Ciaran McManus

[turk]

Hi folks,

what is the crack with Ciaran McManus for this year? I note he didn't play v AIT and Ciaran typically used to play every match. Is he carrying an injury or is it a case they are just resting him and trying other lads.

Ciaran is the most experienced player on the football panel now and his experience will be vital in guiding some of the younger players. What sort of a role would be play - midfield? Half forward? Half back was suggested here before

[Bord na Mona man]

He was out of the country last weekend, but is still very much involved in the panel.

[turk]

He was out of the country last weekend, but is still very much involved in the panel.

What role do you envisage for Ciaran this year?

[Bord na Mona man]

I'd say at wing forward where he can bullock around as an extra midfielder and still get forward would be the best for him.
I think it will be Smith and McNamee at midfield for the championship.
With McConway and Slattery playing well as wing backs, there isn't a great need to have McManus in the half back line.
Centre back might be too restrictive a position to put him IMO.

[TheManFromFerbane]

I'd say at wing forward where he can bullock around as an extra midfielder and still get forward would be the best for him.

I personally think putting him out on the wing kills him. He needs to be in the thick of it or else he just drifts out of games. I'd say either CF or CB but would prefer CB for him as I think he better off facing the goals.

[Lone Shark]

I'd agree in terms of having him in the middle, however I'd me much more a fan of playing him at 11 rather than 6. Much like expecting Paschal not to hamstring himself by getting a stupid yellow card for a high/late tackle early in a game, it's unrealistic not to expect Ciarán to go haring around the place busting a gut if Offaly are losing by a few scores late in the game. It mightn't be the most calm approach to the game, but I don't think he could ever be any other way. In that regard I'd prefer to see him at 11 than six. He'd be a conscientious early line of defence, but even so he'd give an opposing centre back a lot to think about.

[turk]

I'd like to see Ciaran at centre forward. I think he was at his best for years there the year offaly reached the leinster final, 06.

for midfield i think we will just need to bulk up some bruisers

[Sydthebeat]

Has he been tried out at Full forward for either Offaly or Tubber over the last few seasons? Whilst i not recommending copying teams like Cork, Kerry etc, but maybe we should look at having a tough strong full forward as a target man.... with Niall Mac, O Hara, Deehan and Renolds playing off him in more sniping roles.

[Lone Shark]

To do that he'd have to have a lot of patience to hang in there while the lads are getting crucified out the middle. I can see him getting a bit frustrated at that role myself. Only a hunch though.

[the bare biffo]

I don't think he would have the height or fielding ability to play that role anyway. His greatest strength has always been his athletic ability and passion for the game. I don't think a more stationery tactical role would suit him.

I find it hard to see him anywhere other than the middle third of the field. At one time he would have been an ideal candidtate for picking at corner forward and playing as a third midfielder. But maybe corner backs are too comfortable out the field these days for that to be a success.

[ballymanabroad]

Hang on a second there lads. We would all agree that we don't have 6ft plus midfielders beating a path to Croghan and nobody in the county 'deserves' to play at midfield so why not put Mac in his best position and be done with it? I always saw him as more of a Shane Ryan player than a Darragh O'Se anyway. At the very least it would solve one of the midfield problem positions.

As for playing Mac at centre forward you would have to measure him against the best in Leinster (I'm not even going to look outside the province) and pit him against Bryan Cullen - if they revert him to his best position and stop playing him at centre forward. While neither player would be fazed at facing the other I just couldn't see them within an asses roar of each other come match day. One is a rover and the other almost plays as an attacking sweeper bursting through the middle.

Now Mac versus Shane Ryan would be a different story altogether and a clash I'd love to see.

As an aside I'd be surprised if Dublin persist with Ciaran Whelan much longer. His nomination for an All Star last year denigrated the whole awards. I love to see him lining out as he gives away more ball than any player I can think of and if referees had more of a back bone in Croker he would have seen red at least twice last year. I'll say it now. Dublin will not win an All Ireland if he continues in the middle. And to be fair they are not far off.

[Lone Shark]

That would be fine if you had a genuine fielding midfielder to go along with him - as Shane Ryan has. (Be it Whelan or Magee, or in time, Coughlan) The problem is we don't. Because we don't have that, we need to try to find two half decent fielders to give them a chance of winning one proper fielder's share of ball. It's a compromise, but the alternative is to get savaged by Duffy, Crawford, Earley, Quigley, Walsh or any of the others out there in Leinster and concede a rake of clean catches.

Mac is a lot of good things, but he is not even close to being a good high fielder. He'll never turn his back on it like certain others might, but he is neither 6"4 nor does he have a huge spring in him. Until Smith or whoever matures into the real deal, my opinion is that we need two guys in there, with Mac floating round to hoover up breaks and generally impose himself around the broken play as he does so well.