Footballers

[Muck Savage]

Anyone have any report/update on how the Footballers are going like OF had for the hurlers? How many of the 106 are still training? Have there been any additions to the list or have any of the lads that said no gone back? Would love to know where we are a few days before our first outing of the year.

[Hyper]

I heard the panel has been cut to approx 30 plus 5/6 who have been injured and who have been given time to prove themselves. They have been training pretty hard in Croghan by all accounts. The team for Sunday is to be picked tomorrow night. Looking foward to the game on Sunday. At least they should be alot further on fitness wise than this time last year.

[TheManFromFerbane]

...At least they should be alot further on fitness wise than this time last year.

Don't be suprised if there is an element of jadedness (or whatever the word is!). They are supposed to be training fierce hard so that can take a toll on the body in the short term.

It'll be one of the things Roe has to take into consideration. Get them primed for fitness for the league, which is obviously priority #1, and risk being burnt out for the league, or do you build your fitness levels up gradually getting them into peak fitness for the Championship but risk not getting promotion in the league.

[the bare biffo]

Maybe it's not traditional GAA thinking, but my view would be that starting from div 4 you have to be realistic and make getting out of that div the top priority.
Championship has to be a longer term objective.

[Muck Savage]

I agree, get out of Div 4. A good run in the league will allow you to build momentum that can take you into the C'ship. Get fit up to about March/April then work on game plans and football matters while holding the level of fittness.
We have to ge out of the hole we're in

[Bord na Mona man]

Word has it that no off the field messing will be tolerated this year and the shite is being run out of the players in training.
Which could be good or bad...
- Good if it helps get them properly fit and strong this time for championship and makes every player earn the jersey.
- Bad if its purely a backlash measure by Pat Roe after last year aimed at punishing the players, but not part of an overall master strategy for success in 2008.

[TheManFromFerbane]

Bad if its purely a backlash measure by Pat Roe after last year aimed at punishing the players, but not part of an overall master strategy for success in 2008.

Maybe I'm a sadist but I would fully support this!!!

[Hyper]

The team for tomorrow is; P Kelly,C Evans,G Rafferty,N Grennan,J Keane,R Fox,P McConway,A McNamee,N Smith,D Egan,P Kellaghan,K Casey,T Deehan,J Reynolds,N McNamee,...any thoughts?

[Barracuda]

Yes I have 2 thoughts

1) Roe has no clue of what is required, please note this comment- we will make no progress under him - role on summer when he will leave.
We will have a jaded,tired and injury prone team by the time the Championship comes around.

2) Ken Casey starting - not even good enough on recent form (last 4 months) to be on the subs, Jonh Reynolds - come on,he (Roe) must be havin a laugh

[Kevin]

Holy Crow!!!

Am I reading right in Hoganstand that the footballers put up 5-24 against Athlone IT???

Surely little could have been learned, but happy enough to see that we aren't being bashful about taking scores.

[the bare biffo]

Obviously meaningless as a contest. But in all the years I've watched Offaly football teams I have never seen them run up a score like that. Even the best of Offaly teams against the weakest of opposition never had the drive to continue piling on scores in that manner.

If it does nothing else, I hope this result indicates a welcome change in attitude by this group of players and management.

[Blackthorn Man]

I was watching for the results yesterday cause I couldn't make it to Tullamore yesterday and as soon as I seen the 5:24 it reminded me of 1996/1997 under Tommy Lyons. Similiar scores were achieved against the 'weaker' counties that year which turned out a succesful one for Offaly. There was alot of competition for places that year which gets the best out of lads so hopefully things will improve from here.

[Loughers]

Good score to put up. Our scoring has been a serious worry of late. Who's this John O'Hara? What age, where from etc. Scored 3-3.

[True Red]

5-24 is a great score to put up but it must be said that Athlone IT were rubbish.The highlight of my day was watching the AIT goalkepper getting more and more angrier as each goal went past him.

Offaly moved the ball well at times and got some nice scores.

As for John O'Hara he is a Dublin man living in Clara. He transferred down there a couple of years ago from Skerries Harps. He played in the 2003 Minor All Ireland Final for Dublin against Laois which the Dub's lost after a replay. Played well yesterday.

[Blackthorn Man]

As for John O'Hara he is a Dublin man living in Clara. He transferred down there a couple of years ago from Skerries Harps. He played in the 2003 All Ireland Final for Dublin against Laois which the Dub's lost after a replay. Played well yesterday.

Clara kept that one quiet ,didn't they