Wicklow v Offaly, July 7th, Aughrim @ 3.00pm

[the bare biffo]

At the risk of repeating things, there has been nothing between Monaghan and Offaly in football ability over the last two years.
But Monaghans performances in the championship this year just highlight the weakness of Offaly's attitude and preparations.

From what I've read in the paper, Roe appears not to be walking, so I hope there is a different approach all round for 2008

[black and red exile]

A little dickie bird told me today that there will be a John McIntyre type cull in the football panel for 2008.

[Biffo Army]

I dont think in county the size of Offaly that we have enough hurlers or footballers at our disposal for those type of culls! Hopefully if it does happen the players invovled will be let know of management's decision in a more respectful way than Mac chose last year. Great to see Mac gone and just hope that Padraig Horan doesnt get the job, he showed his card (All passion, no brains) the night of the under 21, unfortunately for him I think managerial wise he is destined for club team management.

[azoffaly]

If that is the case, then surely it behoves Mr. Roe to go and look at alternatives? By all accounts he hasn't seen a ball kicked in anger this year in the Championship...

[black and red exile]

I know, and that is where the problem is, lets hope from here on that Mr Roe attends every game from here on.

[Lone Shark]

I'm going to borrow from a very unusual source here, but bear with me.


To Kill a Mockingbird - Atticus Finch (defence lawyer) is asked why he allowed a certain man onto the jury of a murder case, when that guy had to be talked out of killing the defendent as part of a lynch mob only a couple of nights before. His justification was along the lines of "There's no difference between one man who's going to convict and another man who's going to convict. But one man who's going to convict and another one who has a little bit of doubt in his mind? Now that's a difference."

With apologies to Harper Lee.......


Though no doubt ye're wondering, there is a point behind that. Offaly football is on the back of an entire decade of slight underachievement. Every year we've gone in as between 3/1 and 10/1 to win Leinster, meaning that if we were performing to par we'd have won one along the way somewhere. In saying that, there was no shame in several of the defeats, but the last three years we've had at least one (Carlow, Laois, Dublin) that was downright shameful.

We talk of culls as if a county with our player base can't handle it. I look at it the other way. We keep picking lads who have proven time and again that they just don't make any impact at county level. I don't want to turn this into a debate on the merits of individual players, but rather than picking the guys who have been proven to be good at club level but disappear when the going gets tough, maybe it's time to try the guys who just might be the lumps of coal that turn into diamonds under pressure?

There's plenty of lads on the panel that we know exactly what we'll get from them, and more importantly, exactly what we won't get. I'd be very much in favour of trying players who are perhaps unproven but might turn out to provide a lot more support for the four or five genuine stars that we do have than they are currently getting.

You never know.

[Offalys Future]

We talk of culls as if a county with our player base can't handle it. I look at it the other way. We keep picking lads who have proven time and again that they just don't make any impact at county level. I don't want to turn this into a debate on the merits of individual players, but rather than picking the guys who have been proven to be good at club level but disappear when the going gets tough, maybe it's time to try the guys who just might be the lumps of coal that turn into diamonds under pressure?

There's plenty of lads on the panel that we know exactly what we'll get from them, and more importantly, exactly what we won't get. I'd be very much in favour of trying players who are perhaps unproven but might turn out to provide a lot more support for the four or five genuine stars that we do have than they are currently getting.

You never know.

i agree with you and this needs to be done with the hurling setup too.
The county hurling championship anyhow is very poor and i'm not sure about the football. But next year both panels ae picked from guys who play well with their clubs.

But just because you play well with your club in a poor club championship doesnt mean you will make it as a intercounty hurler or footballer.

Last year twelve of the Offaly hurling panel were picked from practice games in the muck and shite.

I belive that in October and November that these twelve guys and this could be done for football too. Should be brought in assessed over that period and see if they have what it takes - in terms of physique, fitness, attitude, committment etc.

This should be done for both hurling and football panels not just the twelve picked.

With this type of approach it would go some way of changing the mentality within both panels and be a foundation for future success.