Pat Roe, please leave quietly and immediately.

Lone Shark · Post by **Lone Shark** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:14 am

Now I understand Roe is a Laois man, and as such would like to take charge of his own county - that's understandable. However to talk about his disappointment in public makes it very clear that this was his first choice, and that he would just be taking the Offaly position (if offered) as a second best option.

Now I'm sorry, but that's not good enough. Eamon Cregan was a passionate Limerick man, but when he took charge of the Offaly hurlers he put that to one side and did a fine job, even though it was clear where his heart lay. Still not once did he come out and proclaim the Offaly job to be of secondary importance to him.

Perhaps I'm over-reacting here, but I think this should rule him out, if in fact he actually is being considered. Any thoughts?

Taken from Unison.ie

Roe lash for Laois Board

PAT ROE has slammed the Laois County Board after being overlooked for the post of football team manager.

Following a highly successful two years with Wexford, it was felt in many circles that the former star Laois player would get the nod.

But, instead, former Limerick boss, Liam Kearns, was chosen on Monday night to succeed Mick O'Dwyer. "I've nothing against Liam Kearns and I wish him and the Laois team the best of luck," said Roe.

"But I'm very disappointed that I wasn't given the job by the Laois board. I felt that the time was right for me to do the Laois job and also that it was a time for an inside (Laois) man to be appointed.

"The board obviously feel that an outside man can wave a magic wand and success will automatically follow."

azoffaly · Post by **azoffaly** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:36 am

On t'other hand it might drive him on to prove how wrong Laois were, which would be fine in my book as well.

I think you are being a little hard on him, it's only natural for him to want the Laois job, and if he was asked a question and said he wasn't disappointed, then he would be burning his bridges there.

I'd say 95% of outside managers who take a job with another county are taking their second or third choice in the GAA CAO list. I'm sure Paidi would have preferred to stay in Kerry, Micko would prefer to manage Kerry than Laois, Tommy Carr took Roscommon after the Dubs, and I'm sure Liam Kerins in Laois would love to be Kerry manager. Mickey Moran would have preferred to lead Derry out I'm sure as well.

Anyway, not to labour the point, I think it only becomes an issue if they somehow do not give the job they *do* have their full attention. That's what should determine our attitude to outsiders, not whether they harbour ambitions to manage their home team and are using us as a CV improver. If their CV improves, then ours does too. Win win situation in my book

Lone Shark · Post by **Lone Shark** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:48 am

I think his answer - assuming he's being quoted accurately of course - goes a little bit beyond what he needed to say. All he needed to say was something along the lines of "Any man would love to serve his county, be it playing or managing, but it's not for me to contact the county board, they clearly wanted Liam Kerins, and best of luck to him, like any Laois man I'll be delighted if he's successful"

No bridges burned, but a lot more measured than saying he's "very disappointed" not to be in the job. I guarantee you Mickey Moran wasn't saying at the start of the year how he wished he was in the Derry hot seat.

Still, I take your point. I tend to be getting easily outraged these days ....

Bord na Mona man · Post by **Bord na Mona man** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 11:05 am

Lone Shark wrote:Still, I take your point. I tend to be getting easily outraged these days ....

That's why Joe Duffy is there to take your call!

peter · Post by **peter** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:18 pm

Pat Roe is Laois man of course he is upset he was overlooked he was more suitable for that job than Kearns in his eyes and in the eyes of the majority of laois supporters ya would be sore in his boots.
Can't blame a man for being honest and speaking his mind, know i would if i was him.

Lone Shark · Post by **Lone Shark** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:44 pm

peter wrote:Pat Roe is Laois man of course he is upset he was overlooked he was more suitable for that job than Kearns in his eyes and in the eyes of the majority of laois supporters ya would be sore in his boots.

Agreed completely. Couldn't blame him at all.

peter wrote: Can't blame a man for being honest and speaking his mind, know i would if i was him.

Of course not - unless of course speaking your mind is putting on record that the job you wanted was one of Offaly's main rivals. It makes Pat Roe no less of a good GAA man to have said it, however it does make him considerably less suited to taking over our team. I've no doubt all the examples AZ pointed out above would have preferred to win an AI with their native counties than their adopted homes, but that doesn't mean you say these things in such a blunt fashion.

the bare biffo · Post by **the bare biffo** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 5:43 pm

Jay'z LS sometimes I can't fathom your obsession with what people said or didn't say according to a newspaper report.

Are you saying that if Roe felt exactly as you believe he does but wasn't quoted as saying so in a news report, then you would have no problem with him. Surely the dogs in the street would believe him to be hugely disappointed whether he said it or not.

Heshs Umpire · Post by **Heshs Umpire** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 9:38 am

"If offered" is the key to the first post on this thread.
I have it on good authority that Skinny has not been approached by or even spoken to any official in Offaly.
As to it being his second choice job.... Of course it is !!! You can't blame him for wanting the job of managing his own county.

Lone Shark · Post by **Lone Shark** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 9:55 am

Okay, I think people are taking me up wrong here.

I completely understand how the Laois job would be the job he'd like to do - I'd be worried about him if it wasn't. All I'm saying is that making it very public that any other job he takes will be a second choice is not exactly going to (a) endear him to the supporters of that county, for whom it will be the first and only love and (b) strengthen his case when accusations of doing it for the money or assorted other criticisms start getting aired, as they will of any manager.

I think it'll make his position more difficult, because any time he goes to a game in Laois people will jump to the conclusion that he's really only marking time till he gets the job he wants and preparing for that rather than devoting himself to the job he is "employed" to do.

azoffaly · Post by **azoffaly** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:17 am

Eamonn Cregan clearly would have preferred to be managing Limerick than Offaly back in 1994 and 1995. I'd take the same results from Roe

Lone Shark · Post by **Lone Shark** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:27 am

Cregan never said as much though, thus not giving ammo to his detractors, and he had plenty of them.

Bord na Mona man · Post by **Bord na Mona man** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:27 am

azoffaly wrote:Eamonn Cregan clearly would have preferred to be managing Limerick than Offaly back in 1994 and 1995. I'd take the same results from Roe

Remember poor Eamon had a green and white Limerick style top under his bib in 1994.
He was as distressed looking as any other Limerick man when the final whistle went.

azoffaly · Post by **azoffaly** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:32 am

LS, I must have picked you up wrong. I got the impression you were not worried about Pat Roe giving ammo to his detractors, rather that you wanted him to 'leave quietly' because he expressed disappointment at not getting the Laois job.

My point is all 'non-native' managers are either there for money, or because their own county won't have them at the moment. Whether they say that publicly or not is irrelevant to me. I just take it as read.

The important thing for me, nay the only thing, is that they do their best when in charge at Offaly, and that they produce results.

I couldn't care less if they'd prefer to be coaching the Brazilian Ladies' beach volleyball team.

(Of course it's politically expedient not to mention the fact, but we all know it's true, and there's no need to leave quietly because of that.)

arbarg · Post by **arbarg** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 5:28 pm

Who the HELL is Pat Roe in fairness!#
and who wants him?

THe sad fact is that very few WANT the Offaly job.

I wonder Why??? (christy todd we're talking to you)

turk · Post by **turk** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 9:56 am

Roe would set Offaly football back by about 20 years