Colm Cooper Appreciation Thread

Uncle Mclovin

The man is the greatest forward to ever grace the field.


This is his goal from Kerry County Championship yesterday. He's worth the entrance fee alone.

ShamoBuc

meh.......

GoldFour4

steps ?

pokerface_me

GOOD = YES....THE BEST = NO BY A LONG SHOT.

premierstone

malachyscott wrote: »

steps ?

It wa my initial reaction but having watched it a few times its 5 at the most and certainly well within whats normally permitted, great goal but I dont think we'll be seeing the no.4 playing intercounty any time soon

Mountainlad

He is a really great forward. Nobody could ever say who is the best, but one things for certain is the Gooch makes any game exciting.

LuckyGent88

lovely goal and wouldnt mind having here in the Banner. Not a bad player at all

bookie basher

he definitely one of the best when it comes to sidestepping and changing direction, see the way he stops on the stop and the corner back zooms past

dcr22B

malachyscott wrote: »

steps ?

Definitely, 6-7 steps before 1st hop but that's as good as acceptable these days.

Rewatched the 2005 International Rules games recently.

DL'd from an Aussie site so had their commentators, they did nothing but slag him both games.

It was funny to them that the top star of the GAA was this skinny, red haired lad.... a FF in Aussie Rules would generally be a stocky, 6 foot plus beast... similar to our midfielders but with more skill.

Poor Gooch didn't even get one point which didn't go any way to stop the joking of the Aussie commentators.

J Cheever Loophole

dcr22B wrote: »

Definitely, 6-7 steps before 1st hop but that's as good as acceptable these days.

I made it about eleven steps when he first gathered the ball and turned inside the first defender, but even that is by no means unusual in this day and age, and to be honest when watching it first, it never even crossed my mind that he had over-carried.

As for Gooch, he can play a bit if truth be told - a modern great, although the wheeling and dealing that goes on around awards time, means that he denied Ronan Clarke a richly deserved All Star in 2002, with RC having to make do with the Young Player of the Year award to balance it out.

I can pay him no bigger compliment than to say I wish he was an Armagh man!

Uncle Mclovin

J Cheever Loophole wrote: »

I made it about eleven steps when he first gathered the ball and turned inside the first defender, but even that is by no means unusual in this day and age, and to be honest when watching it first, it never even crossed my mind that he had over-carried.

As for Gooch, he can play a bit if truth be told - a modern great, although the wheeling and dealing that goes on around awards time, means that he denied Ronan Clarke a richly deserved All Star in 2002, with RC having to make do with the Young Player of the Year award to balance it out.

I can pay him no bigger compliment than to say I wish he was an Armagh man!

Ah sure Cooper was himself denied an all star in 2009 despite being top scorer in the championship.

At the end of the day its all irelands that count and not all stars. I'm sure Mr Clarke will agree.

Kerrydude1981

Gooch is a genius,the Messi of the GAA,hopefully he will have a bit of magic for the 3rd of July when the All Ireland Champions visit Killarney for the Munster Final

AGC

He swapped hands

J Cheever Loophole

Uncle Mclovin wrote: »

Ah sure Cooper was himself denied an all star in 2009 despite being top scorer in the championship.

At the end of the day its all irelands that count and not all stars. I'm sure Mr Clarke will agree.

Ah I see - the team as opposed to the individual? Interesting that, given the context.

Rebel Fan

As a Corkman I don't particularly like the Gooch due to the savage rivalry there is between the counties, however as a GAA man I have to take my hat off to him and admire his exceptional skills. One issue I have to take with him though is his tendency to go to ground very easily and look for the free. I made this comment after the drawn Munster Final last year and it provoked massive arguements for and against my arguement. Three times in the game he collapsed in a heap and got a free, all resulting in scores, the last one being the equaliser in the last minute. I do still stand by my remarks, although I will accept that due to his talents he is always a marked man and can be subjected to some very harsh treatment. I just hope that we won't be talking about this again after the Munster Final, I'll be travelling from County Down to Killarney for what I expect to be one of the most eagerly awaited Munster Finals in years. If we're beaten fair and square I will accept it, just as I have done countless times over the years, however I just have a feeling that we won't leave this one behind like we've done on our last 2 visits to Killarney.

Corcaigh Abu

Ming!

Nothing is worth the entrance fee, waaaaaay too deer.

overmantle

Ming! wrote: »

Nothing is worth the entrance fee, waaaaaay too deer.

Presume you mean 'dear'?

overmantle

Presume you mean 'dear'?:cool:

Clareman

d'oh, a deer, a female deer

Browney7

Great player and no doubt he does get dragged and pulled but the amount of cribbing he did against Limerick was unreal. Every free that was given or wasn't given he said something to say about it with the ref. He should just get on with the game if you ask me.

Up until the first hop in that clip is steps. Everything after is class.

homerjay2005

pokerface_me wrote: »

GOOD = YES....THE BEST = NO BY A LONG SHOT.

he aint finished playing when, when he does, his medals, awards and stature could be as good, if not better than the likes of Spillane, Sheehy, Matt Connor etc etc.

the bitterness thrown his way is unreal, he really is one of the best around and aint far off true greatness. him, tomas o shea and sean cavanagh are the top 3 players of the past 10 years.

Rebel Fan

homerjay2005 wrote: »

he aint finished playing when, when he does, his medals, awards and stature could be as good, if not better than the likes of Spillane, Sheehy, Matt Connor etc etc.

the bitterness thrown his way is unreal, he really is one of the best around and aint far off true greatness. him, tomas o shea and sean cavanagh are the top 3 players of the past 10 years.

I wouldn't exactly call it bitterness, criticism is probably a fairer word imo, like i've said before he is a great talent but he goes to ground too easily, otherwise he's the model player for every youngster. He'll be remembered in years to come as a great forward, but at 27 he has 4 all irelands in his pocket. Spillane, Sheehy and Co won 8 each so it's difficult to see him win another 4 before the end of his career. At least I hope not anyway

J Cheever Loophole

homerjay2005 wrote: »

he aint finished playing when, when he does, his medals, awards and stature could be as good, if not better than the likes of Spillane, Sheehy, Matt Connor etc etc.

the bitterness thrown his way is unreal, he really is one of the best around and aint far off true greatness. him, tomas o shea and sean cavanagh are the top 3 players of the past 10 years.

I've highlighted the relevant word in your post.

The three players you have listed are indeed what I would consider 'great'. The best of the last ten years though? That will always come down to a matter of opinion, irrespective of gongs, medals etc, and for someone to say he is not in the top three does not necessarily constitute bitterness.

In my opinion by the way, Stevie from Killeavey would be up there.

Frankie Lee

Rebel Fan wrote: »

As a Corkman I don't particularly like the Gooch due to the savage rivalry there is between the counties, however as a GAA man I have to take my hat off to him and admire his exceptional skills. One issue I have to take with him though is his tendency to go to ground very easily and look for the free. I made this comment after the drawn Munster Final last year and it provoked massive arguements for and against my arguement. Three times in the game he collapsed in a heap and got a free, all resulting in scores, the last one being the equaliser in the last minute.

While he obviously he is a great player, I lost all respect for him in 2007 after the two Dr Crokes - Moorefield matches in the AI semi final. His diving on those two days was scandalous. Granted winning frees by going down easy is widespread in football these days, Cooper as one of the most talented and elegant natural footballers of recent years should not need to drop to those levels but he has done.

premierstone

The biggest compliment really that you can pay the guy is that the only people that have anything bad to say about him are from teams he has single handedly beaten, as a relative neutral (lets be honest Tipp are never going to be at the top table in football) he is an absolute genius and certainly one of the best I have ever seen, such an intelligent player and the skills to match.

For people who say he goes down too easy, look at hes physical make-up and that of the vast majority of he's direct opponents, so ever since he started terrorising defences he has been targeted for a bit of 'special' treatment, so he has too options A) retaliate and fight back or make sure the ref is fully aware of the treatment he is getting. Now he is no Michael Murphy so really he is left with option B or else he would be retired half crippled long ago.

Fireball07

Rebel Fan wrote: »

As a Corkman I don't particularly like the Gooch due to the savage rivalry there is between the counties, however as a GAA man I have to take my hat off to him and admire his exceptional skills. One issue I have to take with him though is his tendency to go to ground very easily and look for the free. I made this comment after the drawn Munster Final last year and it provoked massive arguements for and against my arguement. Three times in the game he collapsed in a heap and got a free, all resulting in scores, the last one being the equaliser in the last minute. I do still stand by my remarks, although I will accept that due to his talents he is always a marked man and can be subjected to some very harsh treatment. I just hope that we won't be talking about this again after the Munster Final, I'll be travelling from County Down to Killarney for what I expect to be one of the most eagerly awaited Munster Finals in years. If we're beaten fair and square I will accept it, just as I have done countless times over the years, however I just have a feeling that we won't leave this one behind like we've done on our last 2 visits to Killarney.

Corcaigh Abu

Hang on a second....

there was no drawn Munster final last year.



But I think Gooch is the best forward in the country, a really top class player.

Rebel Fan

Fireball07 wrote: »

Hang on a second....

there was no drawn Munster final last year.



But I think Gooch is the best forward in the country, a really top class player.

Must have been the semi final then, they drew in Killarney and Kerry won the replay by a point after extra time in the replay

Uncle Mclovin

He doesn't go to ground easy. If you're being constantly abused for 70 minutes you're bound to be knocked to the ground every now and then.

Rebel Fan

Jesus it's July 2010 all over again!!!!!!!!!!!!! For anyone to say he doesn't go to ground too easy, get a video/dvd of the 2nd half of the drawn game last year and watch it. There really is no arguement here, like i've said before he is a great player and has been part of a great Kerry team over the last 6-7 years, but his tendency to go to ground too easily will not rank him as one of the greatest imo. There was one particular occasion in that game when he had the ball on the 14, two or three Cork players surrounded him and before anybody could make a challenge he collapsed in a heap and got a free, if anybody can upload a youtube video of it on here please do, i would but I haven't a clue how to do it!

Uncle Mclovin

Rebel Fan wrote: »

Jesus it's July 2010 all over again!!!!!!!!!!!!! For anyone to say he doesn't go to ground too easy, get a video/dvd of the 2nd half of the drawn game last year and watch it. There really is no arguement here, like i've said before he is a great player and has been part of a great Kerry team over the last 6-7 years, but his tendency to go to ground too easily will not rank him as one of the greatest imo. There was one particular occasion in that game when he had the ball on the 14, two or three Cork players surrounded him and before anybody could make a challenge he collapsed in a heap and got a free, if anybody can upload a youtube video of it on here please do, i would but I haven't a clue how to do it!

He was clearly fouled on this occasion no matter what way you look at it.

Rebel Fan

Uncle Mclovin wrote: »

He was clearly fouled on this occasion no matter what way you look at it.

Where exactly is the foul????????????????????????????????

Mountainlad

AGC wrote: »

He swapped hands

Legally. He didn't throw it from one hand to the other, he had both hands on the ball as he swapped.

Uncle Mclovin

Look if you can't see the foul I'm sorry. We have a difference of opinions.


The thread isn't meant to be about whether you or I think it was a foul.


It's an appreciation thread to the genius Colm Cooper.

Rebel Fan

Uncle Mclovin wrote: »

Look if you can't see the foul I'm sorry. We have a difference of opinions.


The thread isn't meant to be about whether you or I think it was a foul.


It's an appreciation thread to the genius Colm Cooper.

Yea I think we'll agree to disagree as well, I'm looking through my tainted Cork goggles at this!!! Like I've said already though he is a great footballer, I coach my local under 10's team up here and it's players like him that we use as examples when we coach forwards, I can pay him no bigger compliment. I just hope he won't be smiling in 3 weeks time!

J Cheever Loophole

Uncle Mclovin wrote: »

He was clearly fouled on this occasion no matter what way you look at it.

You jest?

ShamoBuc

Uncle Mclovin wrote: »

He was clearly fouled on this occasion no matter what way you look at it.

I saw it live.... it wasn't a free. Watched the clip a few times..... still not a free. If anything it's a free against Cooper for putting his head down and barging.....but heaven forbid if a free against Cooper!
There is no denying he is a clas player, clearly but, I can't think of a player that picks up so many 'handy' frees, it's a skill he's perfected I guess.

jcoshea

Think this goal by Colm from last years County Championship is better!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ac0NKyBOnkU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ac0NKyBOnkU&feature=player_detailpage

bobbysands81

Gooch is a genius, anyone that says otherwise should be completely ignored.

homerjay2005

Rebel Fan wrote: »

Where exactly is the foul????????????????????????????????

and where exactly did he dive or "go down too easy" as you call it. to me it looks like he tried to play on,you cant blame him for the ref.

you and a few other cork lads are f8cking obsessed with that point. nothing about the countless frees that werent given to cooper and kerry in that game and the few handy ones ye got yourselves.

that lob v kenmare video there is just insane, what a f8cking goal. and on his bad foot also...

Rebel Fan

homerjay2005 wrote: »

and where exactly did he dive or "go down too easy" as you call it. to me it looks like he tried to play on,you cant blame him for the ref.

you and a few other cork lads are f8cking obsessed with that point. nothing about the countless frees that werent given to cooper and kerry in that game and the few handy ones ye got yourselves.

that lob v kenmare video there is just insane, what a f8cking goal. and on his bad foot also...

He didn't dive on that occasion, but clearly he was marked by 2 men and had nowhere to go, he barged in with his head and drew the foul, can you honestly tell me that he was fouled. On the diving issue I was referring to an incident in the 2nd half, he was on the 14, was surrounded by 2 or 3 players and collapsed on the ground without being touched, THAT'S DIVING!!! To call me "f8cking obsessed with that point" is just plain stupid, I've left Croke Park, Pairc Ui Chaoimh and Fitzgerald Stadium on many occasions after being beaten fair and square and have never had an issue with it.
You also say about the countless frees that weren't given to Kerry, what planet do you live on??? I would accept that in any game decisions go for and against both teams, but to say we got a few very handy ones is just daft on your part, like I've said in many posts before he is a great player but he has developed an art of drawing frees when there is none, some people call it cuteness, I call it cheating, but he's not alone in this. It has been creeping into our game for the last few years, Mugsy from Tyrone is another example, got O Connor sent off in the semi in 2009 (Even the great Pat Spillane complained about it!).
Will he be remembered in years to come as one of the Kerry greats? Greatness in Kerry is measured by medals, Spillane, Power, O Shea, Sheehy, Paidi have seven or eight each. Gooch will only be remembered as one of the greats if he achieves this. A friend of mine (A Tralee man and a Kingdom fanatic) once told me a story, "No kerryman that has won an All Ireland medal will ever be seen gloating in a pub about his achievements, because there will always be another Kerryman in the pub with more medals than him!!"

n32

rebel fan,

on a slightly different note, do you think theres a nasty edge getting into cork kerry games between the supporters? I ve been going to kerry cork games since i was a young fella and i never remember it being as nasty on the terraces as it is now. last year in killarney the cops had to intervene between a kerry and cork lad who were going for each other after an argument got out of control. there was always a rivalry but there was always respect there aswell. I d be interested in hearing what someone from the cork side of the fence thinks about it

homerjay2005

cork fans were getting more and more bitter as the years went on without an all ireland.

that subsided a bit perhaps now that they won last year so should be less trouble this time.

Browney7

Probably just 2 morons fighting to be honest. Some supporters from all counties can be obnoxious tools at the best of times

Rebel Fan

n32 wrote: »

rebel fan,

on a slightly different note, do you think theres a nasty edge getting into cork kerry games between the supporters? I ve been going to kerry cork games since i was a young fella and i never remember it being as nasty on the terraces as it is now. last year in killarney the cops had to intervene between a kerry and cork lad who were going for each other after an argument got out of control. there was always a rivalry but there was always respect there aswell. I d be interested in hearing what someone from the cork side of the fence thinks about it

I couldn't agree with you more, I was in Killarney last year but I didn't see the incident you were referring to. There is massive rivalry between the counties, however since the beginning of the qualifiers series they have been meeting each other at least twice a year, sometimes three due to the number of draws between the teams. The pressure nowadays on teams to win is immense and this spills over onto the stands every now and then. Cork hate to lose to Kerry and Kerry hate to lose to Cork, I watched the Paul Galvin documentary and he mentioned when Cork won the All Ireland last year, he walked past a pub in kerry. There were guys outside with very glum faces as they were gutted that Cork had won, it's the same in Cork.

I myself am a very passionate Corkonian living in County Down, I have always had a great admiration for kerry teams. This might come as a surprise to some people but if cork don't win the All Ireland I hope Kerry win, as long as it's not us that they're playing in the final!!! The very first All Ireland football final i was at was in '82, the famous Seamus Derby final. I was 7 years old but I can still remember sitting in the hogan stand. My father was a GAA nut and he took us to All irelands every year in hurling and football even if cork weren't involved. I'm a GAA purist, i believe in Pat spillanes philosophy of playing the game as it was meant to be played, not the puke blanket defence that alot of counties adopt nowadays. I love watching Kerry playing because they play the game properly, attractive, one touch pass and move, sometimes on the edge but always full of passion. There are certain sections of both supporters that go over the top but the same can be said for other counties, I've been to Down and Armagh games, Dublin and Meath games, Cork and Meath games and it's the same. Some people take it too far but that's human nature i guess!

Damokc

AGC wrote: »

He swapped hands

as far as i know you can swap hands once you play the ball after that? he then bounced it.

Rebel Fan

homerjay2005 wrote: »

cork fans were getting more and more bitter as the years went on without an all ireland.

that subsided a bit perhaps now that they won last year so should be less trouble this time.

Not bitter, just frustrated. And when I say frustrated I mean with our own for letting us down

shezmagic

I wouldn't complain too much about that free in Killarney. It was a marginal call but we all know in those kind of situations the referee will more often than not artifically engineer a draw. Same thing happened the year before in the same fixture (not involving Cooper) and indeed in the Munster hurling final v Waterford in Thurles last summer. Swings and roundabouts really, we got a handy enough penalty in 2008 to draw the All-Ireland Semi.

On-topic to say Cooper is an exceptional footballer, one of the very best of his generation. In the list of all-time Kerry greats I'd still have him slightly behind Fitzgerald, Spillane and Sheedy but the mere fact he is bracked in such company is testimony to his greatness. Now please God he will have an off-day in two weeks time.

Rebel Fan

shezmagic wrote: »

I wouldn't complain too much about that free in Killarney. It was a marginal call but we all know in those kind of situations the referee will more often than not artifically engineer a draw. Same thing happened the year before in the same fixture (not involving Cooper) and indeed in the Munster hurling final v Waterford in Thurles last summer. Swings and roundabouts really, we got a handy enough penalty in 2008 to draw the All-Ireland Semi.

On-topic to say Cooper is an exceptional footballer, one of the very best of his generation. In the list of all-time Kerry greats I'd still have him slightly behind Fitzgerald, Spillane and Sheedy but the mere fact he is bracked in such company is testimony to his greatness. Now please God he will have an off-day in two weeks time.

Well said, you must be a politician!

shezmagic

Rebel Fan wrote: »

Well said, you must be a politician!

I couldn't be an Irish version, I am a terrible liar.

Nah seriously, I was frustrated as anyone walking out of Killarney last year thinking 'here we go again, another bloody replay'. But with hindsight, the replay probably did Cork a few favours.

Yerra another replay this year wouldn't be the end of the world either as Cork versus Kerry in championship will always bring both teams on.

13/2 is the price for the draw this year. Has to be worth a few bob? Will wait and see who the ref is first though.

harpsman

not that big a fan to be honest-i think theres a bit of a herd mentality with the gooch-any time he gets a couple of good scores from play everybody wets their pants with excitement and proclaims him to be the "messi" of gaelic football(another bugbear of mine but thats another story).
very consistent but hes never destroyed a team on his own and i dont think hes capable of that