Get behind Maccer

[black and red exile]

Is'nt it about time our so called supporters got off Ciaran McManus's back. Im sick and tired of people constantly critisizing the heartbeat of our senior side. How is it that every time we lost a game over the last couple of years all the snide remarks start coming out about Mac being the main reason we lose which of course is pure poppycock. Might i remind everyone that he is our Roy Keane, that he eats, drinks and breathes the tri-colour jersey and after a defeat anyone could see how devastated he is, even when he does'nt play well he will still give 100 per cent every time.
It was'nt that long ago that the same critics were probably singing Mac's praises for scoring a couple of spectacular goals notably against Donegal in 98' and Laois in 2003 but now because the 'super goals' have dried up, according to some people,he has become a liabity which of course again is a load of rubbish. Ciaran McManus is absolutely vital to Offaly and we would'nt be half the team without him, but if so called supporters don't leave him alone he will quite rightly walk away from the whole lot and who could blame him, so come on get off his back and get behind Maccer for 2006 an lay off the childish remarks.

[the bare biffo]

I think along with Cullen and Claffey, Ciarán has been one of Offaly's best players over the last 8 years. Unfortunately at times he has also been the most frustrating and I suppose this is why people ( certainly not I) tend to give him a bit of stick. I don't know the man at all but I would agree with everything posted above and I hope that now that he is approaching his "veteran" years he may bring a steadier head to his game, the lack of which is the only thing I would ever fault him for.

[turk]

I'm surprised a player of McManus' experience would let this get to him

[Lone Shark]

There's a couple of sides to this. First and foremost, it is a case of empty vessels make the most noise - and even though you hear a lot of people calling for him to be dropped etc., I'd say any reasonable football judge in the county dismisses that as the rubbish that it is. Like any footballer there are strengths and weaknesses to his game, but that he is one of the best players in the county is beyond doubt.

Where he lets himself down is that because he is so invested in his football, he tries to take it all on himself - and as a result he can sometimes make some dodgy decisions in an attempt to compensate for a game that he feels is getting away from him - hence we get some of the displays like Laois this year or Westmeath last year. If he didn't feel like he had to win games by himself, then this mightn't happen. The problem here is that on occasion he has performed miracles and carried us to great effect - like the Donegal game, or the Kildare game in Nowlan park which I will never forget. But asking that of himself on a regular basis is unrealistic.

I fear he'll never be level headed - though in fairness to the man, he was very disciplined down in Carlow this year and continued to fight the urges to do things too quickly or without thinking. All the same, he's 29 now if I'm not mistaken, with almost a decade of senior county football behind him, not to mention lots of club games and Sigerson football with Tubber and UCD, and international experience as well. He ain't going to change now folks! However when he gets into a good groove he's unstoppable - for that alone you'd have to pick him. The only thing I'd like to change is that he shouldn't be seen as untouchable - when he's on a bad day, he should be just taken off, like any other player. Where we have had problems is that that never seems to happen, and as such he's hung out to dry when other players who are struggling on a given day are just told to sit it out and forget about it and come back the next day.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - centre back. He reads the game better than he's given credit for, has the energy to support his midfielders very well, and wouldn't be passed too easily. It's a key position on the pitch, and I think Mac is the man to fill it.

[black and red exile]

I have to disagree with Lone shark. I really think Mac would be best suited to wing half forward where i believe he would'nt have to feel under pressure to cover every blade of grass, and he would be perfect to cover the diamond area around midfield and our own half back line. I think at this stage of his career lining out at midfield he tries to be everywhere at once and certainly he can't and won't be expected to charge from square to square like he could a few years ago with an example as Loan shark pointed out in 2002 in Nolan Park in the replay against Kildare where he gave as close to as i have seen as a one man show in nearly beating the Lillywhites on his own with an incredible performance.
Its very difficult to look behond Scott Brady for centre back, with Karl Slattery and Barry Mooney each side of him, give James Keane a go at midfield alongside Alan McNamee, with Neville at centre forward and Quinny at no 10, therefor you have a half forward line that would be perfect for tracking back as extra defenders when we lose possesion.

[Rynaghs Biffo]

i agree with exile here, although no matter where hes positioned, he should always be used as a third midfielder and not selected at no8 or no9. If memory serves me right, we dominated Kildare in Newbridge in 2004 with this tactic, then we took off Mark Daly and let them back into the game. but a big fault in the team is the centre back position, any suggestions?

[black and red exile]

''Rynaghs'' as I've said im my above piece, its got to be Scott Brady for centre back, its where he lines out for Clara and he has stated in an interview, [ I think it was in the express or the Tullamore Tribune last year but I stand to be corrected] that his preference would be centre back for the county also, and with karl and Barry beside him in the half back line I believe they would compliment each other superbly, especially with our two half backs very much of the attacking mould. Scott would be perfect to hold the line when the two lads venture forward at every opportunity when they get possesion.
My two corner backs would be Cathal Daly and John Hurst with Sean Casey taking over at no 3 from Conor Evans. I know Hurst is not everyone's cup of tea and his marking has at times been a bit loose but I think he's great pace and in the last 18 months to 2 years he seems to have combined his defensive duties with his attacking instincts to far better effect than he has done in the past.

[Hyper]

If memory serves me correctly, Mark Daly got concussed that day against Kildare!

[Lone Shark]

As far as I remember Mac was very quiet that day in Kildare - while the team had a great day, he personally wasn't as spectacular.

I don't agree that he feels under pressure to cover every blade of grass - he might be pushing thirty, but that's still what he does, and I'd say he does it a hell of a lot better than most.

I think where it starts to go wrong is when he feels the pressure to score. Hence my preference for playing him as a half back rather than at wing forward.

[azoffaly]

Can I just say here that I also am an advocate of Mac as centre back. I'm not going to get into the stupidity of people blaming our best player for everything bad that happens, other than to agree with LS in that he takes too much on at times, especially when things are going badly, and this makes him an obvious target for criticism. Having said that I would still prefer a guy whose instinct is to still look for the ball, still want to do things even when not on form over someone who hides when he is having a bad day.

Mac will not change at this stage, but the management do need to haul him in, take frees off him if he misses a couple, and even take him off if he is going badly.

Regarding positioning, in my own opinion, Ciaran MacManus has got to be in one of the central positions. If he is on the wing, and plays there, as a half forward, half back, whatever, he becomes a periperhal figure in the game. He's not used to it, and above all else he needs to be involved. Centre Back seems to be the obvious position for him, as he can read a game, can make bursts up and down the field etc, and he would not be out fielded by 6'4'' midfielders. My only worry would be if he was marking a Ciaran McDonald type playmaker who would drift around. Mac mightened be disciplined enough mentally to shut a fella like that down.

Anyway, keep Mac in one of the Central Positions where he can make dashing runs, influence the game and lift the team. Don't exile him to an unfamiliar area of the field if you expect to get the best out of him.

[Bord na Mona man]

Mac has never really played well at wing forward.
He was moved out there in 1998 and was quiet. The same again for last year.
The best part of his game is driving at the opposition from deep. Having him further up the field, where an opposition can close him down quicker, is not the answer.

I would be sceptical about centre back, because it is a very disciplined and somewhat constraining position.
Unless Offaly play a four man half back line, or assign players to drop back and hold the centre, every time McManus carries it forward, it will be tricky.
Would we rather see McManus running over to close down and dispossess an opposition defender at the breakdown, or running back out the field to man the centre back berth?

I'd go with a third midfielder role for him.

[The Biff]

I couldn't leave him off my team. He is capable of play that no other Offaly player could do, and when he is on form, he definitely lifts those around him. I reckon he is still the spiritual leader of the team.

Centre Forward is where I'd suggest for him. He wouldn't have the marking responsibilities of Centre back, he can still drop back as the 3rd midfielder, and those trademark attacking runs bearing down on goal should still be possible. If those runs started a little nearer to goal, then maybe he wouldn't have to shoot from 30 yards.

[the Untouchable]

The problem with Mac is that he's very frustrating to watch for supporters, because he's so erratic, a flash of brilliance one minute, followed by 10 wayward kicks. He's also probably never truly fulfilled the potential that he showed at under 21 & under Tommy Lyons, all to often the big day has found Mac running round trying to do it all on his own!!!

He's now 29 & unfortunately for all Offaly supporters he isn't going to change now.

The reality is, is that Mac....no matter where you select him....is still going to be in his own half back line one minute skying a ball to no one in particular & the next he's going to be driving through the oppositions defence on another one of his powerful runs.

Now I have raised a few eyebrows in the past by picking teams & leaving him off....but the reality is this...Mac hasn't done it for Offaly when we've needed him, he's not someone who you could ever take off....because he is notoriously hard handled & while there are few players with his level of commitment, I'm certain that there are better midfielders in Offaly than him....you wouldn't have to look to hard to find better half forwards than him & we have already a strong half back line with Mooney, Brady & Slattery.

So why should he have a god given right to be on the team?

Is this attitude not likely to cost a better player than Mac a place on the team....a player that like Mac would have trained hard all year?

That hardly seems to be the way to deal with players, because Managers are there to make strong decisions & drop players & take off players who aren't performing....& all too often other players have being sacrificed while Mac is left on!!!

Now this debate started off about how Mac doesn't deserve the criticism he gets....which I do agree with. I met Mac after the defeat to Kildare in Nowlan Park & after the Laois game this year & it does annoy me a bit the way people just seem to have a go at him for no reason, because he is actually a really nice fella & hasn't a swelled head because he's a county footballer...which is not something I could say about too many other lads on the offaly team.

I think Mac has being a great servant to Offaly & has always given it all, but I think now that its possibly time to start to look at other options, like everyone knows what Mac is going to do when he plays...but I think it would be nice to see other lads given a chance to show that they have as much right to be on the team as Mac has.

If I was a betting man I'd put the house on Mac being midfield for Offaly this year....I don't even think the bookies would give me odds on that one!!!

[turk]

good man untouchable, a good post there and a good point about breaking down each sector on the field.

myself i wouldn't like to be sitting in the stands for an offaly match, or standing on the terrace and looking beside me and seeing macmanus sitting or standing there smoking. I think we need the man on the pitch in the heat of the action.

Myself i'd fire him in at full forward, and let him do what he likes!! as long as he brings home the beef!

[Hocker]

Good man turk i'd go along with that....
Or What would any of ye think of having him at full back now that Conor Evans will be away next year???