The Man Behind The Wire

[Plain of the Herbs]

So The Man Behind The Wire finds us nauseating, or so he says in this week's Tribune. He better get his sick-bucket out.

I don't see any critiscism of Ross Connor on the Under 21 football thread on this site, so I presume he means Hogansh**e.com. Enough said.
However, putting your name to your article in the paper doesn't make it Gospel, and The Man Behind The Wire has been wide of the mark, as recently as last week in his column.

I haven't the article in front of me, but from memory he blames a lack of fitness on Stephen Brown's part for his agonising late miss against Cork. Now, even if Stephen Brown spent the 46 days of lent in the gym, he still wouldn't have scored that point, because of his poor right-hand-side. Fitness and speed are two different things- John Hayes (Munster and Ireland prop) is fit - but not quick.

He also points to the referee, and how some of his decisions had a well known Banagher Publican up-in-arms. I've given my synopsis of the match elsewhere, where I commented that while the referee did a few strange things, generally he was fair enough. The fact that a large number of attendees took it on themselves to jeer every decision (good, bad or indifferent) doesn't make those decisions wrong, even if it displeases the publicans of Banagher including those who are known to offer less-than-constructive advice to umpires and referees.

At this stage, I must say I find the contributions from Sharky, The Biff and many others on this site much more informative than I would another dreary Tribune match report.

[turk]

I'd like to see the man on the wire's article

[Bord na Mona man]

He didn't mention any site specifically, so it's not clear.
There was no abuse hurled at Ross Connor here, so I suspect he's referring to the Hogan "7 players from my club should be playing for Offaly" Stand message board.
He had a general swipe at people who post anonymously to criticise players.

[Treasurer]

It's quite ironic that a good share of that column every weeks seems to be giving out about people giving out!

[Lone Shark]

I wouldn't say he's on the high moral ground here at all - he has been criticising several county leading lights with impunity for some time now - I suspect part of the reason for his move to the Tribune from the Express was that they seem to give him completely free reign to say as he pleases.

Okay, we don't put our names to anything here, but a concerted effort is made to ensure that all criticism is based on play alone, and doesn't cross the boundaries of acceptability. Also, while there may be relative anonymity, at least here there is debate - if someone puts up a view, the opportunity is there for a counterpoint to be made. Suffice it to say Plain of the Herbs' example is not the only time I'd have liked to have had the chance to go into detail about some of the Man's views from behind that protective wire.

[turk]

the man on the wire, if that is his real name!!!

[mykneehurts]

I don't like him. It's a Tipperary paper anyway.