Freetaking yesterday

[Bord na Mona man]

Two questions about yesterday.

1) Should Padraig Kelly have had a go at some of the later long range frees?
It was clear from early on that McMadness was having one of his days. He doesn't recover once he gets into a cycle of misses.
On the other hand, seeing the keeper miss one might have been a bigger boost to Leix than seeing McManus miss.


2) Should the management have brought Colm Quinn back on to take the last free that Niall missed?
We only used 3 of our 5 substitutions (another topic for debate). Quinn would have been expected to nail it.

Both might sound stupid ideas...but if we did either one of them and it delivered the match winning score, then they would be regarded as managerial masterstrokes.

[Lone Shark]

Good points.

It remains to be seen how accurate Podge is with these. He should be given a run in training at least I'd say.

The thought of bringing Quinn back on never occured to me. Probably was the thing to do though.

That's it settled BnaM man, you're in for Kilmurray after the standard managerial heave ho over the winter.

[azoffaly]

BnM man, I said the same thing re. Quinny when the free was awarded. There'd have been no need for a warm up anyway. Maybe we can be joint managers.

As regards Pauric Kelly, no. I'm not a fan of that stuff, unless it's like the Kildare situation a few years ago. Mac is the man for long, long range frees. If he misses the first two, then we have to use them as chances to set up attacks, and forget about trying to score them direct. Kilmurray needs to emphasise this. The dogs in the street know that if Ciaran misses his first couple, he is not going to come good with that aspect.

[Bord na Mona man]

Padraig Kelly would have a greater range.
McManus dropped 3 long frees short and into the hands of Garvan (I think).
Otherwise we might have to abandon long range frees and take them all short (and quickly).

I'll have a go at the Offaly job in a joint role with AZ next year.
I doubt the players will be going on strike when I get the bullet!
I can blame AZ for any mishaps!

[Lone Shark]

As regards Pauric Kelly, no. I'm not a fan of that stuff, unless it's like the Kildare situation a few years ago. Mac is the man for long, long range frees. If he misses the first two, then we have to use them as chances to set up attacks, and forget about trying to score them direct. Kilmurray needs to emphasise this. The dogs in the street know that if Ciaran misses his first couple, he is not going to come good with that aspect.

Kelly taking them mightn't be what you'd call edifying, but needs must. If he'd knock over 50% plus, then you'd have to consider it.

Regarding Mac's frees, the dogs on the street might know, but even they're scared to tell him. Because he certainly doesn't know it himself.

[HairyHole]

Christ ! Do we practice these things at all , Does no one make MacManus take 20 long range kick a night in training ? Is he getting them in training and not at matches ? I think we need a technique coach like Matt Connor brought in to show these boys what to do . Kicking frees is something that is practiced only 2 or 3 nights a week by these boys. The likes of Stafford/Redmond and the great Matt used to practice every night of the week just to keep their technique ticking over.

From a morale point of view , watching MacManus running up and claiming every free and then missing them must knock the stuffing out of the rest of the lads . There was occasions there yesterday that Pascal , Colm and Niall all stepped forward to take kicks and Ciaran butted in to take over...

All for Kelly taking a free , I wouldn't be in favour of that , Is there no decent free taker in the county that would have at least converted 25% of those missed . In my opinion he doesn't have to be the best footballer in the world but someone who could hold their own in general play . He could have carried someone like that there yesterday which would have meant we won have won by 5 or 6 points......

[azoffaly]

I agree with Hairy hole, and it's kind of an addendum to my other thread 'The art of Score getting'. I simply think that the basics are being neglected for the more scientific things like beep tests, diet, fitness monitoring etc.

Free takers should have to stay on for a half an hour, either before or after training to practise at least 40 frees. You have to do something to pay for getting your name in the paper for the handy frees

[juteman]

I agree they should have brought on Quinn for the free. It would also have wasted time. As it was in injury time once Laois were taking the kick out if we had another sub. he should have been brought on then..more time.
I'm disappointed we were not cute enough.
Glen Ryan showed this by walking up to his keeper before the wastemeath penalty.

Overall after a good performance & it took the Leinster favourites an injury time goal to win. The team lacked leadership as Glen Ryan(slow as a wet week) showed for Kildare.

This team has great potential but is fast becoming a team who don't know how to win.

[Ron]

Same s**t different season. Offaly's inability to take even the handiest of frees has again cost them dearly. It was such a pity that Quinn had been taken off before that vital free.
To get anywhere you need a good consistent free taker (just look at the top teams), Laois weren't afraid to foul when we were going forward knowing that the chances of Offaly converting the free were very slim. This can allow opponents to foul, pull and drag and thus starve our full forward line.

[biffo5]

hi all, dont normally take part in discussions, but i feel its important to join here. knowing alot of the players and how gutted they are, i feel its important we stand by them, in saying this i see mcmanus is being done an injustice here:-
for the boards information mcmanus was ordered to hit the long frees from around midfield on top of pascal k at full forward, this obviously didnt work after the first few so when he hit it short he was ordered to hit the next long AGAIN by management. so i think its fair to give the man a break on this, hes gutted over the 45 as he felt this was his only scoreable free.
so lets give the man some credit and stop bashing the players about frees, they played great stuff. midfield except for 15mins dominated (the whole team fell asleep after half time). we had 19WIDES 3 from frees!!!!
my friends the problem is eleswhere... best of luck to the lads in the qulaifiers

[Lone Shark]

for the boards information mcmanus was ordered to hit the long frees from around midfield on top of pascal k at full forward, this obviously didnt work after the first few so when he hit it short he was ordered to hit the next long AGAIN by management.

If this is actually the case then that's bizarre. Paschal is relatively good under a dropping ball - he's not so good that he's favourite to win it clean aginst a defence where both defensive midfielders will be waiting under the dropping ball as well. If this was actually the instruction the Kilmurray and co need help.

gutted over the 45 as he felt this was his only scoreable free.

The free before that was also within range, it was just because of Clancy's inexplicable touch on it that we got the 45. Anyway, his worst two wides were the two from play, both from close in. The one in the first half nearly hit the corner flag. Nobody here is questioning the man's effort or commitment, just he needs to stop working himself into a frenzy and doing stupid things. The ball just needs to go above the crossbar and between the two uprights - it doesn't have to break the net behind the goals, or count double if it's from 50 metres out.

so lets give the man some credit and stop bashing the players about frees, they played great stuff. midfield except for 15mins dominated (the whole team fell asleep after half time). we had 19WIDES 3 from frees!!!!
my friends the problem is eleswhere... best of luck to the lads in the qulaifiers

Again we are aware that it is a team wide problem. But the point is that he had five shots and five wides from various situations - while he is not solely culpable or even close to it, he is a part of the problem. Our problems include poor shot selection and a lack of coolness under pressure. As the most experienced player on the team, (possibly Froggy excepted) he should be providing good example, instead of charging around like a wounded bull.

[azoffaly]

Again, I would stand by McManus and defend him to the hilt, as I have great time for him, and he lives, eats, drinks and sleeps Offaly football. As has been stated the problem is wider than just Mac, and is arguably worse for dedicated score getters such as Niall Mc and Jimmy Coughlan.

The Ciaran McManus issue is that he gets too wrapped up and psyched up. If he could detach himself a little, as the great players can, then he would be an absolutely magnificent player.

That's a seperate issue however, the real problem is team wide, and need rational analysis and solutions, not emotive knee jerk reactions such as drop him, he's a b**lix, they're sh*t etc etc.

And of course we will stand beside them in the Qualifiers. The frustrating thing is that we are close, very close to being a really good side, and this shortcoming is eminently curable.

[Lone Shark]

At the end of the day this board is not Hogan Stand - I don't think anyone here is suggesting in seriousness that McManus be dropped. However sombody needs to help him face up to his limitations, because he is clearly unable to himself. This is not meant as a criticism of the man by the way - Colm Cooper doesn't drop back to midfield to field the ball as well as finish, Paddy Christie doesn't try to burst past lads and move into space for the return, so it's hardly being harsh on Mac to say that he can't do everything. However he seems to be the only player in the whole country that tries to do just that.

It frustrates us as supporters because of his potential - he can be unstoppable. But he can have a very negative influence as well, and management have to be willing to address that when it starts happening.

At the end of the day too most of the wides came from Mac, Jimmy or Niall. Two of these players are under 21s, the other is an experienced international with 10 years of senior intercounty football behind him. This is why it hurts more when they come from him - they are so much more unforgiveable.

And above all, you can be pretty sure everyone here will follow to the death regardless. Tis the only way we know how.