Offaly vs Mayo All-Ireland MFC Quarter-Final 31/7/2010

[Truth as i see it]

Actually yeah in fairness i should'nt have generalized like that so my bad but my point still stands about his behaviour at the match.

Now i don't want to seem like a zealot here because i know that lads at that age are just learning the game and maybe they know some of the players on the mayo side and were just catching up or maybe it could be something else, i don't know but if it is true that they were laughing and jokeing after the match then i am a little dissapointed to hear this.

The reason i brought up Ken in the first place is because he played with a lot of players whos attitude towards playing at least in my view was, we'll give it a lash for 20 minutes then head to the pub.

It was prevalent throughout the whole team with an exceptional few actually putting in the effort.

(thankfully this seems to be changing)

Now i don't know Ken either and you're right i should'nt have tarred him with the same brush but it is a little alarming to me that the players are exibiting this "its only for a laugh" attitude under his watch.

Further proof of this was when they all started to have a go at one another when things started to go against them in the Leinster final against Longfort.

Maybe i am reading too much into it and after all as i said they're only young lads and maybe they were gutted to lose to Mayo but there are signs there that that the right attitude is not being taught to these players at least to me.

[black and red exile]

Truth as I see it, I think when cop on was preached at school you must have been missing that day

[black and red exile]

I have to say I felt a bit for the lads on Saturday at the final whistle, there was a major improvement on the Leinster final with attitude and performance but with that strong wind we needed a 5 or 6 point cushion going in at the break, 2 points was always going to be a struggle facing the elements in the second half but with 10 mins to go when Offaly went a point up we started to think it was possible but Mayo finished the stronger with the last 3 points of the game.
In my opinion there was a Leinster left behind in 2010 which was a great pity, with the proper attitude from players and management more active on the line I'm convinced our minors would have been Leinster champions, a great opportunity lost, a great pity.
Have to say I didn't notice lads laughing and joking at the final whistle, too busy dashing back to the car after the final whistle to get home for Dubs v Tyrone.