Mod Note Post #1 - The 2022 All Ireland Senior Football Championship.

Sonny678

Final update I will make before Meath manager decision is announced. Apologies for taking over the thread in the last few days. But I just thought people here would be interested in Meaths managerial race and for Meath fans its probaly biggest and most important decision the Meath county board have had to make in years.

It is still between Michael McDermott, Eamon Fitzmaurice, and a Bernard Flynn management team. Today though I heard a management team of Bernard Flynn, Graham Geraghty, Trevor Giles, Graham Reilly, Robbie Brennan. are going get the job.

Still wouldn't rule out Fitzmaurice, because Meath county board are so determined to get him. But principal in kerry has to be an issue to overcome. Could have decision by Friday or sooner, but we will have a decision made this week or next. Hopefully Fitzmaurice accepts the post , but now the noise in the county is it could be a Flynn Geraghty Giles management team.

Thats my final update until an annoucement. Apologises again for taking over the thread for a few days, I just thought people would be interested whats going with Meath managerial race. And it will also be interesting to see who becomes next Mayo manager and if Bonner will stay Donegal. Thats a very interesting managerial race in Mayo also.

Anyway I will let guys get back to talking of the two big matchs at weekend. Hopefully we have two good semis and a final.

MacDanger

Do Flynn, Giles & Geraghty have any experience managing?

dobman88

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119290759#Comment_119290759

They were over the Meath 20s before they had a tantrum about players not being released from the senior panel and quit fairly quickly.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119290550#Comment_119290550

Too many cooks spoil the broth. Unless there is a clear structure to Bernard Flynn's team it could be a disaster. It sounds like a committee type structure.its grand if a couple of them are to manage the minor's and U20's but if all of them have an equal say on the sideline it could be a disaster

Sonny678

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119290759#Comment_119290759

Very little in terms of huge sucess at top level.

B Flynn managed Mullingar to Westmeath senior county title and Nobber to Junior Meath final. He was U20 Meath manager last year but walked out before championship.

T Giles was U21 Meath selector and Assistant manager under Colm O Rourke over decade ago and was assistant Meath senior manager when Micko Dowd was Meath senior manager 2013 to 2016. He also managed his local club Meath senior championship Skyrne. But no sucess in terms of trophies.

Graham Geraghty was Meath senior selector when Banty was Meath manager in 2011 2012. He managed Westmeath club in senior championship to semis. He managed Dunleek Bellewstown to Meath senior q final. He also managed Blanchardstown IT to Trench Cup title in 2013. Its second tier third level competition. He also was part of Flynns management team with Meath U20s. He was also forward coach for Longford senior footballers when Glen Ryan was Longford manager.

Graham Reilly also was part of Flynns U20 management last year.

Flynn is proposing Robbie Brennan as assistant manager. Brennan won Dublin senior championship and leinster senior club this year and got to All Ireland senior club final will kilmacud Crokes this year. He managed Kilmacud Crokes to Dublin senior title a few year but famously lost to Longford club in leinster final. He has managed Dunboyne in Meath championship and played for them. He was selector for Meath minors this year and Meath U20 last year. He is a Dub but his parents wife and children are Meath. He lives in Dunboyne for 20 years.

That's it at the moment. They have experience but at low level and lack of success in terms titles at top level. With exception of Brennan.

You can see why Meath county board first choice is Eamon Fitzmaurice who won 8 major titles with kerry snrs in 6 years and has over 30 titles as manager.

Flynn Geraghty Giles Reilly would make some forward line but it would be unproven at top level in managerial terms.

I have now heard Cathal O Bric the minor Meath All Ireland winning manager has thrown his hat in the ring. He was to be U19 Meath development panel next year and U20 Meath manager in 2024, to take on his All Ireland winning minor team at U20. Many would like to see O Bric as Meath senior manager in coming years, but rather he take those minors at U20 first. But he is another now who has told county board he wants the jobs. I honestly don't know how that changes things.

GAA managerial race can have some twists and turns. The last time Meath went for outside manager luke Dempsey was lined up to get the job but Banty was appointed at last moment. Mick O Dowd came from nowhere to manage Meath in 2013 no one even knew he was in running. Look at Davy Fitz being talked about by Marty Morrisey on RTE News as next Galway hurling manager and it looked a done deal. Next day Henry Shefflin was manager of Galway. Tommy lyons years ago was main contender lined up for Mayo job in 2011 and James Horan was appointed from nowhere. In 2008 Mick Dwyer was going to become next Dublin manager and Pat Gilroy was appointed at last moment. Amd it looked like Davy Burke was going to be next Kildare manager last yesr but Glen Ryan's and his management team of kildare legends was appointed and that came from nowhere. My point is with O Bric now thrown his hat into ring What does that mean. Its all getting a bit mad. I hope they get right choice basically Fitzmaurice which which will delight Meath fans and u cud see players like Keoghan Menton Sullivan McGill staying on much longer. 

Sonny678

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119290878#Comment_119290878

That is the worry alright. It would be similar to kildare you can see same with kildare. But there would be difference.

Glen Ryan is the manager, has a presence of authority. They all kind look up to him, Earley Rainbow Doyle because he was their captain. And Ryan has experience managing Longford seniors and kildare U21 to All Ireland final. Flynn doesn't have that. It would make more sense for Brennan to be manager, in that be has experience at very high level of club football with Crokes reaching All Ireland club senior final this year.

Flynn Geraghty Giles would be hugely respected and our all time heroes in Meaths, worshiped as players deservedly so. But the issues you mentioned above are a major concern and major worry. You are 100% right that could be a big problem.

Pussyhands

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119283988#Comment_119283988

Sums up the type of lads often involved in GAA. Always wanting to look the hard man rather than actually be hard.

Fattybojangles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119290878#Comment_119290878

Yes I agree and I'd argue that there is the same problem in Kildare at the moment as well.

Bass Reeves

For Fitzmaurice to take the Meath job there would have to be some package available. With virtually all intercounty games in the first six months of the year it would nearly be incompatible with any teaching job. Maybe if he only travelled one day a week, but with championship and later stages of the league unless Meath reached the AI semi's there season would be over in June.

I would imagine he would need to take a career break from teaching for a few years. Along with his punditry work for RTE he must be earning 100k. Allowing for accomodation and travelling you need to be looking at a 150k+ package

MacDanger

Let's say it was 150k/year for Eamon Fitz and say he has a pretty successful 4 year stint (gets to D1 next year and stays up the following 3 years; 1 Leinster and an AI semi-final) - would people consider that level of success and the interest generated by it would be worth 600k (less whatever you'd pay an alternative local manager)?

For me, it probably would be worth it if you were fairly sure of the success BUT there's no guarantee of that success so I think the money would be better invested in strengthening the underage & club scene in Meath

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119292073#Comment_119292073

.Meath and Kildare's biggest problems is they have done nothing about there football coaching and training structures for the last fifteen+ years. Admittedly the money pumped into Dublin structures has not helped them.

Flynn et al are a generation away from most of the modern football managers. Neither do they have a history of team management not to mind successful team management.

The only advantage of Fitzmaurice or any outside fairly professional manager ( or a player from the late noughties) is they will know the modern structures need to be competitive whether they can be successful or not. Fitzmaurice's skill would be to put structures in place at all intercounty levels that could bring the county back to the fore.

While 6-800 k might seem a lit of money you have to factor in that he may make the county more attractive for sponsor ship

keeponhurling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119292014#Comment_119292014

Get the helicopter, like Paidi did with Westmeath....

Sonny678

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119292073#Comment_119292073

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119292912#Comment_119292912

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119292151#Comment_119292151

Some excellent points made above. Its always fascinating to hear what people think outside county. Yes the logistics money etc its all issue. Outside managers seem to be in vogue again if they ever went out. Rory Gallagher in Derry, Davy Fitzgerald went to Wexford, Henry Shefflin to Galway. Our neighbours kildare have tried Mick O Dwyer, Kieran McGeeney and Jack O Connor. Offaly have John Maughan and their hurlers had Kevin Fennelly. Laois have had 2 kerry men recently Quirke and Surgrue. Westmeath had Paudi and O Flathera. And of course Micky Harte is in louth.Banty was Meaths only fray into an outside manager appointment.

Regards helicopter the Football men and football ladies sponsors both have helicopter and hurling sponsors are involved in property. Something could be put together. And most counties have private donors for outside manager. I think that could be possible here, but I don't know exactly how they would put together an outside managers package.

Anyway it's looks like it's between Bernard Flynn and Eamon Fitzmaurice but McDermott cannot still be ruled out. Eamon Fitzmaurice has attended 2 interviews. But how it works out we will have to see. It might be early next week before we hear anything, but we should hear news on who is new Meath manager by Friday.

Sonny678

Rumours going around tonight last minute candidate like Mick o Dowd in 2013 who in 2013 no one knew had gone for even interview. Former Meath senior selector and former Meath minor, U20 and U21 manager Barry Callaghan name as next manager is doing rounds. Has Fitzmaurice negotiations collapsed??? There seems to be issues with Flynn and what happened with U20 last year. Hopefully they can still get Fitzmaurice over the line.

kirk.

Is Mickey Harte canavan and oisin mconville gone now for the championship ?

I'd way prefer to watch them over rte

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119295571#Comment_119295571

No, Sky are still showing the SF and Final as well as RTE.

BaywatchHQ

I bet the middle aged Derry fans have booked tomorrow off work to go up in their attic to decide which jersey from the 90s to wear to the game.

A lot of Derry people are actually off work next week for the 12th holidays. If Derry win there could be a lot of drama in towns because the unionists won't want the Derry flags up. Some unionists are hating this Derry success as there have been a lot of comments on social media. To be fair though I hated Northern Ireland being in Euro 2016, I couldn't bring myself to watch a second of their games.

Gusser09

600k over 4 years for a manager. That's into the hand too. Incredible nonsense. Is that what he would be paid or is that for his entire setup?

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119304394#Comment_119304394

I think I remember a story from a few years ago where a village in NI did a quick turnaround from having unionists paraphernalia up for a Saturday Apprentice Boys parade to having the Tyrone GAA paraphernalia up for a semi final on the Sunday.

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119304440#Comment_119304440

Generally that would include full setup

Manager chooses (with his backroom staff) what Fitness Analysis products/services they use, what Performance Analysis Products/Services they use

Manager, in agreement with the County Board would agree rates for other Backroom staff too then

A common thing for a Manager to say when I speak to them is 'Ok, so I've budgeted x amount per match for Analysis' etc.

timmyntc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119304449#Comment_119304449

any excuse to put up some flegs

BonnieSituation

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119304394#Comment_119304394

Sure with your BIG at the same Euros, why would you have need to watch the GAWA and their cretinous supporters?

Poor wee craturs, them men of orange. What happened to this shared space bull they have been spouting every June and July since the Fleg protests began?

Sonny678

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119304440#Comment_119304440

A new Meath sponsor supposedly will pay most cost of appointing someone like Fitzmaurice. And even if Meath go for internal manager, stay in the county, his management team is going to be pricey also.

Here is an article from local Meath website on developments they have heard about next Meath manager.

https://meathlive.net/2022/07/07/exclusive-2-fitzmaurice-may-join-flynn-ticket/

Local Meath new website above mentions Bernard Flynn wants Eamon Fitzmaurice as coach. As it says Fitzmaurice is interested in the Meath managerial job. All the signs last few week it was between Flynn and Fitzmaurice. Doesn’t mean they will get it, but thats being the talk in the county. For last 3 weeks I have heard Fitzmaurice is interested in Meath job. The article says they hear Robbie Brennan is no longer part of Flynn’s management team. I personally have heard nothing about Flynn and Fitzmaurice management team together, but that both are interested in the job on their own. A new Meath sponsor supposedly will pay most cost of appointing someone like Fitzmaurice. All the interviews are done. You would have expected decision by now, maybe there was a hitch at start of week. Maybe Flynn and Fitzmaurice are going together like Dooher/Lohan or Declan Bonner with Stephen Rochford in Donegal. I have heard nothing about Flynn and Fitzmaurice together, but the above article mentions this. Thats very interesting at this stage. We should hear something tonight tomorrow or early next week. But I hope its Fitzmaurice on his own. For me that would be the best choice, but it is interesting the article says Flynn wants Fitzmaurice and him to work together. Watch this space.

dobman88

James McCarthy is taking part in this clip, I couldn't spot Con.

https://twitter.com/DubGAAOfficial/status/1545088530409455618?t=kvtoPW-S3HrTi-Z_qPPR9Q&s=19

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119305248#Comment_119305248

I cannot see Fitzmaurice coming in unless he has the complete say. There is no upside in just being Coach. If you are involved in any management situation you need people you can trust and have confidence in. Coming in as a number two to someone you never dealt with before is not any option

blowitupref

65k the expected attendance for the two games in Croke Park this week.

If Saturdays Derry v Galway game was a stand alone instead of having the Tailteann Cup played along side it the attendance would likely be 35 to 40k

Must be the lowest attendance for a Dublin v Kerry championship game in Croke park for a number of years. The cost of inflation kicking in.

BonnieSituation

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119306047#Comment_119306047

That and having games every fortnight. Daft.

Charles Babbage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119306047#Comment_119306047

There are enough more or less millionaires in Dublin to fill Croke Park, they just don't want to go.

Fattybojangles

By God Fitzmaurice has some job ahead if he takes the Meath job they are absolutely chronic bad I don't think they've ever been as bad in my lifetime.

As for the attendances playing every 2 weeks and the wider cost of living crisis really starting to bite the GAA should be offering discounted tickets to get people in but they'd never do that of course.

Drumpot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119306065#Comment_119306065

Yep, whoever decided to condense the entire champo with no replays is a moron (or comittee of morons). I really miss the older schedule, it’s like the championship is an inconvenience where the meat of its been squeezed mostly into June and July. (May and April don’t feel like championship months it’s a summer tournament).

I get it’s for the clubs but it’s poxy. Is there any chance it will revert back even closer to the longer schedule?