red
On Probation
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Post by red on Sept 22, 2018 11:21:54 GMT
www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/gaa/mickey-ned-osullivan-criticises-kingdom-approach-to-appointing-eamonn-fitzmaurices-successor-870480.htmlFormer Kerry captain and manager Mickey Ned O’Sullivan has criticised the county board executive for attempting to “micro-manage” the appointment process to find Éamonn Fitzmaurice’s successor. O’Sullivan had selectors imposed on him when he took over from Mick O’Dwyer in 1989 and he fears the board executive are showing a distinct lack of trust in the new man to put the best team together by doing it themselves. “When I was appointed in Limerick (in 2005), the county chairman said, ‘You’re the boss, you appoint people you respect and people that respect you and you know the expertise.’ The dynamic is very important here. You need people that you are going to need to be able to work with. Ultimately, the manager must be a good manager and a good leader but a good manager knows the people he can work with. “When I was appointed in Kerry in 1989, I was cook and chief bottle-washer. I had to wash the jerseys and I was given four selectors that the clubs appointed. Times have moved on and it’s a manager of expertise that you need now. If the chairman is going ahead with putting a management group together that is something he is micro-managing and he is not respecting the manager’s ability to get the best team in place. “Now, if I was in a position to manage I would know who is best at strength and conditioning. I would know who is the best coach, I would know who is the best medic, best physio, best sports psychologist, and statistician. The different areas of coaching like goalkeeping, I would know who is best at what but above all I would know who I would be able to work with and I would respect them. “If a chairman comes along and micro-manages me he is not empowering me, he is not showing confidence in my ability to get the best team possible. Those are the reservations I would have.” Of the names being linked to the role, O’Sullivan is impressed but he is worried that not enough faith is being placed in them. “They’re all good, quality people but I would like to see them get their own team together. What the county board is showing them is that they don’t have the confidence in them to have the connections or the ability to put the best team together.” County chairman Tim Murphy has stressed it is the will of the clubs to appoint a management team en bloc as opposed to an individual. O’Sullivan believes the make-up of the selection committee — Murphy, county secretary Peter Twiss, development officer Eamon Whelan, and coaching officer Terence Houlihan — is wrong. Four members of the county board executive were appointed to the selection committee. In my opinion, it should have been the chairman, a HR person and two football people. Autonomy to lead is vital if a manager is to be successful, insists O’Sullivan, recalling his five years with Limerick. “When I was in Limerick, I got people in who were better than me in every aspect. My job was to manage expertise, my job was to provide leadership and set a vision and to empower them and not micro-manage. “I got Cian O’Neill his first gig as strength and conditioning. I got Donie Buckley and Mickey McGeehan as coaches because they were the best in the business. All I had to do was stand back and let these people work and I knew I could work with them because I respected them. “If a chairman comes along and says to me, ‘This is a team you have to work with’ it’s a difficult one because you don’t know what the dynamic is going to be and the dynamic is everything and there must be mutual respect.” O’Sullivan’s recollection of his time as Kerry manager is not a particularly joyous one. “It was very difficult because the selectors at that time had no involvement in the training. They came along, picked the team and they were politically appointed. The majority would be looking at the next election and they picked a political team. “They were there to pick the best team but in a lot of cases they didn’t know the form of the players and certainly there was a danger that you could be saddled with some political selection who was looking after certain people. That’s human nature, unfortunately. You hadn’t a management team, you were the coach and the physical trainer and you did everything. “The whole thing now, you’re looking at a good manager of people who knows his football, has a vision and can motivate players and can handle a good management team and has good PR skills because the supporters are very important. You also have to manage the county board who are the most difficult of all because they are political animals.” Ah yes, Mickey Ned, the manager who lost 5 minor games in 2 years when he picked his own management team!!!!! And we haven't lost a minor game since!! Has anyone a grain of salt!!!!
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red
On Probation
Posts: 17
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Post by red on Sept 22, 2018 11:23:14 GMT
www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/gaa/mickey-ned-osullivan-criticises-kingdom-approach-to-appointing-eamonn-fitzmaurices-successor-870480.htmlFormer Kerry captain and manager Mickey Ned O’Sullivan has criticised the county board executive for attempting to “micro-manage” the appointment process to find Éamonn Fitzmaurice’s successor. O’Sullivan had selectors imposed on him when he took over from Mick O’Dwyer in 1989 and he fears the board executive are showing a distinct lack of trust in the new man to put the best team together by doing it themselves. “When I was appointed in Limerick (in 2005), the county chairman said, ‘You’re the boss, you appoint people you respect and people that respect you and you know the expertise.’ The dynamic is very important here. You need people that you are going to need to be able to work with. Ultimately, the manager must be a good manager and a good leader but a good manager knows the people he can work with. “When I was appointed in Kerry in 1989, I was cook and chief bottle-washer. I had to wash the jerseys and I was given four selectors that the clubs appointed. Times have moved on and it’s a manager of expertise that you need now. If the chairman is going ahead with putting a management group together that is something he is micro-managing and he is not respecting the manager’s ability to get the best team in place. “Now, if I was in a position to manage I would know who is best at strength and conditioning. I would know who is the best coach, I would know who is the best medic, best physio, best sports psychologist, and statistician. The different areas of coaching like goalkeeping, I would know who is best at what but above all I would know who I would be able to work with and I would respect them. “If a chairman comes along and micro-manages me he is not empowering me, he is not showing confidence in my ability to get the best team possible. Those are the reservations I would have.” Of the names being linked to the role, O’Sullivan is impressed but he is worried that not enough faith is being placed in them. “They’re all good, quality people but I would like to see them get their own team together. What the county board is showing them is that they don’t have the confidence in them to have the connections or the ability to put the best team together.” County chairman Tim Murphy has stressed it is the will of the clubs to appoint a management team en bloc as opposed to an individual. O’Sullivan believes the make-up of the selection committee — Murphy, county secretary Peter Twiss, development officer Eamon Whelan, and coaching officer Terence Houlihan — is wrong. Four members of the county board executive were appointed to the selection committee. In my opinion, it should have been the chairman, a HR person and two football people. Autonomy to lead is vital if a manager is to be successful, insists O’Sullivan, recalling his five years with Limerick. “When I was in Limerick, I got people in who were better than me in every aspect. My job was to manage expertise, my job was to provide leadership and set a vision and to empower them and not micro-manage. “I got Cian O’Neill his first gig as strength and conditioning. I got Donie Buckley and Mickey McGeehan as coaches because they were the best in the business. All I had to do was stand back and let these people work and I knew I could work with them because I respected them. “If a chairman comes along and says to me, ‘This is a team you have to work with’ it’s a difficult one because you don’t know what the dynamic is going to be and the dynamic is everything and there must be mutual respect.” O’Sullivan’s recollection of his time as Kerry manager is not a particularly joyous one. “It was very difficult because the selectors at that time had no involvement in the training. They came along, picked the team and they were politically appointed. The majority would be looking at the next election and they picked a political team. “They were there to pick the best team but in a lot of cases they didn’t know the form of the players and certainly there was a danger that you could be saddled with some political selection who was looking after certain people. That’s human nature, unfortunately. You hadn’t a management team, you were the coach and the physical trainer and you did everything. “The whole thing now, you’re looking at a good manager of people who knows his football, has a vision and can motivate players and can handle a good management team and has good PR skills because the supporters are very important. You also have to manage the county board who are the most difficult of all because they are political animals.” Ah yes, Mickey Ned, the manager who lost 5 minor games in 2 years when he picked his own management team!!!!! And we haven't lost a minor game since!! Has anyone a grain of salt!!!!
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Post by Kingdomson on Sept 22, 2018 22:37:44 GMT
The Kerry County board have a 3 year plan in place from 2018-2020 for the senior team.Just because the head of the plan is gone doesn't mean that there ripping up the plan.They are simply looking to replace the figurehead.They are ruling out the all candidates for the job who don't want to follow this plan.So I'd imagine it'll be a replacement for Eamonn,and a new selector to replace the selector who's stepping up plus Donie Buckley.If someone doesn't want to fall into that,he's not a candidate.IMO we are missing out on the best candidate if that is to be the case!! I wonder is this whole process just a public charade then, and a set up to get Diarmuid Murphy into the position with basically most of Fitzmaurice’s management team still involved? Did Fitzmaurice advise Tim Murphy that Diarmuid Murphy should replace him to finish out this plan with the current management team we’re all hearing about? No other self-respecting candidate will take a management team being imposed upon him. Are they making soundings to other candidates with conditions they know well they cannot accept? Let them at it so but it will be hard sell to the general Kerry footballing public and a potential confidence breaker. You won't fool the people! In such a scenario, are we to expect better decision making on the sideline in big Croke Park games than the past 4 years? I doubt it. Kerry turned up flat against Dublin in 2015 with a highly contentious team selection thrown in, erred horrendously on the line in 2016 against Dublin, turned up a beaten docket for the replay against Mayo in 2017 and completely flat again against Galway in 2018. Don't the selectors and management team from the Fitzmaurice era share a responsibility here? There are selectors from the Fitzmaurice era now who definitely should move on and it's time for others to get a chance. I'm really concerned because the future of the Kerry senior football team is at stake and further squandermania now would be unacceptable.
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Post by colinsworth1 on Sept 23, 2018 1:17:54 GMT
So hard to know what is going on with the new manager situation look s from the outside that the man most people want. PK is not complying with the special conditions being imposed by the county board regarding selectors etc It’s going to be anticlimactic if Pk does not get the gig with a feeling that we have to settle for some thing short of the optimum This will put much pressure on new management team if they don’t get instant success . I’m a fan of Peter for the job but he’s definitely not the only One that could handle it . Kerry is a top 5 team any prospective manager would love to tweak things and get us to top dog again .Keane’s stubbornness and single mindedness in this manager race is ironically the characteristics that we need in a good new manager Problem is the CB believes in Management team over Manager good lluck with that philosophy iif everyone is in charge no one is in charge
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Post by Corner Back on Sept 23, 2018 10:34:36 GMT
Where has it been said that manager won't be able to pick his own selectors/management team?
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peanuts
Fanatical Member
Posts: 1,857
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Post by peanuts on Sept 23, 2018 12:24:47 GMT
Where has it been said that manager won't be able to pick his own selectors/management team? I don’t think it’s been said anywhere but people are jumping to conclusions as usual. What has been said is that the county board want to approve the management team as a whole which is probably fine.
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Post by Ballyfireside on Sept 23, 2018 13:25:49 GMT
The process should control itself in that only those who are happy to be there will be there. Of course the manager will be ultimately responsible and any of those been considered are proven leaders so there shouldn't be a problem there. One potential downside with a manager selecting the entire backroom is that repayment of favours (perceived or otherwise) might be sought. Cronysim should have no role and I hope we haven't slipped back in that respect, moreover as we have so much talent -be jazus if we haven't it who has it?
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Post by homerj on Sept 26, 2018 0:18:15 GMT
Maurice Fitz now the front runner if rumours to be believed?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2018 4:23:51 GMT
There is an article in the info stating same with a mgt team of donie Buckley and Stephen stack
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Post by Attacking Wing Back on Sept 26, 2018 7:06:32 GMT
A decision on the next Kerry senior football manager is imminent with Maurice Fitzgerald emerging as a potential candidate to join front-runners from the outset, Jack O'Connor and Peter Keane. Speculation has grown locally with one report suggesting that Fitzgerald would be offered the job as head of a management team that had the former Mayo coach Donie Buckley and Fitzgerald's 1997 All-Ireland-winning colleague Stephen Stack on board.
But while Fitzgerald has presented to the four-man committee, headed by chairman Tim Murphy and including secretary Peter Twiss, development officer Eamonn Whelan and coaching officer Terence Houlihan, as a potential choice, it's understood no firm decision has been taken up to yesterday and that the candidacies of O'Connor and Keane, who have both been interviewed, are believed to be still under active consideration. Keane is thought to have been less willing however to meet some of the criteria set out in that meeting.
The preference in Kerry has been for a management team with some of the development components from the previous set-up remaining in place. The selection committee could expand to five on that basis.
Fitzgerald, the 1997 Footballer of the Year, was a selector to Fitzmaurice for the last two years, having previously managed St Mary's Cahersiveen to an All-Ireland intermediate title. However, he has recently taken over as principal of Coláiste na Sceilge which brings an increased workload.
Very interesting piece in the indo by Colm Keys if this part is true. If it its it seems the county board are willing to give the gig to whoever can get Done Buckley on board. Maybe Peter wasn't;t willing to shoehorn him into his team
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Post by Annascaultilidie on Sept 26, 2018 7:33:15 GMT
There is an article in the info stating same with a mgt team of donie Buckley and Stephen stack If someone makes a fart around here there is a chance that some outlet will run it.
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Post by Annascaultilidie on Sept 26, 2018 7:35:31 GMT
A decision on the next Kerry senior football manager is imminent with Maurice Fitzgerald emerging as a potential candidate to join front-runners from the outset, Jack O'Connor and Peter Keane. Speculation has grown locally with one report suggesting that Fitzgerald would be offered the job as head of a management team that had the former Mayo coach Donie Buckley and Fitzgerald's 1997 All-Ireland-winning colleague Stephen Stack on board. But while Fitzgerald has presented to the four-man committee, headed by chairman Tim Murphy and including secretary Peter Twiss, development officer Eamonn Whelan and coaching officer Terence Houlihan, as a potential choice, it's understood no firm decision has been taken up to yesterday and that the candidacies of O'Connor and Keane, who have both been interviewed, are believed to be still under active consideration. Keane is thought to have been less willing however to meet some of the criteria set out in that meeting.The preference in Kerry has been for a management team with some of the development components from the previous set-up remaining in place. The selection committee could expand to five on that basis. Fitzgerald, the 1997 Footballer of the Year, was a selector to Fitzmaurice for the last two years, having previously managed St Mary's Cahersiveen to an All-Ireland intermediate title. However, he has recently taken over as principal of Coláiste na Sceilge which brings an increased workload. Very interesting piece in the indo by Colm Keys if this part is true. If it its it seems the county board are willing to give the gig to whoever can get Done Buckley on board. Maybe Peter wasn't;t willing to shoehorn him into his team The bit in bold is a bit Mad Men Season 4, Episode 5.
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pillar
Senior Member
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Post by pillar on Sept 26, 2018 8:22:42 GMT
Today's Independent article has been common knowledge around for the last week/10 days.The proposed management set up will see a smoother path into year 2 of the plan the Kerry County board laid out last year which they see as the blueprint for success.They obviously have full belief that this plan will work and are therefore swaying away from other candidates who don't fit into their plan.Time will tell if this is the right decision to ignore the form horse.
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Post by NotOurYear on Sept 26, 2018 10:55:57 GMT
Maurice Fitz, Stephen Stack & Donie Buckley would be a let down in my opinion. To key message here is to never, ever design by committee. Imposing a team, where no level of trust exists between the members, which can only really be forged by years of working together, will in my opinion never work. The Manager should be responsible if results don’t go his way but here the infrastructure to deliver those results has been imposed by the county board. Where there is joint responsibility there is no responsibility. Essentially the Kerry GAA have adopted a communist approach to appointing a manager. Everybody is equal. Great in theory. The question the selection committee should ask themselves is whether managers like Jim Gavin, Coady, Dwyer or any-other self confident manager would accept this. Undoubtedly no. Indeed I would respect Peter Keane more for walking away than taking a position where his hands appear tied behind his back. When deciding who is best for any role, the tried and trusted technique is to let the candidates outline their vision, backroom teams and principals; then decide what candidate to back and let them get on with it. Moving away from this approach is not only madness but also displays the worst kind of hubris....Hope i'm wrong..
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Post by Kingdomson on Sept 26, 2018 12:32:16 GMT
Maurice Fitz, Stephen Stack & Donie Buckley would be a let down in my opinion. To key message here is to never, ever design by committee. Imposing a team, where no level of trust exists between the members, which can only really be forged by years of working together, will in my opinion never work. The Manager should be responsible if results don’t go his way but here the infrastructure to deliver those results has been imposed by the county board. Where there is joint responsibility there is no responsibility. Essentially the Kerry GAA have adopted a communist approach to appointing a manager. Everybody is equal. Great in theory. The question the selection committee should ask themselves is whether managers like Jim Gavin, Coady, Dwyer or any-other self confident manager would accept this. Undoubtedly no. Indeed I would respect Peter Keane more for walking away than taking a position where his hands appear tied behind his back. When deciding who is best for any role, the tried and trusted technique is to let the candidates outline their vision, backroom teams and principals; then decide what candidate to back and let them get on with it. Moving away from this approach is not only madness but also displays the worst kind of hubris....Hope i'm wrong.. I wouldn't mind seeing Stephen Stack and Donie Buckley involved once the new man wants them. To be honest, I’m getting quite disillusioned by this whole process now. My respect for Peter Keane will only deepen if it is true he refused to bow the knee on the CB selection committee conditions. Peter is a smart successful businessman for a reason and personally I’d take a street smart and high achieving businessman over a schoolteacher at this stage. If Sheehy and Hassett are going be left continued to be involved on the sideline well good luck with it! I won’t be holding my breath for inspiration from the sideline. Perhaps realistically we’re still a couple of more years away yet from challenging Dublin but Kerry badly needed a shake up and a total end to the Fitzmaurice era on the sideline. Designed by committee? Expect more of the same and I guess they can always continue to deflect blame to the supporters for one reason or another when it doesn’t work out and it won't.
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Post by Attacking Wing Back on Sept 26, 2018 14:59:02 GMT
Maybe Peter Keane was allowed pick the mananagment team etc but, he might not have wanted Joe O'Connor imposed on him. It really seems like Kerry are kind of running with some kind of 'continental soccer style' administration at the moment where its more of a head coach than a manager.
If Peter Keane doesn't want it as he felt he was going to be hindered in getting who he believes were the best men for the job then more power to him. If the new administration is a shambles the county board might be back cap in hand sooner rather than later. In essence I have no problem with Maurice Fitz getting the job along with Donie Buckley and Stephen Stack.
The only thing is we have gone from have only one defensive coach out of 4 in the ;past management team in Eamonn Fitz himself to having only 1 forward coach out of three in the rumoured management team. Stephen Stack made the stacks tougher defensively when they won the county and munster. We know what Donies Buckley does.
I would argue that in the last few years agains the very top team our attacking strategy has been as poor as our defensive one. And maurice had an input in both
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Jigz84
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Post by Jigz84 on Sept 26, 2018 15:17:37 GMT
I'd prefer a clean break from the last set-up but to leave the door open for Maurice in the future.
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Post by Ballyfireside on Sept 26, 2018 19:47:14 GMT
Fitzy is one of the best footballers of all time and Donie Buckley is probably the best 'physical' coach ever. As well as a few other credentials Stack did it with Stacks and one thing for sure, he is a team player, a bit of gentleman also also a successful businessman. Someone pointed out this as a preferred day job in preference to being a teacher, although the latter profession didn't do a lot of AI winners any harm.
There is an Executive is place and we all have the same objective. There is an unprecedented pipeline about to explode onto the scene and to nurture them into the finest of inter-county warriors at Senior level will take a massive effort by the management team. Ah no pressure there lads, all we want is the auld cannister to wash down the turkey as PO used to put it!
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Post by Deise Exile on Sept 26, 2018 21:02:47 GMT
Wouldn't it be refreshing if everyone just got behind the team and manager like star spoke about in his inspiring radio Kerry interview (available on Facebook)
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kot
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Post by kot on Sept 26, 2018 21:23:21 GMT
*If* it is is true that potential candidates are being discouraged or discounted because of a want to have their own backroom team then this is a huge mistake.
Also I think *if* it is true then it screams of a huge ego trip from the chairman & Country board. "Just so you know, I came up with this great plan - I think its a great plan anyway - with the manager last year. I know you may have a style or people you trust but make my plan work with the people I chose before".
I would hate for us to become inflicted with the same type of county board-itis that infects our neighbours to the east.
If Peter Keane for example is the best candidate for the job and he wants to do so on his terms, he should be given that chance. Just giving it to Fitz (who I know doubt has qualities of his own) because he represents some sort of continuity is arrogance of the highest degree from the county board.
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Post by Deise Exile on Sept 26, 2018 21:39:44 GMT
*If* it is is true that potential candidates are being discouraged or discounted because of a want to have their own backroom team then this is a huge mistake. Also I think *if* it is true then it screams of a huge ego trip from the chairman & Country board. "Just so you know, I came up with this great plan - I think its a great plan anyway - with the manager last year. I know you may have a style or people you trust but make my plan work with the people I chose before". I would hate for us to become inflicted with the same type of county board-itis that infects our neighbours to the east. If Peter Keane for example is the best candidate for the job and he wants to do so on his terms, he should be given that chance. Just giving it to Fitz (who I know doubt has qualities of his own) because he represents some sort of continuity is arrogance of the highest degree from the county board. All a matter of opinion
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kerryexile
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Whether you believe that you can, or that you can't, you are right anyway.
Posts: 1,117
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Post by kerryexile on Sept 26, 2018 22:24:51 GMT
If, as has been suggested by several posters, TCB has a plan in place it begs 2 questions:
1 Is it regarded as being successful over the last 2 years? Surely the answer is NO. 2 Then if they are looking for continuity, what is it they want to continue - performances like the games against Mayo, Galway, most of the Moaghan game and the first half against Kildare.
Surely if a manager resigns half way through his term of appointment, it is because change is needed.
Of all the names mentioned regarding the people making the appointment, I cannot say I ever saw anyone of them kicking a football. I don't think the whole thing about approval is ego. I think they are not sure how to capitalise on a squad of players with over 100 minor medals and it is an effort to spread the responsibility if their decisions dont work.
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Post by stevieq on Sept 28, 2018 10:56:11 GMT
Maurice Fitz - The man's a legend!!! Let's get behind him and drive on
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Post by Corner Back on Sept 29, 2018 15:24:19 GMT
Wouldn't it be refreshing if everyone just got behind the team and manager like star spoke about in his inspiring radio Kerry interview (available on Facebook) Cannot agree more. Eamon Fitz spoke about negativity seeping through to the camp. The County chairman wants Kerry to win as much as anyone. Whoever gets the job, get behind them. Become a supporter and not a critic.
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Post by kerrybhoy06 on Sept 29, 2018 16:33:33 GMT
Wouldn't it be refreshing if everyone just got behind the team and manager like star spoke about in his inspiring radio Kerry interview (available on Facebook) Cannot agree more. Eamon Fitz spoke about negativity seeping through to the camp. The County chairman wants Kerry to win as much as anyone. Whoever gets the job, get behind them. Become a supporter and not a critic. Everyone will support Kerry but people can still be critical of the process. You are essentially telling people to not have an opinion but they have an opinion and express it because they want Kerry to win. It was fairly obvious that Eamon was just deflecting- he didnt leave his job because of negativity- he did because of calls like leaving McManus 1 on 1 onside or Andy Moran last year which led to poor performances/results.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2018 17:23:14 GMT
He didn’t lose his job
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Post by kerrybhoy06 on Sept 29, 2018 17:29:10 GMT
Ok I'll amend but it's the same point, he left due to poor results and, initially, tried to pin the blame on others. It was complete and utter nonsense
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Post by Kingdomson on Sept 30, 2018 19:55:29 GMT
Ok I'll amend but it's the same point, he left due to poor results and, initially, tried to pin the blame on others. It was complete and utter nonsense I agree! Poor results and because the Kerry management team of which worryingly Maurice Fitzgerald was a part of for two years (he wasn't a mascot, he was a selector) were clearly inept on the line, particularly in big games. Stating the previous is not a criticism but a proven fact and we all know it, inside and outside the county. All any one wants is the best person with the best judgement picked for the Kerry job. A lot of goodwill slipped away for Fitzmaurice after 2015 when he brought back his brother-in-law and dropped his captain and then took off his top scoring forward, a mistake he would remake more than once. He stayed past his sell by date and still we supported Kerry in every game until the bitter end even when most of us saw that end coming a mile off. Fitzmaurice was clearly bitter over his departure but that’s his problem not the Kerry supporters. Support the Kerry team, absolutely in every single game, but I'm sick of people telling other people they should just shut up and be blind sheep and not be able to express a reasonable opinion in a reasonable manner. This is a discussion forum and different opinions are welcome even the pathetically transparent ones trying to score popularity points or validate their own sense of unwarranted moral superiority by telling others to pipe down and blindly follow leaders. www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/eamonn-sweeney-the-pressure-that-will-come-with-the-kerry-and-tipperary-jobs-is-a-first-world-problem-37368231.htmlEamonn Sweeney: The pressure that will come with the Kerry and Tipperary jobs is a First World problem Hold The Back Page Eamonn Sweeney September 30 2018 7:00 PM • • Kerry footballers and Tipperary hurlers are the two most intriguing teams in Gaelic games. They're coming down with talent, play wonderfully attractive stuff and are potential All-Ireland champions. Yet in the last couple of years neither team got the best out of itself. Both are surrounded by an aura of under-performance. That's why the choice of managers to replace Eamonn Fitzmaurice and Michael Ryan is of such crucial importance. In the case of Kerry it's important not just for the county but for the game as a whole. If the Kingdom don't get this one right we're probably looking at seven in a row for Dublin. Responsibility for restoring competitive credibility to the championship will rest with their new manager.
Early favourite Jack O'Connor, who knows what it takes to win All-Irelands and beat the Dubs, appears to have dropped out of the running. O'Connor's achievement with the Kerry minors, the 2014 All-Ireland he steered them to was a first in 20 years, should not be underestimated. But successive failures to translate that success to under 21 and under 20 level dented his reputation.
O'Connor's two All-Ireland minor titles have been surpassed by the three won by teams under Peter Keane. Keane seems the obvious man for the job. The road from underage achievement to senior success is a well-travelled one, Jim Gavin, Jim McGuinness and Mickey Harte, among others, cut their teeth with minor and under 21 teams before moving up.
Keane has also impressed at senior club level, bringing Legion to a first Kerry final in 69 years. Yet he's apparently been replaced as favourite for the job by Maurice Fitzgerald. This seems an odd one. Fitzgerald's inter-county managerial experience consists of two years as one of Fitzmaurice's selectors. Kerry have been notably inept on the line during this period.
He did manage his club, St Mary's Caherciveen, to an All-Ireland intermediate title two years ago, but Keane won an All-Ireland junior with the same club, of which he's also a member, in 2011. It would be hugely stirring to see one of Kerry's greatest players take over as manager and the emotional resonance of such a move may count heavily with those charged with the decision. But the inter-county experiences of such notables as Jack O'Shea, Dermot Earley and Tom Cashman shows there's no automatic correlation between playing greatness and managerial excellence. Whoever gets the job could employ the highly-rated Donie Buckley as coach after the Castleisland man's departure from Mayo while adding the likes of Diarmuid Murphy and forgotten man Pat O'Shea might also be well advised.
Tipp have already made their choice and Babs Keating, in his role as self-appointed scourge of Premier complacency, was quick to tell Liam Sheedy that coming back for a second stint in the hot seat isn't always easy. Keating speaks from bitter personal experience while Ger Loughnane, Cyril Farrell and Donal O'Grady also showed how difficult it is to recapture that old managerial magic. The game moves on and these days it moves on faster than ever before. So Tipperary are taking a risk. Against that, Sheedy's departure after winning the All-Ireland in 2010 always seemed a bit premature and he is undoubtedly one of the great hurling managers of the modern era. He also has the advantage of taking over a team who aren't far off the pace. Tipp's early exit from the Munster Championship was a disaster yet had Jake Morris's shot against Clare gone in they'd have reached the All-Ireland series and been extremely dangerous. The humiliating Munster under 21 hurling final defeat, which at the time seemed to put the tin hat on things, was redeemed by a spectacular All-Ireland victory which showed that, like Kerry, Tipperary will never stop producing young talent. Something you'll hear ad nauseam about both Sheedy and whoever gets the nod in Kerry will be that they occupy "the most high pressure job in the game". We'll be invited to feel sorry for the poor devils. A Kerry boss undoubtedly has to cope with the expectations of some rough *ing animals. And the atmosphere can be similarly excitable in Tipperary where a team sometimes seems to be just one defeat away from being dismissed as a disaster. These are First World problems. The pressure managers feel is the pressure which comes from having a good chance of winning an All-Ireland. Who wouldn't relish taking on a job with all that talent at your disposal? Paul Taylor wouldn't mind Kerry's problems. His appointment as Sligo manager last week didn't receive the same coverage as Sheedy's accession or the rumours about the Kingdom job. But it was the GAA story which interested me most personally. At the age of seven I witnessed Paul's father Robert give a storming display as my home club Eastern Harps won a first county senior title. When Paul was nine I saw him score a spectacular individual goal for a well beaten team in an under 12 match. He went on to become a Harps folk hero and a fine Sligo player for almost a decade and a half. Paul is a nice guy and a manager of some promise who last year brought the Sligo under 21s to a Connacht final where they took Galway to extra-time before succumbing. He should get the maximum possible from the players at his disposal. But he faces an uphill battle. Another of my Taylor memories is of a terrific goal against Meath in 1999 when Sligo beat a team who'd been crowned All-Ireland champions a few months previously. In those years Sligo also beat Dublin and Kerry in the league. In the championship they defeated Tyrone and Kildare in Croke Park and in 2002 lost an All-Ireland quarter-final replay by two points to an Armagh team which went on to ultimate glory. Smaller counties, Monaghan being the great exception, don't do that kind of thing much these days. Increasing professionalisation sees the stronger counties, with their superior financial resources, grow stronger. The gap widens. But the manager of Sligo is under no less pressure in his home county than the manager of Kerry. If Sligo get hammered, the lad on the terrace in Markievicz Park won't shout, 'Considering the increasing demographic disadvantages which discriminate against counties with our meagre resources it was perhaps a mistake not to lower our expectations'. He'll shout, 'What's wrong with you, Taylor'. Small counties might not expect to win an All-Ireland but they hope for over-achievement. Like the kind Turlough O'Brien brought to Carlow. O'Brien is an opponent of proposals for a two-tier championship, as is Taylor's old team-mate Eamonn O'Hara. They're right. Some sorry souls agree with everything Croke Park comes up with just because Croke Park have come up with it. When a two-tier championship is mooted they deliver the party line about it being a great chance for smaller counties to rebuild and rejuvenate and rejoice at playing other small counties. The same people insisted the Super 8 was going to be an exciting new departure which would thrill the supporters to within an inch of their lives. Cranks like myself said it would be awful. Who was right? So believe me when I say a two tier championship will lead to a decline in interest in those counties consigned to the bottom. That's what happened with the Tommy Murphy Cup and will happen with a two tier championship. The real problems for football are the lack of rule changes to make the game better and Dublin's increasing advantage. Messing around elsewhere is just displacement activity. Yes, Sligo have no chance of winning the All-Ireland, but neither do Meath, Down, Armagh or Cork. Paul Taylor is also currently involved as a local councillor in the energetic campaign to stop the closure of Gurteen Post Office. I spent my earliest years in that post office, or rather in the rooms my parents rented above it, so I take an interest. So should you. Gurteen is a growing village of several hundred people with a large hinterland and no town of any size nearer than roughly ten miles. If An Post are pulling out of a place like that, it's extremely ominous for other rural communities. When they came for Gurteen Post Office I did not speak out . . . (You know the rest). Small football counties are the rural post offices of the GAA. Authorities in Dublin decide there's no real need for them anymore and produce facts and figures which they claim are more important than feelings and tradition. This is called progress but it's actually the opposite. So good luck to the Gurteen campaigners and to Paul Taylor who'll be doing his utmost to make a mark at a time when counties like Sligo are increasingly disrespected both on and off the field. Now that's what I call pressure. Sunday Indo Sport
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mossie
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Post by mossie on Oct 1, 2018 18:09:52 GMT
What was the gist of the sunday times article?
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kerryexile
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Whether you believe that you can, or that you can't, you are right anyway.
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Post by kerryexile on Oct 3, 2018 14:22:17 GMT
Am I correct in saying that the name of the manager that will be voted on next Monday night will be released before the weekend.
Delegates will not be expected to turn up to a meeting and vote without having had a chance to discuss it with their club officials.
So we must be very near the white smoke.
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