Gerry Cooney steps down as Offaly Manager

[substandard]

To be honest, it's going to take a long time to get things straightened out, and it's catch 22 regarding appointing an interim manager or otherwise. A ritual slaughter would seem to be on the cards against Kildare, player confidence is likely on the floor,so I can't imagine who could come into the job and have a competitive team ready for this years championship.
The county board stand indicted, and while the national focus was on Meath and their troubles, along come Offaly to take the limelight away from them. As was mentioned by another poster, it took the guts of 10 years building from the bottom up to straighten Roscommon out, but there is at least hope there that a decent senior team could be in the making within the next few years given the last few years progress at underage. Yet when an Offaly development squad wished to bring in all players given trials at U14 level last year to provide them with a strength, fitness and conditioning program that they could follow themselves with the view to preparing and improving them for subsequent years, the CB refused to sanction it being available to the initial 45 or 48 players, and grudgingly allowed it to go ahead for the restricted panel of 30. The idea of development should focus on development, and just because a player might not be good enough or ready enough at 14 doesn't mean that he mightn't be in the frame at 16, 17 or minor. There have been too many broken links in the chain over the years, and many of the current seniors are suffering and exposed as a result. This is not just a shortterm crisis that a bit of sticking plaster can patch up for the time being, it's something that needs to be addressed urgently across the board.

[Lone Shark]

Offaly had a reputation as a county that was a black hole for managers in the middle of the last decade, but I thought we served our penance by letting ineffective managers stay on and not booting them out the door. Before the question used to be - why do we get rid of so many good managers? Now, I'm forced to wonder - why are so many managers coming in, that seem to be decent or fit the profile, only to walk away with their tail between their legs, having failed to control this seemingly uncontrollable group?

Let's leave Richie Connor out of this for the moment, since that was a special case - but we've now had Pat Roe, Tom Cribbin and Gerry Cooney all walk away as failures, and while none of the three of them were blue chip, guaranteed-to-succeed men, I was happy with the logic behind selecting each of them at the time. Now to write off one of them as a failure is one thing - maybe even two - but all three?

At some point, we have to wonder - what is it about managing Offaly that makes it such a hard job?

All the points about development are true, but I don't get the impression when I watch Offaly play football that these guys are working like dogs and slowly making progress from a low base. For the last few years we were a competitive division three team - I don't believe that structures are the reason we went from that to a situation where we end the league with the lowest total points and the worst scoring difference of every team other than Kilkenny.

[Truth as i see it]

Offaly had a reputation as a county that was a black hole for managers in the middle of the last decade, but I thought we served our penance by letting ineffective managers stay on and not booting them out the door. Before the question used to be - why do we get rid of so many good managers? Now, I'm forced to wonder - why are so many managers coming in, that seem to be decent or fit the profile, only to walk away with their tail between their legs, having failed to control this seemingly uncontrollable group?

Let's leave Richie Connor out of this for the moment, since that was a special case - but we've now had Pat Roe, Tom Cribbin and Gerry Cooney all walk away as failures, and while none of the three of them were blue chip, guaranteed-to-succeed men, I was happy with the logic behind selecting each of them at the time. Now to write off one of them as a failure is one thing - maybe even two - but all three?

At some point, we have to wonder - what is it about managing Offaly that makes it such a hard job?

All the points about development are true, but I don't get the impression when I watch Offaly play football that these guys are working like dogs and slowly making progress from a low base. For the last few years we were a competitive division three team - I don't believe that structures are the reason we went from that to a situation where we end the league with the lowest total points and the worst scoring difference of every team other than Kilkenny.

I'm sure most of the older lads on here would call this hogwash but i sometimes run into the Garrycastle or St Brigids players here in Athlone and i always get the impression from them that to them not letting their team mates down is more important to them first and foremost, of course the fans are important to them but they seemed to have a strong loyalty to each other you would only find in a family unit, i don't think you can see this in an Offaly football side at the moment, now whether its an attitude problem thats being developed within the clubs or by the coaches or by the club representatives i don't know but there needs to be words said to the clubs to get their houses in order with regard to their attitudes

[Spiderman]

The long and winding road...


So as April draws slowly to a close and the championship draws ever closer, yet another manager and his backroom team are forced out of the Offaly football set-up. Following swiftly on the heels of Tom Cribben, Meath man Gerry Cooney tendered his resignation to the county board following a players and management meeting at the Bridge House Hotel on Thursday last.

Cooney, a member of the Meath squad that won two all-Ireland football titles in 1987 & 1989 respectively, lasted just 6 months at the helm of Offaly Football having been appointed last November by a five man selection committee. So the question remains where did it all go wrong for Cooney and the faithful county?
From the off, Cooney’s appointment was covered in controversy with the selection process dragging on for months and a number of front runners for the job deciding to pull the plug in total disgust and dissatisfaction with the entire process - men including Darby, Coffey and Sheedy all deciding to retract their names in total frustration and anger in how they were being treated. After a long and arduous process, the selection committee eventually came to a conclusion and decided that the management team to lead Offaly into battle come the summer would consist of Meath’s Gerry Cooney, Clara’s James ‘ginger’ Stewart, Edenderry’s Tony Kenny and Offaly’s last all-star Cathal Daly.

As the core of the panel began training pre-Christmas early January in the gym, many faithful followers began questioning Cooney’s decision to clear-out many of the older folk on the panel namely Ciarain McManus, Scott Brady and Karol Slattery – all three having worn the Offaly on numerous big occasions in the past and in my opinion could have offered this young and inexperienced group of players with so much to prepare them for the road ahead. Despite the speculation, none of the three were asked to join the panel however early murmurings indicated that the entire set-up was going down well among the players.

Fast forward to early February and Offaly visited Glennon Brothers Pearce Park in Longford for the first round of the National Football League – in a game which Offaly started brightly Offaly crumbled to a crushing defeat 2-15 to 8 points – a poor outing which in my opinion set the tone for the rest of the league campaign. Perhaps the less said about the league the better as Offaly slumped to four more defeats, picking up just one win on their travels away to Cavan. Wexford, Roscommon, Antrim and Tipp all inflicted defeats to send Offaly packing and down to the level that this team was currently operating at under Cooney. In each of these games Offaly lacked the basic fundamentals of a good football team. Without going into it indiscipline (3 red cards and the most yellows by a country mile in division 3), a poor game plan, individualism, and a lack of basic football skill appeared to be among a list of problems that brought this Offaly team crashing down to division 4.

During this time, the problems began to seep in with Cathal Daly deciding withdraw his services for whatever unknown reason. Daly was followed by players including Richie Dalton, Ross Brady, Sean Pender, Ger Tracey, and Niall Smith all of whom decided to leave the panel for reasons yet again unknown to many. With work commitments being cited for one of the main reasons for players deciding to leave, it began to become ever apparent that unrest was beginning to set-in among the players. This problem was most recently compounded by the news that Walsh Islands Brian Connor has decided to opt out of the panel, instead deciding to return to the US for presumably for some work and football. This must of came as another devastating blow for Cooney with Connor having kicked four points from play against Tippereary. Such absentee’s, injuries and the U21’s reaching a Leinster semi-final following a successful run did not help Cooney’s cause. Reports from the camp suggested that numbers were poor at training during this time, and players began to become disgruntled and unhappy.

So the questions remain – who is at fault for this mess with some blaming the county board, others blaming players and their lack of commitment, and many blaming Gerry Cooney and his backroom team. If you were to ask me, I believe that collectively – the Offaly County Board, the Management team, the players and unfortunately the faithful following are to blame for this current crisis that Offaly Football once again finds itself in.

County Board

The County Board for the past decade have sat idle as the standards within the county plummeted, with the entire structure of football from underage to senior within the county being out-dated. In my opinion, the county board has a lot to answer and an entire clear-out of the top delegates is required – these need to be re-placed with young and energetic men who have a passion for Offaly GAA – too many old heads are hanging on in their for the benefit of themselves. If Offaly is ever to compete for a Leinster title in the next 100 years, the football scene needs some serious time and investment right across the board.

Management & Players

The team management have a lot to answer for with far too many rash decisions being made, and for producing a team that simply could not compete in division 3 of the league. I’ve heard may stories floating around about the management some positive, some negative but the simple facts are that they were not up to the task – no matter how difficult the players are or are not to manage! I believe this because I have never seen a team as unprepared in years. Offaly played one good game this year and that wasn’t against Cavan, but against Division 1 side Laois. Reports suggest that Offaly were outstanding against a very strong Laois team and Offaly actually played open-expansive football as they played a quick and open brand of football – why wasn’t this style of play adapted to and worked on after this game?.
Offaly players being Offaly players come in for a lot of criticism however they too have a lot to answer for (forget drink because from what I hear this for once has not been a problem this year). Nearly all of the games I’ve been to this there has been at least 10 lads injured on the line, and is something that surely must of been questioned by Cooney? Week-in, week-out too many of the same players appeared to ne ‘injured’ – some genuine, some not. Despite this, I think it is unfair to brandish all players as being un-interested and lacking desire, as I can think of many that appear to give 100% week-in, week-out.

The Faithful Followers

When things are down everyone is down on you and when things are going well everyone once a piece of you – this is my opinion and I believe that some fans bring too much negativity to the football scene at present. Both players and management never intend on performing badly, so why throw the boot in while things are on the floor? Offaly at the minute needs their fans more than ever.

So where does this leave us now ....... where do we go from here? In my opinion the county board need to hold their hands-up and now go and appoint a manager that will be respected by both players and fans. Perhaps it is time to try a high-profile manager? Everyone claims that the county board simply could not afford this type of manager. This is a valid point however I believe bringing in a prolific manager that could get the team competing again which would slowly get the faithful following believing again. With the returning crowds comes more gate receipts to actually fund the manager and create a hype in Offaly that is badly needed.
As this saga rumbles on, the lilywhites lick their lips in anticipation of a sunny Sunday in may.......here’s hoping the county board react quickly and with a manager that can make us compete.

[fluffkthatcrap]

so here we go again tryin to find a new manager...will this saga ever end although from wat i hear and i am nt here to ridicule anybody i do hav to say i tink the appointment of cooney was the wrong 1..i heard a few murmers from very reliable sources that the players felt that the training was insufficient and that the management team was tactically inept.from what i am led to believe it was more like track and field training or cross country training.not intercounty trainin...the players must of felt like lambs to the slaughter going out to play games without a game plan.i agree that maybe some players maybe lacked commitment or one thing or another bu i also think that wen a team is thrown toghether without any proper game plan that a lacklustre and depressive mood sets in very quickly..i think that if trainin goes well and it is high intensity and lots of it with the ball which can be done that interest increses every night and so does committment bu lets be honest that in our lives we hav all been involved with something that doesnt work out and we all know how hard it is too keep interest up..i believe the team trained last night who took that because i thought the whole management team/backroom team left but obviously the physical trainer and probably physio remained did they?