Rhode Manager

[summerindublin]

Kellaghan answers Premier call
17 October 2017


Rhode manager Paschal Kellaghan.
©INPHO/Tommy Grealy.


Paschal Kellaghan has been added to the Tipperary senior football backroom team.

The former Offaly footballer, who guided Rhode to their record-breaking 28th Offaly SFC crown on Sunday – beating Clara in the final – has been enlisted by manager Liam Kearns to serve as coach.

Having previously enjoyed managerial success in counties Meath and Kildare with Ballinabrackey and Monasterevin respectively, Kellaghan joins a strong Tipp backroom team that also includes selectors Shane Stapleton, Paul Fitzgerald and Brian Lacey.


There was talk about this for a while, so Rhode will be looking for a new manager after they win all Ireland club!!!!!

[LooseCannon]

He might stay on!!

[timber]

I know a lot of people are highlighting that Rhode are not the team they were and as the tribune sports journalist has pointed out that they are in decline. I agree they are in decline and wont replace a lot of their older players with the same quality. They are not likely to be serious challengers in Leinster anymore unfortunately. However in my opinion they are still well above the other teams in the county. They still work very hard and have a handful of very good footballers. So I would question the tactics they are given and the over defensive style Kellaghan uses. It is horrible to look at and you would only expect to see a team with limited ability using it but not Rhode who certainly should not be fearful of anything within Offaly at present which is poor standard.

Rhode should have kicked on Sunday and put the game away but they went into this ultra defensive system to suffocate any Clara attack. Better teams will come along and Rhode will be in serious trouble as I think we will see in the coming weeks.

Watching the game at the weekend, it was not pretty and the standard in general was very poor for senior football between the two best teams in the county. To be fair it was hard hitting and nobody stood back. It was very well refereed and big credit should be given. We often jump on their case when they don't do a great job so praise where praise is due. Praise to both teams who gave it everything to the best of their abilities too.

But these systems and negative tactics are just horrendous to watch. It maybe shows a lack of belief in the players and what they are capable of.

[LooseCannon]

I know a lot of people are highlighting that Rhode are not the team they were and as the tribune sports journalist has pointed out that they are in decline. I agree they are in decline and wont replace a lot of their older players with the same quality. They are not likely to be serious challengers in Leinster anymore unfortunately. However in my opinion they are still well above the other teams in the county. They still work very hard and have a handful of very good footballers. So I would question the tactics they are given and the over defensive style Kellaghan uses. It is horrible to look at and you would only expect to see a team with limited ability using it but not Rhode who certainly should not be fearful of anything within Offaly at present which is poor standard.

Rhode should have kicked on Sunday and put the game away but they went into this ultra defensive system to suffocate any Clara attack. Better teams will come along and Rhode will be in serious trouble as I think we will see in the coming weeks.

Watching the game at the weekend, it was not pretty and the standard in general was very poor for senior football between the two best teams in the county. To be fair it was hard hitting and nobody stood back. It was very well refereed and big credit should be given. We often jump on their case when they don't do a great job so praise where praise is due. Praise to both teams who gave it everything to the best of their abilities too.

But these systems and negative tactics are just horrendous to watch. It maybe shows a lack of belief in the players and what they are capable of.

My opinion is that okay, Rhode could go out and play football(no defensive system, whatever ye want to call it), lose to Edenderry, Tullamore, Clara, Ferbane or Gracefield even.

The system keeps it going that few extra years, in order to bridge the gap until another few players come upon the scene in Rhode. Could be 3 years, could be 10. I notice that both Rhode’s senior and intermediate team try to play the exact same way(the latter not so successfully).
Scenario:
3(or less, or more) youngsters come up to adult level. Play junior A. They will have an idea of the tactical footprint, if you like. You have the tactical side. Now enhance skills, and fitness, while training with their seniors. Still getting match practice and experience by playing for the junior team.
(Ideally, they’d prefer an intermediate outfit, which I think injuries to senior players hampered their survival chances as a result.)

Ultimately for the betterment of Offaly football, a more orthodox style would be appreciated, as Wallace has said he will play the conventional way. However, winning is winning, and if there’s a better chance of winning a County Title, by playing in the current system, who could bemoan the fact that it’s working.

I know, it’s fairly bleak to look at, and if they play as poor as they did Sunday, any of the above teams could beat them.
As the saying goes:“ Club first, County second”, and ultimately it should be that way. That doesn’t mean that we should showcase our All-Ireland winning begrudgery.

[llkj]

Rhode have a difficult path in Leinster - Laois, Kildare, Dublin, Final. Doesn't come harder than that. If they do get over the Leinster line, it would be some way to do it.

It is hard to know where they are at as we don't have too much to judge them on. Unbeaten again in the group and only 2 knock-out games, one of which was over after 20 mins. You never know, they might just be starting to rev things up now. If that is the case, it would be ideal timing. Best of luck to them and Paschal. A good move for him to get involved with Tipp. More valuable experience for him in a solid inter-county setup.

[jimbob17]

Rhode will be really up against it. Wouldn't have met a team as good as portlaoise within Offaly. My concern for them would be the style of play. It'll get you competitive against better teams but won't allow you to beat good teams that you might do if set up in less negative style. In my opinion, it will get you success in bad weather at lower levels with high fitness levels but like Dublin showed this year, the game has moved on and more progressive teams have moved away from this type of football.

It was as poor a county championship as I've ever witnessed, much of it due to nature of group structure with many meaningless ties. Tullamore and Edenderry being main pretenders for last few years went back a lot this year. Clara have come up due to better organisation and Ferbane for all their talent stood still.

Will be interesting to see the influence of Kellaghan with Tipp. Up to now they have produced good players who play nice brand of attacking football. Will the Rhode way become their way and if so will they be able to improve and achieve their potential. Many of them have won provincial honours and some have all Ireland medals at minor and or u21 level. They should be really looking to get back to quarter final or super 8s as it will be this year.

[summerindublin]

[quote=" It was very well refereed and big credit should be given. We often jump on their case when they don't do a great job so praise where praise is due. [/quote]

thought that the standard of refereeing was very poor

[azoffaly]

I'd have said Rhode play the way they do because they have their eye on Leinster. 15 on 15 they're better than anything in Offaly at present, but are they better than anything in Leinster? They've had disappointments in Leinster, so I think they set up this way to try and win that. Whether it will work ultimately or not is moot, but we'll see soon enough I suppose.

[summerindublin]

I see that Rhode are the outsiders for Sundays clash with Portlaoise in Bord na Mona, O'Connor Park this Sunday @2.30pm, Rhode 7/4 Portlaoise 4/7, I think that Rhode are worth a punt, especially as the match is a home game, any thoughts.

[suckindiesel]

the odds are probably on the money.
the way the draw is lopsided, with this pair and then Moorefield, going to tussle for the right to play the Dublin champions in the semi final.
at semi final stage, I would have no doubt whatsoever that of the trio Portlaoise would be the most dangerous opponent to the dubs champions.
that said, portlaoise just like rhode have had a stroll through the domestic championship. furthermore, this portlaoise team lacks the stars of previous versions and some of their key players like Bruno McCormick are the wrong side of 30. To an extent,I would imagine that Rhode are also ageing with their pivotal players also past their peak.
this should be a tight, low scoring affair, and one or other will probably win by 4 points or less. portlaoise had a strong intermediate team in 2017, and they would have more material to bring off the bench than Rhode. could come down to the referee, one of those games. if you want a bet, I think the Dublin champions will win both hurling and football at provincial level.

[LooseCannon]

Paschal leaving.