Sean Ryan - Decision Time

[Silken Thomas]

I saw the other thread thread was referring to Séan Ryan so I brought this back into play. I can do that
By the way I'm not gonna get into the hurling/football debate.

A very nice lad I'm just gonna comment on Séan Ryan the footballer. A lot of people believe he should be a starter I just can't agree. The very things that make Séan special at Intermediate level and previously at Junior A and Underage are what is taken for granted at Senior level.
His strengths lie in superb upper body strength, explosive speed and being a dangerous ball carrier. Unfortunatly pace and strength are a pre-requisite on the big stage. At roughly five foot nine inches in height despite a great ability to get off the ground Séan is not a kickout option. In addition time spent honing his hurling skills has left him with little or no weak foot in football. Likewise there is a huge difference in bulldozing past club players and the likes of Derek Heavin or Brian Cullen. Realistically he is just too one- dimensional for the inter county football scene.

Before anyone goes crazy in his defence it's just a football opinion and may he prove me wrong.

[Phoenix]

That's a fine analysis, Silken Thomas. I can't say that I can go that deep in analysing what he has to offer but all I know is that when Sean Ryan comes on for Offaly the whole field seems to open up. He beats players, carries it through contact and out the other side. That all attracts other defenders and suddenly we have other Offaly men running angles ahead of him to take the pass. Game on!!!

He is a bit small. When a small player (Trevor Phelan?) was brought on against Laois a few years ago it was noticeable that Micko put a big lanky youngster out there and the Laois goalie directed all the kick outs to where the Laoisman could catch it over the Offaly man. Still, we could work around that and I'd pick Sean Ryan every time!!

Players like Sean Ryan, the aforementioned Trevor Phelan and Karol Slattery put the fear of God in defenders with their pace and direct running. You can't coach Pace and it's hard to defend against.

[Lone Shark]

I won't be going crazy in his defence, but I have to confess he'd be one of the first five names on my teamsheet every time.

A very nice lad I'm just gonna comment on Séan Ryan the footballer. A lot of people believe he should be a starter I just can't agree. The very things that make Séan special at Intermediate level and previously at Junior A and Underage are what is taken for granted at Senior level.
His strengths lie in superb upper body strength, explosive speed and being a dangerous ball carrier. Unfortunatly pace and strength are a pre-requisite on the big stage.

But here's the thing though - can you honestly say that we have three potential half forwards who have the required strength and pace? I agree that in an ideal world all thirty-something panellists would have these attributes, but in very few counties is that the case, and certainly not in Offaly. Also, as we saw last year against Down, when he does get the ball into his hands, things happen. Not something you can say about every player, or most players.

At roughly five foot nine inches in height despite a great ability to get off the ground Séan is not a kickout option. In addition time spent honing his hurling skills has left him with little or no weak foot in football. Likewise there is a huge difference in bulldozing past club players and the likes of Derek Heavin or Brian Cullen. Realistically he is just too one- dimensional for the inter county football scene.

The difference between Ryan and Phelan (for example) is that Ryan's spring and his power allows him to compensate for his height by at least four inches. Obviously he'd be mismatched against a 6"4 midfielder, but put him against your average 6"0 wing back and he'll do fine. Certainly I'd much prefer to see Kildare aim their kickouts at wing back rather than bang them down the middle at lads like Brennan and Heffernan next May.

The weak foot thing is an issue, but when there are six two footed forwards in Offaly that have the pace and power that as you say, should be pre-requisite, then I'd begin to consider leaving off Ryan - until that happens, and it looks to be a long way off, he'd be on my team sheet every time.

[bracknaghboy]

Ryan should be a starter for the footballers. We have nothing like him at the moment and his explosive speed with the ball would add a badly needed new dimension. A good ball ball carrier like Sean might help us move away from the handpassing tripe that Roe poisoned Offaly football with in the last couple of years! On the topic of Roe.....Is he the most limited manager we ever had?

[turk]

Sean Ryan is superb. An absolute must start. It's interesting how players with some truly great potential are often written off as people highlight their possible weaknesses, and safer more limited players are preferred

[Bord na Mona man]

I'd have Ryan as a starter too.
One thing you can't buy or coach at this level is pace.
There are very few players who can burn an opponent for speed at inter-county level.
When you have a player in your ranks who has serious acceleration and is anyway competent with the ball, then use him.

If you have a player who has the beating of his man for speed, it puts pressure on an entire back line.
Other backs have to start leaving their men to double team him. You start to create spare men and scoring chances.

One thing you also do is live with the percentages. A player who takes on his marker instead of giving the safe pass, will lose the ball a certain amount of the time.
Faster players tend to hit more wides too.
Usually because they shoot at full tilt, or they haven't developed their ball skills as much as a slower player needs to.
However the pay-offs

Some managers will opt for the conservative option.
The players who finds his teammate 95% of the time with the square pass and will kick a point a game.
As Bracknagh boy has suggested, I assume given his love of short passing and general flute acting with the ball, Roe (and Molloy) wouldn't have seen Ryan as the type of player to fit into his "vision" of how football should be played.

Offaly football for decades has always been about fast and direct attacking.
Get the ball as early as possible into the danger areas. Fight hard for possession, when you don't have it. Try and put your opponents on the back foot at every chance. Play the game in their half.

The display of sideways, arseways short passing at the wrong end of the field against Wastemeath was a pure disgrace. I think the best term to describe it would be "crab football" - with all the running sideways the players were doing.

[birr are magic]

as a birr man i hope he stays at the hurling. he was great last sunday against st. martins
he has to stay at the hurling to keep his touch and eye in.the problem with him is after
playing the football he plays behind his man in hurling e.g dunloy in clones last february
plus birr move him around to much .pa joe should leave him in one position. i think he make
a great midfilder.he hurler tipp on his own in thurles 2 years ago . from midfield . he was
playing great last sunday . but they took him back as a 3rd midfilder on sunday . but it was
to crowed. with him hight tower and rover hayden there as well . he needs space because
he burn you up with pace. he played under16 minor and under21 in the midfield .he is a good footballer
but he has more to offer in hurling plus he is playing with the best club team you ever see . or will never
see the likes again anywhere . up The BIRR ROLL ON THE SHAMROCKS

[True Red]

jays brother i hear what you are saying but the oul spell check must be turned off?

[Lone Shark]

.he is a good footballer
but he has more to offer in hurling

Sorry - no. His pace is a weapon on the hurling field too, but he's a game changer playing with the big ball.

Anyway, Birr football is on the up, ye had a great minor win this year - surely as a dual club ye'd be encouraging him to concentrate on the football and lead ye're push to become a senior club?

[birr are magic]

it`s old spelling ..... mush.......... or should i say know all true red