Meath Manager

whatnext

Anyone hear anything about Eamonn O'Brien, got a few texts but nothing on the net. I believe there was a vote on him tonight?

just found this
http://www.meathchronicle.ie/sport/gaa/articles/2010/09/06/3999784-obrien-position-in-doubt/

Hammer Archer

Oh dear. While I do think that several mistakes were made this year, not using the bench being one of the biggest, I feel he deserves another chance seeing as in his two years in charge, he's gotten to an All Ireland semi final and won a first Leinster in 9 years.

Le King

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Oh dear. While I do think that several mistakes were made this year, not using the bench being one of the biggest, I feel he deserves another chance seeing as in his two years in charge, he's gotten to an All Ireland semi final and won a first Leinster in 9 years.

Yes but they were outplayed by Louth and Kildare. Very fortunate to win the Lenister, let's not go into this again. Your points hold no foundation.

bog master

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Oh dear. While I do think that several mistakes were made this year, not using the bench being one of the biggest, I feel he deserves another chance seeing as in his two years in charge, he's gotten to an All Ireland semi final and won a first Leinster in 9 years.

I would tend to agree. He (and his selectors) were to slow to make changes, some of his team selections were baffling, and of course the saga with McGill. But having said that, one would hope management team would learn from their mistakes and I feel every management team should be given 3 years unless they lose the confidence of the players.

Tristram

One manager who was not so lucky was Meath football supremo Eamonn O’Brien, who has paid the price for the county’s exit at the hands of Kildare in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

The Meath county board meeting in Navan last night rejected the management committee’s recommendation that O’Brien continue into a third term as the Royals’ senior football team manager.

John Purfield of the St Patrick’s club suggested that the management team was not strong enough and other delegates were critical of the slowness to make changes during the games against Louth and Kildare.

In defence of O’Brien, chairman Barney Allen noted the county’s first Leinster title since 2001 while Central Council representative Brendan Cummins said that Meath would be a laughing stock if they got rid of a man who had guided the county to All-Ireland semi-final and quarter-final places as well as that provincial success.

However, the vote was 32 to 29 against O’Brien being returned and clubs will now be asked to nominate another candidates for the position.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2010/0907/1224278366761.html

O'Brien is gone. Think he should have been given a third year myself!

Royal Seahawk

Ridiculous decision. An All-Ireland semi and a first Leinster title in 9 years and he gets the sack? This doesn't make one bit of sense, there must be something going on behind the scenes.

dcr22B

Talk about delusions of grandeur in the Royal County, what did they expect him to do?

folan

the squad was inconsistent and performances were not good enough. Beating Dublin was one thing, they had an immensely bad day, but had they have played as they did in later matches against us back then, we would have been hammered.

New manager needed to bring stability and consistency to the team. Please not COR

rpurfield

dcr22B wrote: »

Talk about delusions of grandeur in the Royal County, what did they expect him to do?

while id agree to an extent maybe he deserved a third year what i expected of him this year we didnt get,namely a decent plan a a plan b for when things go wrong better use of the panel and fitter players.we never turned up in the second half against laios first day in the leinster final and against kildare that to me was down to the management

dcr22B

From: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2010/0907/1224278366761.html

John Purfield of the St Patrick’s club suggested that the management team was not strong enough and other delegates were critical of the slowness to make changes during the games against Louth and Kildare.

Any relation to yourself, rpurfield?

Hammer Archer

Le King wrote: »

Yes but they were outplayed by Louth and Kildare. Very fortunate to win the Lenister, let's not go into this again. Your points hold no foundation.

Sorry? How do my points hold no foundation? The fact is we won Leinster which is what the majority of Meath fans would have looked for at the start of the season. With another year I feel O' Brien could have improved even more.
There's rumours that several club delegates were voting whatever way they wanted without actually discussing it with their clubs.

blackbelt

Certainly a better manager than Colm Coyle or Eamonn Barry but I think the manner of the Kildare defeat is the main focus by said delegates.

Royal Seahawk

blackbelt wrote: »

Certainly a better manager than Colm Coyle or Eamonn Barry but I think the manner of the Kildare defeat is the main focus by said delegates.

Yeah, but still not enough to sack him in fairness, after what he achieved in the past two years. We had gone so long without any championship silverware, 9 years is a ridiculously long time without a provincial title for us, so to get rid of the manager who finally won something just seems strange.

To be honest it all depends on who they get to replace him, no rubbish like Luke Dempsey or Banty, I'd prefer if they hired from within, but whether or not they do is another matter.

blackbelt

Royal Seahawk wrote: »

Yeah, but still not enough to sack him in fairness, after what he achieved in the past two years. We had gone so long without any championship silverware, 9 years is a ridiculously long time without a provincial title for us, so to get rid of the manager who finally won something just seems strange.

To be honest it all depends on who they get to replace him, no rubbish like Luke Dempsey or Banty, I'd prefer if they hired from within, but whether or not they do is another matter.

It does seem extremely suspect to me,especially the timing.I wouldn't be one bit surprised if the MCB tried to pull off a coup by trying to silently land a manager like Micko into the team.It is a possibility.Pat Roe could be another.

Either Meath think a new manager will bring the current team further or that new and better players can be called up is their logic and somebody who is better at reading a game and performing surgery in matches.EOB has been criticised for not reacting when things were going wrong and playing players out of position.

If I was from Meath,I'd be asking why Cormac McGuinness is playing second fiddle off the subs bench to Harrington and co?I'd also be asking why Cormac McGill is in exile?Then I'd be asking why Mark Ward is persisted with at midfield despite constantly losing his head in games.Thats from a player treatment point of view.

I think EOB handled himself quite well in the post match interview against Louth.Players like Queeney and Graham Reilly are a great find.So not only have Meath recovered from 2008 to reach semi finals and quarter finals along with a Leinster Title* but they have found some better forwards under EOB and that is huge progress.Even Joe Sheridan looked to have been a much beter player under him.

Wingman2010

Meath can do a lot better than Pat Roe. Micko would love the job. It's so obvious that he is holding out for a big job like this.

Would Meath consider an outsider??

I doubt Colm O' Rourke will take the job yet. Would he be even considered; he hasn't had much success with the U21's in recent years!

Royal Seahawk

Micko wouldn't be suitable for Meath to be honest. Hard to take him seriously after the whole Wicklow circus. Yeah he did okay there so maybe that's his level nowadays.

Le King

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Sorry? How do my points hold no foundation? The fact is we won Leinster which is what the majority of Meath fans would have looked for at the start of the season. With another year I feel O' Brien could have improved even more.
There's rumours that several club delegates were voting whatever way they wanted without actually discussing it with their clubs.

Because you didn't deserve to win the Leinster.

rpurfield

dcr22B wrote: »

From: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2010/0907/1224278366761.html

John Purfield of the St Patrick’s club suggested that the management team was not strong enough and other delegates were critical of the slowness to make changes during the games against Louth and Kildare.

Any relation to yourself, rpurfield?

yeah thats me dad,and he was only carrying the instructions from the club!!mind you hes been giving out about him since he got the job so at least hes consistent but he told me tonight if the club wanted it voted for he wouldve done it.

dcr22B

Who would you like to see come in? Boylan Micko :eek: Páidí :pac: Colm O'Rourke?

Frank Spencer

dcr22B wrote: »

From: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2010/0907/1224278366761.html

John Purfield of the St Patrick’s club suggested that the management team was not strong enough and other delegates were critical of the slowness to make changes during the games against Louth and Kildare.

Any relation to yourself, rpurfield?

The irony of it all is that in doing this St Pats have more than likely ended the inter county career of their only representative on the panel. I don't like many others believe that the player is of inter county standard and is only on the panel because of his unbelievable fitness levels. I can't see any new manager keeping him on. Or maybe that was the Pat's plan all along?!!

dixiefly

Frank Spencer wrote: »

The irony of it all is that in doing this St Pat have more than likely ended the inter county career of their only representative on the panel. I don't like many others believe that the player is of inter county standard and is only on the panel because of his unbelievable fitness levels. I can't see any new manager keeping him on. Or maybe that was the Pat's plan all along?!!

TBH, I dont think that should or would have come into the reckoning.

I fully agree with the decision to remove O'Brien. Nice guy he is but he just doesnt tick many boxes for me. The only box that he ticks is that he seems to be quite lucky.
With regard to other required qualities such as tactical awareness, anticpiation of and implementing changes, motivational skills, getting the best players playing, working with and motivating the coaches he seemed to be lacking.

To me the difference between OBrien and McGeeney was stark.

Sometimes a decision has to be made even though it may be perceived to be unfair and I think this is one of those.

Also, I think if he had shown a more sporting attitude to louth in the aftermath of the Leinster final and indicated that he was willing to replay if that was the views of the county then I think ironically he would be still in the job as he may have got an opportunity to fix the flaws that were evident in the Louth and then also in the Kildare games. That exposure tipped the balance imho.

Hammer Archer

Le King wrote: »

Because you didn't deserve to win the Leinster.

:rolleyes: Do you think Kilkenny's 4th hurling title in a row was worth less because they didn't deserve it? We won it. Exactly what we hoped to do at the start of the season. Get over it.

blackbelt wrote: »

If I was from Meath,I'd be asking why Cormac McGuinness is playing second fiddle off the subs bench to Harrington and co?I'd also be asking why Cormac McGill is in exile?Then I'd be asking why Mark Ward is persisted with at midfield despite constantly losing his head in games.Thats from a player treatment point of view.

Cormac McGuinness was injured for a large part of the season to be fair. He played as much as his leg allowed him to. Mark Ward replaced Crawford at the start of the season as Nigel was injured. As soon as Crawford regained fitness, Ward was on the bench. And I don't think Ward loses the head, he simply cannot tackle! Seeing his attempt at a tackle in the first Laois game just before their goal was laughable.
Agree with you about Cormac McGill. That was one thing I couldn't get my head around.

But I'd like to thank Eamonn for, in my view anyway, a satisfactory 2 seasons in charge. First silverware of note for 9 years and for unearthing some very talented intercounty players, Graham Reilly being the most impressive in my view.

rpurfield

Frank Spencer wrote: »

The irony of it all is that in doing this St Pats have more than likely ended the inter county career of their only representative on the panel. I don't like many others believe that the player is of inter county standard and is only on the panel because of his unbelievable fitness levels. I can't see any new manager keeping him on. Or maybe that was the Pat's plan all along?!!

as a member of st pats i can safely say your talking out your hole.nialls as good as a lot of whats on the panel and remember he was around the panel in 08 as well,he only gave it up because it didnt suit with work at the time.and id be concerned if we were more worried about having a player on a county team going nowhere than have no players on a county team winning stuff.i know most of the executive well in st pats and they would only have whats best over all at the core of their thoughts

flahavaj

dcr22B wrote: »

Talk about delusions of grandeur in the Royal County, what did they expect him to do?

Delusions of adequacy more like.

Atomic Pineapple

I for one am happy to see him go.

Barely beating an average Louth team by falling over the line and getting a bit of luck and getting hammered by an equally average Kildare team is just not good enough for this Meath team in my opinion.

The win over the Dublin team and the leinster title just papered over the cracks.

He never came across as motivated enough to me.

dcr22B

draffodx wrote: »

Barely beating an average Louth team by falling over the line

I bet you were beaming from ear to ear as you typed that

Frank Spencer

rpurfield wrote: »

as a member of st pats i can safely say your talking out your hole.nialls as good as a lot of whats on the panel and remember he was around the panel in 08 as well,he only gave it up because it didnt suit with work at the time.and id be concerned if we were more worried about having a player on a county team going nowhere than have no players on a county team winning stuff.i know most of the executive well in st pats and they would only have whats best over all at the core of their thoughts

I've had this discussion with plenty of Pat's members. One even tried to tell me he was as good as Graham Reilly only Reilly got more chances!! But even lads that play with him reckon he's only there becuase of his fitness so he's only a pacemaker for the rest of the panel. The fact that he never got a look-in the day the match went to extra time V Laois and there were 8 subs used speaks volumes to me.

dixiefly

draffodx wrote: »

I for one am happy to see him go.

Barely beating an average Louth team by falling over the line and getting a bit of luck and getting hammered by an equally average Kildare team is just not good enough for this Meath team in my opinion.

The win over the Dublin team and the leinster title just papered over the cracks.

He never came across as motivated enough to me.

I think this is a very key point in why people had lost faith in him. Perception is very important in positions such as this and he didnt come across as being highly motivated / committed in interviews or being the type of personality that makes people walk through walls for him.

This could be an unfair assessment but I also heard that he was quite stuck in his ways and that his selectors struggled to get him to change those ways. We will never know what went on behind those closed doors. However his interviews were never inspiring and I also harp back to his interview the day after the Louth match in which he rejected a replay. Bernard Flynn said his refusal showed a sign of weakness and I believed that at the time.

Moving on, I heard briefly on the radio that Joe Kernan had ruled himself out. Anyone know why?

dcr22B

dixiefly wrote: »

Moving on, I heard briefly on the radio that Joe Kernan had ruled himself out. Anyone know why?

Moving from one lost cause to another perhaps?

Meath are too much an attacking side to fall into Kernan's way of thinking. He struggled to do the same with a previously gung-ho Galway although looking at what Gilroy has done with Dublin this year, any panel can change their style if they put their mind to it.

Atomic Pineapple

dcr22B wrote: »

I bet you were beaming from ear to ear as you typed that

A little bit

But more annoyed at the fact that if Louth had anyone that could score they would have bet us by 8 points as well.

scifi77

I'd go for Colm O'Rourke, if for no other reason than we might not then have to listen to him as a commentator. On second thoughts, any chance Joe Brolley could be appointed as it would be great if he was gone from The Sunday Game? I find him sooooo irritating.

derealbadger

dcr22B wrote: »

Moving from one lost cause to another perhaps?

Meath are too much an attacking side to fall into Kernan's way of thinking. He struggled to do the same with a previously gung-ho Galway although looking at what Gilroy has done with Dublin this year, any panel can change their style if they put their mind to it.

why what did Dublin change from being not good/defensive/and boring to being just defensive and boring

dcr22B

derealbadger wrote: »

why what did Dublin change from being not good/defensive/and boring to being just defensive and boring

Still sore that Big Joe turned you from being half decent/porous into useless and porous are we?

rpurfield

Frank Spencer wrote: »

I've had this discussion with plenty of Pat's members. One even tried to tell me he was as good as Graham Reilly only Reilly got more chances!! But even lads that play with him reckon he's only there becuase of his fitness so he's only a pacemaker for the rest of the panel. The fact that he never got a look-in the day the match went to extra time V Laois and there were 8 subs used speaks volumes to me.

your entitled to your opinion but your frankly stupid comment that anyone in the club is more concerned with having a panel member than anything is a bit much.anyway everyone that wanted o brien gone points to his use of subs so i wouldnt read too much into who he did and didn't use.

Frank Spencer

rpurfield wrote: »

your entitled to your opinion but your frankly stupid comment that anyone in the club is more concerned with having a panel member than anything is a bit much.anyway everyone that wanted o brien gone points to his use of subs so i wouldnt read too much into who he did and didn't use.

Where did I make this "frankly stupid" comment?

rpurfield

Frank Spencer wrote: »

The irony of it all is that in doing this St Pats have more than likely ended the inter county career of their only representative on the panel. I don't like many others believe that the player is of inter county standard and is only on the panel because of his unbelievable fitness levels. I can't see any new manager keeping him on. Or maybe that was the Pat's plan all along?!!

alright frank i read the last bit wrong sorry hold me hands up

Frank Spencer

rpurfield wrote: »

alright frank i read the last bit wrong sorry hold me hands up

Fair enough. I know that the club wouldn't put the interests of one player over the county I was merely highlighting the irony of what may happen. But hey I may be wrong and he may win an All-Star next year. One thing I'm sure we'll both agree on is that he has suffered this year due to not getting any competitive football besides the few club matches he has played.

Atomic Pineapple

scifi77 wrote: »

I'd go for Colm O'Rourke

He immediately ruled himself out.

rpurfield

Frank Spencer wrote: »

Fair enough. I know that the club wouldn't put the interests of one player over the county I was merely highlighting the irony of what may happen. But hey I may be wrong and he may win an All-Star next year. One thing I'm sure we'll both agree on is that he has suffered this year due to not getting any competitive football besides the few club matches he has played.

yeah your dead right there now we find it tough enough at times to field our best players without one being tied up like that.having said that you cant stand in the way of a player either

on another note i think we need change at county board level too.now ive had dealings with barney and hes a complete gent but hes running the show the same way fintan ginnity did all through the years.ideally id love to see some young blood brought in there as things have moved on dramatically in the last five to ten years even but its the usual of people having time to do it too

Atomic Pineapple

Eamonn O'Brien is among 13 people who have been nominated for the position of Meath football manager.

The outgoing manager is joined on the shortlist by Liam Harnan, Colm O'Rourke, Paddy Carr, Eamonn Barry, Gerry McEntee, Jody Devine, Gerry Cooney, Damien Sheridan, Sean Kelly, Pat Coyle, Tony Kearney and Seamus McEnaney, who recently departed Monaghan.

Not all of the nominees are believed to be interested in the job, but those who are will be interviewed by a panel comprising county board chairman Barney Allen, former DRA secretary Liam Keane and 1988 All-Ireland winning captain Joe Cassells.

Allen told delegates at last night's county board meeting in Navan that they hope to have a new manager in place within three weeks.

http://www.hoganstand.com/Meath/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=136572

So who do you reckon it will be?

Hammer Archer

Liam Harnan looks to have the edge having won the SFC with Skryne 2 weeks ago, but he's not exactly best friends with the county board.
Damien Sheridan has done well at Seneschalstown and would probably get the best out of Joe and Brian. Probably doesn't have enough experience though.
I don't think Banty would be a bad choice but there's no chance of him getting it.
O' Rourke has done nothing with the U21s. Barry had his chance. O' Brien wouldn't come back because of the way he was treated.

Personally I'd go with Harnan. But they had better get the finger out and get a manager soon before the leagues finish or else it'll be tough to unearth new players before the O' Byrne Cup/League.

Conor_M1990

That Meath Team shoud really be going better then they are, there not consistent imo thats the problem and if that issue isnt addressed we'll be having the same discussion next year honestly we should be aiming for an All Ireland. I personally reckon the job should do to an outsider

also why is it taking so long to find a replacement

Hammer Archer

Looks like it could be Banty after all, with Harnan as selector.
http://www.hoganstand.com/meath/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=137275

Royal Seahawk

I wonder if Grimely will be on that ticket?

buckwheat

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Looks like it could be Banty after all, with Harnan as selector.
http://www.hoganstand.com/meath/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=137275

F**K:mad:

Royal Seahawk

Hard to know what the story is now. Seems that Banty is wanted by everyone involved except the County Board! I wouldn't be Banty's biggest fan but it is a decent backroom team he's assembled.
What do other Meath people think? Who'll be in charge of the Leinster Champions next year?

bog master

Personally, I dont trust the higher ups in the County Board. In my book, the Banty team has far more experience and a better proven track record than the Cooney team. My cynical side says, Mr Chairman is in the minority and is hoping Banty will do a Luke Dempsey and just say feck off after B Flynn made initial approaches and was advised Luke had a good chance and then
a mockery was made when one of five committee members did not attend one of the interviews. Is our chairman related to a a Cork "legend"?

I despair over how this County Board, ie those at the top, make decisions and make a once proud county a laughinstock!

Hammer Archer

Have to agree with bog master. Banty looks like the best man for the job but the county board are dragging their heels yet again. They really are gone beyond a joke at this stage. I'd love to see Martin O' Connell get a chance at improving our backs.

dcr22B

As an outsider looking in, it's becoming a bit of a farce.

I'm no fan of Banty (in that I feel he blows a lot of hot air) but to leave him and the other candidates hanging is ridiculous.

Atomic Pineapple

Seamus McEnaney has moved a step closer to becoming the new Meath football manager after receiving the backing of the county board executive following a lengthy meeting on Thursday night.

The former Monaghan manager's name will now go before a meeting of club delegates next week for ratification.

It may not be plain sailing for McEnaney, however, as there is a feeling that a number of clubs are reluctant to appoint a manager from outside the county.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2010/1105/mcenaneys_meath.html

rpurfield

county board is still living in the 1980's well the excutive is anyway.just put the man to a ful meeting of club delegates and be done with it.whatever about the heave against eamonn o brien at the start of all this,i feel it was a massive two fingers to the executive and the next heave should be against the executive to get in people who can run the show in a more business like manner