Roscommon GAA Discussion Thread

Colash · 24-07-2016 12:33am

Would be nice to see the older style ros football coming back . Like the days when francie grehan at 6 would run the length of the field like a bulldozer or seamie o Neil would dominate midfield with catches . Roscommon showed today that they are a team that is very unsure of them selves, an it's a pity as this team is full of talent

threeball · 24-07-2016 1:11am

Colash wrote: »

Would be nice to see the older style ros football coming back . Like the days when francie grehan at 6 would run the length of the field like a bulldozer or seamie o Neil would dominate midfield with catches . Roscommon showed today that they are a team that is very unsure of them selves, an it's a pity as this team is full of talent

Those days are gone for every team. The best teams in the country can't do that now. Roscommon never found their weaknesses early in the year and got found out in championship. If management and players learn they can adapt and look forward to next year with some optimism. If not it'll be deja vu

galwaylad14 · 24-07-2016 7:56am

Before I start, obviously no intercounty manager gets paid but if I was a Rossie then the following random words (and I stress that they're complete random) would annoy me

Kevin, 60k, McStay, +expenses, championship, Sligo, Leitrim, New York

Anyway leaving aside those random words, the man should be ran out of Roscommon. Horrific is a very generous description of their performances over the last 2 weekends

corny · 24-07-2016 8:18am

Manager always cops the flak but i'd have harsher words for the players tbh.

You have to make it happen for yourself first and foremost. Too many of them showed no conviction in their play when it mattered. A pass, a run, a tackle, a shot etc. It was pervasive. They simply rolled over when the going got tough. Thats unpalatable and perhaps a little blunt but its the truth.

I'm sure McStay has done a load of work in training but if the players can't back it up with a strong mentality you're going nowhere. Too fragile imo.

TCDStudent1 · 24-07-2016 9:11am

corny wrote: »

Manager always cops the flak but i'd have harsher words for the players tbh.

You have to make it happen for yourself first and foremost. Too many of them showed no conviction in their play when it mattered. A pass, a run, a tackle, a shot etc. It was pervasive. They simply rolled over when the going got tough. Thats unpalatable and perhaps a little blunt but its the truth.

I'm sure McStay has done a load of work in training but if the players can't back it up with a strong mentality you're going nowhere. Too fragile imo.

I posted on here during the league that there seemed to be a lot of changing the team and that it couldn't be good for a team in roscommons position. I was shot down pretty quickly by other posters. But I still think it's a valid point. People were constantly saying 'we will have X back for the championship' to improve the team etc. but they were overlooking how these players were missing a league, akin to a pre-season. That's ok for a seasoned player like Sean cavanagh or diarmuid Connolly or cook cooper. But it's huge for young players. I'm almost certain that it's a big factor in galways run this year - there are some very limited footballers in galways defence but their team has been so settled since the fbd that they've learnt to play together as a unit. Roscommon though seem to have constantly tinkered with their team since the start of the year. So for me, management has to take responsibility for not managing to establish something of a settled team.

corny · 24-07-2016 10:36am

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

I posted on here during the league that there seemed to be a lot of changing the team and that it couldn't be good for a team in roscommons position. I was shot down pretty quickly by other posters. But I still think it's a valid point. People were constantly saying 'we will have X back for the championship' to improve the team etc. but they were overlooking how these players were missing a league, akin to a pre-season. That's ok for a seasoned player like Sean cavanagh or diarmuid Connolly or cook cooper. But it's huge for young players. I'm almost certain that it's a big factor in galways run this year - there are some very limited footballers in galways defence but their team has been so settled since the fbd that they've learnt to play together as a unit. Roscommon though seem to have constantly tinkered with their team since the start of the year. So for me, management has to take responsibility for not managing to establish something of a settled team.

I think thats overstated. Roscommon were no different to any other side in the league when it comes to giving players a chance. The bulk of that side yesterday were playing in the latter stages of the league and the early championship. Plenty of time to get things right. Also, I wouldn't accept the players are unsure from a tactical standpoint either.

As i said, i believe first and foremost players have to look at themselves and their own performance. Far too many of them just went missing and if thats not addressed (or glossed over in the chorus blaming the manager) Roscommon won't build on the promise they showed in the league this league.

Lt Dan · 24-07-2016 1:16pm

Colash wrote: »

Would be nice to see the older style ros football coming back . Like the days when francie grehan at 6 would run the length of the field like a bulldozer or seamie o Neil would dominate midfield with catches . Roscommon showed today that they are a team that is very unsure of them selves, an it's a pity as this team is full of talent

Sure, weren't they

A bit like the current team?

That team also excelled in the league and bar two games, threw up the white flag (before leaving the dressing room) when they played Mayo and Galway. Same team that got hockeyed in Castlebar in 1999 after their run in 1998 and decent league campaign, less said about 2000 and 2002

They also heavily relied on the Lohan brothers for free kicks (or Dolan's FK in 2003)

megadodge · 24-07-2016 1:23pm

I have to agree with 'corny' here. The players really have to look at themselves.

Almost all of them performed to a level far, far below what we know they're capable of in both the replay and yesterday. Some of the fundamentals were so bad that you must wonder about the mindset of the players.

Now, some might say that points to unrest in the camp, etc. but my way of thinking has always been, it doesn't matter if you like your manager or not, it doesn't matter if you like your teammates or not, you have been picked to represent your county and you go out and do your absolute best no matter what the background or circumstances are.

It might sound harsh, but I really didn't think that was the case in the first half yesterday. The ease with which Clare players ran past Roscommon players was just shocking. It was boys and men. It honestly looked like a lot of them just weren't tuned in or really pushing themselves. In fairness they upped it in the second half, but that was the way they should be in all matches, all the time. Your performance levels become a habit the more often you do them.

In relation to the league performances and teams picked, the reason people were so surprised by Roscommon was because there were so many injuries. In spite of that Roscommon won games they weren't expected to with teams you knew weren't full strength. And in truth we still don't have a full-strength outfit on the field, but that doesn't excuse the last few performances.

ultrapercy · 24-07-2016 2:48pm

megadodge wrote: »

I have to agree with 'corny' here. The players really have to look at themselves.

Almost all of them performed to a level far, far below what we know they're capable of in both the replay and yesterday. Some of the fundamentals were so bad that you must wonder about the mindset of the players.

Now, some might say that points to unrest in the camp, etc. but my way of thinking has always been, it doesn't matter if you like your manager or not, it doesn't matter if you like your teammates or not, you have been picked to represent your county and you go out and do your absolute best no matter what the background or circumstances are.

It might sound harsh, but I really didn't think that was the case in the first half yesterday. The ease with which Clare players ran past Roscommon players was just shocking. It was boys and men. It honestly looked like a lot of them just weren't tuned in or really pushing themselves. In fairness they upped it in the second half, but that was the way they should be in all matches, all the time. Your performance levels become a habit the more often you do them.

In relation to the league performances and teams picked, the reason people were so surprised by Roscommon was because there were so many injuries. In spite of that Roscommon won games they weren't expected to with teams you knew weren't full strength. And in truth we still don't have a full-strength outfit on the field, but that doesn't excuse the last few performances.

I was amazed that Rosscommon didn't try to score when in possession inside the Galway 40 with 30 seconds of injury time remaining in the drawn match. It says a lot about their lack of leadership and direction. I think Ross have as many quality players as a any team outside the top 3 or 4 but they never seem to have a cohesive game plan or even a collective drive. They look half arsed.

Coillte_Bhoy · 24-07-2016 3:33pm

galwaylad14 wrote: »

Before I start, obviously no intercounty manager gets paid but if I was a Rossie then the following random words (and I stress that they're complete random) would annoy me

Kevin, 60k, McStay, +expenses, championship, Sligo, Leitrim, New York

Anyway leaving aside those random words, the man should be ran out of Roscommon. Horrific is a very generous description of their performances over the last 2 weekends

It was his financial demands that killed any chance he had of getting the Mayo job. Dont know who's footing the bill in Roscommon though

seligehgit · 24-07-2016 4:24pm

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

It was his financial demands that killed any chance he had of getting the Mayo job. Dont know who's footing the bill in Roscommon though

Those are pretty astonishing figures if factual.

cocoman · 24-07-2016 5:26pm

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

It was his financial demands that killed any chance he had of getting the Mayo job. Dont know who's footing the bill in Roscommon though

A well known Roscommon born developer seemingly.

megadodge · 24-07-2016 8:05pm

seligehgit wrote: »

Those are pretty astonishing figures if factual.

Factual stories and GAA just don't hand in hand - especially the week after a bad championship defeat.

Rawhead · 24-07-2016 8:12pm

seligehgit wrote: »

Those are pretty astonishing figures if factual.

Not really. Know of inter county managers getting nearly twice that 10 years ago.

spiralism · 25-07-2016 2:09pm

megadodge wrote: »

I have to agree with 'corny' here. The players really have to look at themselves.

Almost all of them performed to a level far, far below what we know they're capable of in both the replay and yesterday. Some of the fundamentals were so bad that you must wonder about the mindset of the players.

Now, some might say that points to unrest in the camp, etc. but my way of thinking has always been, it doesn't matter if you like your manager or not, it doesn't matter if you like your teammates or not, you have been picked to represent your county and you go out and do your absolute best no matter what the background or circumstances are.

It might sound harsh, but I really didn't think that was the case in the first half yesterday. The ease with which Clare players ran past Roscommon players was just shocking. It was boys and men. It honestly looked like a lot of them just weren't tuned in or really pushing themselves. In fairness they upped it in the second half, but that was the way they should be in all matches, all the time. Your performance levels become a habit the more often you do them.

In relation to the league performances and teams picked, the reason people were so surprised by Roscommon was because there were so many injuries. In spite of that Roscommon won games they weren't expected to with teams you knew weren't full strength. And in truth we still don't have a full-strength outfit on the field, but that doesn't excuse the last few performances.

Saw quite a number of the panel out after the Clare game actually. They just didn't seem to care and were acting like the season had ended the week before against Galway.

Once again, it's apparent that the main issue with football in roscommon is mentality above all else. It's very difficult to see how this can be changed, or if it can be.

RoscommonTom · 25-07-2016 2:47pm

they looked like they didnt give a ****, at least under Evans they had a bit more fight to them, they might get the boot down to division 2 next year, we need Niall daly back and a fit Collins, if fellas are fond of the pints they should be kicked off the panel and not left there causing trouble

harpsman · 25-07-2016 4:27pm

megadodge wrote: »

Factual stories and GAA just don't hand in hand - especially the week after a bad championship defeat.

Heard there were a few of the better known players out drinking in Boyle the night before the replay.

Oh, and apparently a massive row in the dressing room before game. And after.

megadodge · 25-07-2016 4:41pm

harpsman wrote: »

Heard there were a few of the better known players out drinking in Boyle the night before the replay.

Oh, and apparently a massive row in the dressing room before game. And after.

The only bit you forgot is - "and i know that for a fact"!!!

Bunny Colvin · 25-07-2016 6:27pm

harpsman wrote: »

Heard there were a few of the better known players out drinking in Boyle the night before the replay.

Oh, and apparently a massive row in the dressing room before game. And after.

Obviously can't say that you're wrong harpsman but I'd have an awful hard time believing that. Your average junior B player wouldn't be at that.

Comic Book Guy · 25-07-2016 8:34pm

About as dispiriting an end to a championship as could be hoped for.

We looked a beaten docket from as early as the first Clare attack when they just walked through the centre of our defence almost unopposed. While I'm sure the management team will take a lot of flak as has been said earlier a lot of players need to ask themselves they did give their all last Saturday and if not why.

We looked flat, disinterested and playing without a purpose. It was a hammering in every facet with the exception of the score board which in no way reflects the game itself. As was the general trend of the game when we undeservedly got back into the game midway through the second half we showed no desire to move up a few gears and take the game by the scruff of the neck.

A lot of soul searching to be done by players and management. Hopefully a lot of lessons are learned and they are both better as a group for the experience. Would be a real shame if this group don't approach what we think/know their actual potential is........

nice_guy80 · 25-07-2016 10:06pm

Ever hear the joke about the county player?
A county player walks into a bar and has a lucozade with his friends
Next day 200 people swear they saw him on the booze

Hershall · 25-07-2016 10:08pm

harpsman wrote: »

megadodge wrote: »

Factual stories and GAA just don't hand in hand - especially the week after a bad championship defeat.

Heard there were a few of the better known players out drinking in Boyle the night before the replay.

Oh, and apparently a massive row in the dressing room before game. And after.

Are you sure the row wasnt on the bus on the way down

nice_guy80 · 25-07-2016 10:16pm

Hershall wrote: »

Are you sure the row wasnt on the bus on the way down

that was the Boyle crowd last year, duh

Lt Dan · 27-07-2016 12:25am

Bunny Colvin wrote: »

Obviously can't say that you're wrong harpsman but I'd have an awful hard time believing that. Your average junior B player wouldn't be at that.

Neither would they have got up to the nonsense that the Senior team got up to under John Tobin

padd b1975 · 06-09-2016 11:08am

Trouble in paradise lads?

According to RTE sports news this morning, the dream team are meeting the county board this week.

Bit late for an end of year review surely..

cocoman · 07-09-2016 7:55am

padd b1975 wrote: »

Trouble in paradise lads?

According to RTE sports news this morning, the dream team are meeting the county board this week.

Bit late for an end of year review surely..

O'Donnell is gone.

seligehgit · 07-09-2016 7:58am

cocoman wrote: »

O'Donnell is gone.

Is Kevin McStay staying on?

cocoman · 07-09-2016 8:01am

seligehgit wrote: »

Is Kevin McStay staying on?

From RTE - Only Kevin McStsy & McHale remaining. Others gone.

Stationmaster · 07-09-2016 9:39am

O'Donnell's statement mentioned something along the lines of him going and saving the county the hassle of a leadership contest between himself and McStay - there has obviously been a split somewhere along the way - did this happy during the playing season or just in the last few days?

PressRun · 07-09-2016 5:10pm

Honestly, I would say it's been brewing throughout the year. These things rarely happen over night. I would imagine they came to realise that they had different ideas and approaches the more they worked together. Interesting that O'Donnell was the one to walk and not McStay and McHale though. His statement mentioned people outside the group of players and management having something to do with it. County board issues perhaps?

seligehgit · 07-09-2016 5:11pm

Stationmaster wrote: »

O'Donnell's statement mentioned something along the lines of him going and saving the county the hassle of a leadership contest between himself and McStay - there has obviously been a split somewhere along the way - did this happy during the playing season or just in the last few days?

Eamon O Hara mentioned to John Murray on Morning Ireland today that there had been a split along county lines and Liam McHale had involvement had been restricted or something to that affect.

seligehgit · 07-09-2016 6:47pm

Stationmaster wrote: »

O'Donnell's statement mentioned something along the lines of him going and saving the county the hassle of a leadership contest between himself and McStay - there has obviously been a split somewhere along the way - did this happy during the playing season or just in the last few days?

Bit more clarity in this link.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2016/0907/814748-fergal-odonnell-roscommon/

megadodge · 07-09-2016 11:08pm

Cue the rumour mill going into mental overdrive....

blazermel · 07-09-2016 11:18pm

Roscommon GAA open nominations for new manager. #rosgaa #gaa

http://ow.ly/Xsu3303ZViW

ProudDUB · 07-09-2016 11:21pm

An open competition?

Jesus Christ.

What is the current (solo) incumbent supposed to think about that?

Talk about a soap opera !

blazermel · 07-09-2016 11:28pm

ProudDUB wrote: »

An open competition?

Jesus Christ.

What is the current (solo) incumbent supposed to think about that.

Talk about a soap opera !

I would hope that maybe this is just the formal way it has to be done given that McStay was on the joint management ticket that was ratified last year so he would have to apply for the job outright etc. But I didn't think it was going to be opened up to all...thought/hoped it might have been more a formality. Crazy stuff yet again.

MfMan · 08-09-2016 12:14am

All looking very omnibus for the Rossies!

blazermel · 08-09-2016 12:37am

Roscommon GAA Facebook page posted 12 mins ago:

The reason that we have opened nominations is that last year the clubs ratified a joint management, that's gone. Board must follow proper procedures

yabadabado · 08-09-2016 12:47am

I presume its just a formality.McStay will be nominated unopposed .

seligehgit · 08-09-2016 8:47am

Real shame Fergal O Donnell has stepped down. He always struck me as a very decent GAA man with the interests of Roscommon as his top priority.He has given outstanding long term service to same as a player and manager at various grades.

Pique · 08-09-2016 9:44pm

Off The Ball posed the question earlier. Is it the County Board or a financial backer that was making the comments that caused FOD to stand down? Or who do ye think?

It beggars belief that once again (after a great league but admittedly underwhelming championship) we have imploded due to internal unrest/politics.

It makes it even tougher when you see Tipp and to a lesser extent Clare do so well. Hurling is their game yet they played out of their skin and achieved.

I'm pissed off. Connacht was do-able. first year of a three year plan and it's in jeopardy already. I hope McStay sticks around though, we need some sort of continuity.

rosknight · 12-09-2016 12:25pm

Nigel Dineen putting his name in the hat!!
Makes for an interesting few weeks ahead.

nice_guy80 · 12-09-2016 12:41pm

The coaching and management structures in the county haven't really brought through any decent coaches or capable managers

It's a big area of deficiency in the county from U16 level up to adult

rosknight · 12-09-2016 1:32pm

That's a bit harsh OP!

rossie1977 · 14-09-2016 12:22am

rosknight wrote: »

Nigel Dineen putting his name in the hat!!
Makes for an interesting few weeks ahead.

Honestly I would give the job to Dineen. All the players aside from 3-4 worked under him at under 21 level and at least he would embrace the attacking ambitions of the players and we wouldn't have to witness the mind numbing tactics we saw in the two Galway games, Clare and first half against Sligo

Of course defensively we would most likely be worse under Dineen but lets be honest attempting to successfully get this current batch of Roscommon players to defend as a unit is probably not happening at this stage.

Green Peter · 14-09-2016 11:53am

God himself couldn't do that Job!

TheRiverman · 14-09-2016 12:09pm

I think Kevin McStay lost a lot of credibility during this years Championship.I just wonder how as a winning All Ireland club Manager and high profile straight talking Sunday Game analyst,could he jointly manage a team to such inept negative "puke" football that Roscommon played?

padd b1975 · 14-09-2016 2:00pm

TheRiverman wrote: »

.....could he jointly manage a team to such inept negative "puke" football that Roscommon played?

Monday morning quarterback.

A bigger mystery is how certain high profile individuals in Roscommon think Liam McHale has more to offer that Fergal O' Donnell.
I suppose it pays to marry well.

Lt Dan · 14-09-2016 2:21pm

padd b1975 wrote: »

Monday morning quarterback.

A bigger mystery is how certain high profile individuals in Roscommon think Liam McHale has more to offer that Fergal O' Donnell.
I suppose it pays to marry well.

Why does there appear to be a black card on McHale? Mayo did not want him involved in the set up either. Though he said a few things about the team in the media, all fair of course. I liked McHale as a footballer. He talks a good game on the radio, I am sure he is someone worth listening to and good on the fitness side, but he has not done much as a coach or manager on his own. Clare - sure Maughen won them a Munster in the 1990's

Funny, this day ten years ago Fergal was getting ready for the All Ireland Minor Final in Croke Park , 6 years ago he landed Roscommon a Connacht Senior title , the first since he captained the team to success in 2001. How times change and wait for no man

Fr Tod Umptious · 14-09-2016 3:03pm

Lt Dan wrote: »

Why does there appear to be a black card on McHale? Mayo did not want him involved in the set up either. Though he said a few things about the team in the media, all fair of course. I liked McHale as a footballer. He talks a good game on the radio, I am sure he is someone worth listening to and good on the fitness side, but he has not done much as a coach or manager on his own. Clare - sure Maughen won them a Munster in the 1990's

Funny, this day ten years ago Fergal was getting ready for the All Ireland Minor Final in Croke Park , 6 years ago he landed Roscommon a Connacht Senior title , the first since he captained the team to success in 2001. How times change and wait for no man

This is just my opinion based on what I have seen and heard about McHale over the years.

I get the impression that he is a man who's ideas on training and preparation would be better suited to 1996 than 2016.

I don't think he is as clued into the modern aspects of the more professional game that exists today, not the way other back rooms are.

I may be wrong but that's the impression that I get.
I think the Mayo players rejecting him tells a lot.

Roscommon GAA Discussion Thread

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