sam88885a wrote:LS i heard that interview and i know we all hear what we want but to me Danny was saying that he strongly believed that the more direct style of hurling would reap more rewards for offaly.
I can only assume you heard whoever interviewed him for Radio 3 that day. You certainly didn't hear me interview him, because I was doing it for newspapers, and it was a one on one chat that wasn't broadcast anywhere.
allstar2010 wrote:Lone Shark wrote:KK beating Rynaghs in that final didn't make KK's approach the right one
So, KK win the final but there approach isn't the right one??? Really???
A team winning a match, or a championship, using a particular style of hurling doesn't automatically make that style of hurling the right one FOR EVERY SITUATION. I've been very clear that the way Kilcormac-Killoughey hurled under Owens' guidance was the right approach for that particular group of players. Owens was right to employ it with them, I just vehemently disagree that this means that it's the right way for any team to hurl, which some people seem to think it does.
allstar2010 wrote:
"Taken aback by his comments??" I doubt very much Owens was slating forde or Rynaghs he doesn't come across as that type of person, I'd imagine he was just thrilled his lads got over the line using a more direct approach anyway you obviously have it against him like the CB to make sure he never gets the county manager job.
Danny is normally very fair and even handed, and no, he didn't "slate" Forde or Rynaghs - but he did say, and I quote from my transcript notes:
"This was a great victory for the traditional Offaly way of hurling that won us lots of titles in the eighties and nineties. When Offaly were winning things we played a direct style of hurling and I thought our lads played a very direct game out there today. I’m delighted for that because that’s where I think the future lies. I hate to see this modern form of hurling with lots of handpassing and messing, it doesn't suit the hurlers in this county and I think that result today proves that."
Now Owens has achieved a lot in the game, as a player and as a manager, and he absolutely has the right to hold his own views. However I would say that such rigidity is not ideal for an intercounty manager. Moreover, I was surprised that he thought that criticising the style of play that Forde looked to implement at St Rynaghs was a gracious thing to do fifteen minutes after the final whistle in a county final.
As for me "having it in for him" - not at all. I have conducted interviews with players who are vehemently opposed to him getting the job, and I think it's remarkable that even in his own club, players aren't coming out to bat for him. That worries me, while I'm also conscious of the fact that giving him the job last time out would have been the easy thing to do, the county board could have put him in there and nobody could have criticised them for doing so. They interviewed him, and they chose not to. I don't even know if they spoke to him this time, but I know he wasn't the choice again - and I'm not going to be blasé and just presume that this was for no reason other than bias. I'm not saying that they have a good reason or a bad reason, but they must have a reason - and I'd like to hear one way or another before I make any judgements.
allstar2010 wrote:
Another thing Inter county hurling is becoming very boring for supporters. Take out the AI semi's and final there was nothing to excite the crowds. Over defensive tactics, fear of losing than actually going out and winning. No entertainment. Crowds need to be entertained to keep interest. Last Sunday's game between Ballyea and Thurles was prob game of the year!
It's not the job of any team or any manager to play exciting hurling for supporters. Their job is to win - and sometimes, given the players you have, open and attacking hurling with plenty of long balls and one on one contests is the way to go. I don't accept however that it should be the default setting for all teams, and I certainly don't accept that any manager should give the slightest concern about whether his tactics will enthral people in the crowd, as long as he looks to implement the optmial approach for the players at his disposal.
Kevin Egan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.