Mayo GAA Discussion

I think you are being over-optimistic in thinking that Mayo will beat Tyrone in Tyrone. What real evidence is there that Mayo have the skills, scoring power, strength to defeat Tyrone. Going into these matches, I think we can be blinded by the green and red mist, and the feeling that Mayo being Mayo will turn it on when needed. But I feel that right now we do not have that kind of team that will just put together a performance that will get us over a certain line to move on to a further round. I think the team seems very mentally fragile. And yesterday's performance and result will just have put another nail in the coffin.

I hope I am wrong, but I do not see them beating Tyrone or Donegal, unless the last round of matches (against Donegal). Both of these teams will be looking to top the group, to avoid having that 2nd v 3rd play-off, and give themselves an extra rest week.

I can see what you are saying about being contenders, but it`s not as simple as Donegal going well this year due to the new rules. Donegal were very unlucky last year not to win Sam playing under the old rules.

With all the selectors and backroom staff nowadays I believe that county management teams assemble a panel of the 30+ most talented players in a county at the start of each year. Where they go from there is then down to management to devise a game plan they belive will get the utmost out of that panel and get the players to buy into it. A good county manager will often find that the talents of a player are being under utilised at club level with him being used as a work horse in a position for the clubs benifit when he has more to offer in a position that suits his talents better. For Jim McGuinness I know of a number of players where he has gone to their clubs asking them to use a player in the position he sees him most suited too that have not just benefited Donegal and the player, but often his club as well.

Mc Guinness Is a very good tactician, he can often spot a weakness that others haven`t and exploit it - Dublin in the 2014 All Ireland semi final, Derry first round of last years championship etc. - but his real talent is not unearthing some new gems that previous management missed. It`s in taking two squads that were going nowhere in 2011 and in 2024, moulding those players to better use their talents, and getting the whole squad to buy into what he was doing.

In 2011 when he came in he straight away eyed up Tyrone, the then masters of Ulster, as the team to defeat if Donegal were going to win Ulster. He achieved that, and got the name of being a manager of a constipated team by mirroring Tyrone and making Donegal difficult to score against. They then went on to be laughed out of Croke Park as well as being relegated from Div 1 that year. Neither McGuinness nor the players gave a toss about either. The payers had the second most important medal to Ulster footballers in their pockets and knew they were over half way where they wanted to end up as All Ireland Champions. With their defensive structure in place they quietly worked away at their attack in Div 2 out of the headlights and blew every team away in the championship to the extent that they recieved 8 All Star awards and the 3 nominations for player of the year all being from Donegal.

For me anyway it is not as simple as moving from playing constipated football to playing to the new rulesand hoping it will work out. It`s about putting in place a structure that will get the best out of every player and getting the players to buy into it totally. To totally change your structure while playing in Div 1 is a difficult ask, especially with a team that may be somewhat demoralised. I have said before here if you are going to do that, then you are much better doing it in Div 2 under new management, and away from the headlights. If you want to point at McGuinness and Donegal as a demoralised team that found it`s mojo that is where they found theirs in both of McGuinness terms of management, and something I have no doubt, with the talent available too them, Mayo could easily emulate.

I’d be one to normally give players and managers the benefit of the doubt but I think this crew has run its course now. It’s difficult to see where the next management crop will come from and of the 4 management tickets we had available for selection last time around, the one selected was still the most competent and attractive. That hasn’t changed.

I’d be in 2 minds about going down the route of Horan 3.0 but given its likely that again would be the best option. The point of him being part of the FRC is well made and another string to his bow. It really would depend on who else he could get to join him on the management team.

You’d wonder if Horan himself would be interested mind as coming to the end of his tenure last time around there were plenty that couldn’t wait to see the back of him. I do feel there’s an element of parochiality in some of that negativity too but it’s hard to ignore it at the same time.

Are there any other managers either inside or outside the county that would be interested in the role, that would be of suitable quality?.

I think we have plenty of players good enough to have us competitive at the QF/SF stage every year with one big exception - we're short a dominant ball winning midfielder. A good management team should be able to work around that deficiency though

James Horan ,seriously ?... everyone can see we need a complete change in our style of play and some are suggesting bringing back a manager that was so tied to his ideology that he refused to take any sort of second opinion that may have helped in landing a All Ireland. Has everyone forgotten 2021, I certainly haven't

Throw in time for Tyrone v Mayo is 7pm which isn't very suitable I can imagine for many Mayo supporters

It Is well within Mayos capability to scalp either Tyrone or donegal, beating both is a stretch however. It will be a long summer in Mayo without Croke Park to look forward to.

Not enough credit being given to Cavan, who were the width of a post away from promotion to Div1 this year and are as good or better than the likes of Roscommon, Meath, Louth at this point.

The championship jeopardy we all craved is here, but of course GAA will dismantle for 2026. A pity I think.

The championship jeopardy we all craved is here, but of course GAA will dismantle for 2026. A pity I think.

That's only a result of the draw, that a lot of decent teams got lumped together in Groups 1 and 4.

They are dead right to change it.

When and where is that game? Could do with a win after the last week of losses.

A issue I'd have with Horan 3.0 is that the style of football he developed for Mayo was aggressive turnovers in the defense then hard running out of the back with support players following.

Many scores ended up coming from the half back line.

That may not be suitable in the new world.

We heard a lot about players being out on their feet from Jimmy McGuinness during the league.

On Sunday Martin Carney on the radio was imploring Mayo to kick a long ball into O'Shea every so often, as much to give the runners a break as anything else.

Is that running game sustainable in this day and age and going forward ?

Or is the game best played with fast ball kicked forward to the three forwards that you know are going to be in up there.

Why would Horan be playing football from 10-15 years ago?

He was one of the main men in literally writing the new rules.I can't think of many better in the country nevermind the county to come up with ways to use them.

For one of the more reasonable posters on here that's a pretty naive comment.

I'm not saying he will, I just pointing out that's what got him success before with the team he had then.

I suppose the big question that Horan has to ask himself if he was offered the job and was thinking about it, is does he see the type of player currently and upcoming for Mayo that can be competitive in this new world?

Of course this is all talk because the championship isn't even over and there is still a manager in place with a year to go on his agreement.

He's right in terms of the senior team - no natural fielders, no kick passing, only one scoring forward.

But in fairness, those accusations can't really be applied to the u20s or minors. The fielding on those teams has been fantastic to see, and there is finally a team with more than a single scoring forward.

There's a mountain of work to be done, but it's not like there's nothing to work with.

There is hope for the future alright but it's going to take years to integrate the new faces. IMO the next manager won't bring any major improvement until this happens.

The type of midfielder needed now under the new rules is harking back a bit to the old days in terms of power and competing aerially. But also more mobile and athleticism than those days. Players like Mattie Ruane haven't been coached in high fielding and they well may become less relevant now.

I'd have horan ,andy as selectors but not as managers.