true - Div 3 or 4 for the next 6 - 8 years at least.

For those who think the only thing to do is to concentrate on underage and forget about the senior set up : you're forgetting - success breeds success and also interest. It's co-dependant. We need the senior team to be one that is performing well and a setup to be proud of - otherwise there's less incentive for youngsters to get involved and to have hopes for future success with Laois at senior level. The opposite is also true : we need a functioning underage setup to breed success at senior. We need a proper vision, really - and it's not too far off common sense: We need the opposite of this year, basically. I play for a lesser club at a Intermediate level and it really sounds like we're miles ahead of the current Laois senior football set up. That's unacceptable.

[OTF]

The involvement of Cunningham has to to an improvement on what's already there, the question is how much influence will he have or be allowed have  ??

The qualifiers are 6 weeks away and I think that's where we should be looking ...... if allowed that's enough time for him  to get the team set up properly tactically but as others have pointed out the team's fitness is nowhere near where it should be and that is indeed alarming.

[Clubber Lang]

The question is-was Cunningham's involvement with the Laois senior team enforced on Lillis or was he open to the idea of bringing in additional help after a poor league campaign and with championship only couple of weeks away. By his own admission in interviews after some league games he was lost for explanations as to our poor/inept performances. The previous posters comments on our management teams actions (lack of cohesion/tactical instructions) was very evident to a number of us who were in attendance on Sunday. We need management that is proactive tactically if plan A is not working or if positional changes need to be made quickly. Hopefully Cunningham can add this to our current set-up (it will be interesting to see how Lillis works alongside Cunningham who for all intensive purposes is a now joint-manager). I was worried from talking to different people that some of the players were already writing this year off. Hopefully this appointment can add some badly needed impetus and even if we do fall to Dublin that we can have a decent campaign through the qualifiers with the goal of reaching a quarter-final.         

[OTF]

The question is-was Cunningham's involvement with the Laois senior team enforced on Lillis or was he open to the idea of bringing in additional help after a poor league campaign and with championship only couple of weeks away. By his own admission in interviews after some league games he was lost for explanations as to our poor/inept performances. The previous posters comments on our management teams actions (lack of cohesion/tactical instructions) was very evident to a number of us who were in attendance on Sunday. We need management that is proactive tactically if plan A is not working or if positional changes need to be made quickly. Hopefully Cunningham can add this to our current set-up (it will be interesting to see how Lillis works alongside Cunningham who for all intensive purposes is a now joint-manager). I was worried from talking to different people that some of the players were already writing this year off. Hopefully this appointment can add some badly needed impetus and even if we do fall to Dublin that we can have a decent campaign through the qualifiers with the goal of reaching a quarter-final.       

In his interview after the Derry game he said he didn't believe in defensive football, 13 men behing the ball on Sunday would suggest that romantic notion is now history.
Does anyone recall what style of play does Cunningham favour .
At this point in time I'd say the Wicklow game is at best 50/50

[BallyroanAbu]

Anthony Cunningham is another in a long list of poor appointments.  He is a sticking plaster on what is an unmitigated disaster.  He will have absolutely no influence or control on what is a total disaster of a season.  The writing is on the wall and there will be no miracle.  This is not all Mick Lillis's fault, personally I did not see him being this bad.  But we have been working quite hard over the last three years destroying our senior team.  Our underage structure is a disaster.  I have not got over the U21's yet some talented players but so far behind in conditioning and tactics it was laughable.  What is Anthony Cunningham going to do in April to save a championship season what sort of message does it send to young coaches within the county.  But I am sure someone is going to say we should all get behind the team.  It's simply shambolic we will be beaten by Wicklow and hopefully by then we may realise our situation is that bad than the overall structure of football within the county needs to be looked at.