Offaly Senior Footballers 2025

[pigeon house biffo]

In fairness to DK, he tried the same last year I’m certain and ended up having to bring back in a whole crew of lads before the end of the league to keep the ship afloat

You can’t say he doesn’t have the courage of his convictions, he must have some sort of a plan, hopefully its better executed than last year

Don’t think anton can be overly upset, the alternative is he’s brought in and gets no game time and is left sulking for the year, if he doesn’t plan on using him then surely the best thing is to say thanks but we’re going down a different route this year

Harte won’t be long sudsing them out and will surely have a decent read on whats in the county at this stage

[Anonymous1]

In fairness to DK, he tried the same last year I’m certain and ended up having to bring back in a whole crew of lads before the end of the league to keep the ship afloat

You can’t say he doesn’t have the courage of his convictions, he must have some sort of a plan, hopefully its better executed than last year

Don’t think anton can be overly upset, the alternative is he’s brought in and gets no game time and is left sulking for the year, if he doesn’t plan on using him then surely the best thing is to say thanks but we’re going down a different route this year

Harte won’t be long sudsing them out and will surely have a decent read on whats in the county at this stage

The problem is there’s no way in hell DK believes there are 10-12 better forwards in the county than Anton.

He’s cutting him loose because they fell out which can’t be happening in a small county like ours.

The least he deserves after all his service is a decent reason as to why he’s not needed, I’m not sure it’s possible to convey that in 25 seconds.

[Snotser123]

..it hurts to be dropped and it sounds like anton is feeling sorry for himself especially with running straight to verney at the independent to put his feelings to print ...he's given great service to the cause and always gave his absolute best..he's 33 though and in my humble opinion he wasnt offering enough at that age to be holding back a 22 or 24 year old for example....it's not that hard to understand why management would want to freshen things up......we are not talking about stephen o neill here lets stop pretending like we are...as for the phone call thats sport lads...would Anton have felt better about all this if kelly and harte drove to his house with mikado biscuits...i doubt it....

[Faithfully]

..it hurts to be dropped and it sounds like anton is feeling sorry for himself especially with running straight to verney at the independent to put his feelings to print ...he's given great service to the cause and always gave his absolute best..he's 33 though and in my humble opinion he wasnt offering enough at that age to be holding back a 22 or 24 year old for example....it's not that hard to understand why management would want to freshen things up......we are not talking about stephen o neill here lets stop pretending like we are...as for the phone call thats sport lads...would Anton have felt better about all this if kelly and harte drove to his house with mikado biscuits...i doubt it....

Nice of you to set up a profile today for this specific post.

Funnily enough, you've got a rambling style which is very similar to that of another poster who got in frequent arguments regarding the Offaly Senior Football team over the past year.

[hamstrings]

Appears declan kelly doesn't like anyone challenging him or offering an opinion within the dressing room, anton is a huge loss to that team to not even make the panel crazy stuff. one of the best forwards in the county if not the best, I know he is 33 so what if your good enough your good enough regardless of age.

I don't buy into this building nonsense we seem to be always building. You play your best players available regardless of age

[One Time]

Appears declan kelly doesn't like anyone challenging him or offering an opinion within the dressing room, anton is a huge loss to that team to not even make the panel crazy stuff. one of the best forwards in the county if not the best, I know he is 33 so what if your good enough your good enough regardless of age.

I don't buy into this building nonsense we seem to be always building. You play your best players available regardless of age

A lot of talk about losing certain stalwarts and experience and yes they've been brilliant servants but what have they really achieved and how will they improve themselves and the team over the next couple of years..?? They won't! too many of the likes of anton and other lads down the years trying to dictate and control dressing rooms.. I hate mickey harte with a passion but time to clear out and play lads who want to play for Offaly and listen to management. At 33 anton offers very little at that level and a phone call from management to confirm that is fine, no need to cry about it. We blooded a lot of players last year and but for a bit of bad luck could have been closer to promotion than relegation.. the TC was a write off, nor worth talking about. We build a new team as we go over the next couple of years and we should get to where we want to go.

[Tmacmahon]

What's the 2025 panel now that training resumes this weekend.

Who are the new comers ? And maybe more importantly who are the older guys still on the panel?

Fixtures out and offaly have a decent shot of being in the promotion hunt coming in to the last 2 games,

A 3rd or 4th place finish would be acceptable, especially if we are competitive in every game in division 3

[Anonymous1]

..it hurts to be dropped and it sounds like anton is feeling sorry for himself especially with running straight to verney at the independent to put his feelings to print ...he's given great service to the cause and always gave his absolute best..he's 33 though and in my humble opinion he wasnt offering enough at that age to be holding back a 22 or 24 year old for example....it's not that hard to understand why management would want to freshen things up......we are not talking about stephen o neill here lets stop pretending like we are...as for the phone call thats sport lads...would Anton have felt better about all this if kelly and harte drove to his house with mikado biscuits...i doubt it....

Nice of you to set up a profile today for this specific post.

Funnily enough, you've got a rambling style which is very similar to that of another poster who got in frequent arguments regarding the Offaly Senior Football team over the past year.

Spot on, this is another burner account.

He’s wrong anyway, Anton was told he wasn’t wanted weeks ago. It’s obvious the journalist went to him and not the other way around.

And, how can 33 be considered too old for some but others are 36/37 and not a word said?

I’ll still challenge anybody to name 12 forwards better than him in the county?

[Anonymous1]

Appears declan kelly doesn't like anyone challenging him or offering an opinion within the dressing room, anton is a huge loss to that team to not even make the panel crazy stuff. one of the best forwards in the county if not the best, I know he is 33 so what if your good enough your good enough regardless of age.

I don't buy into this building nonsense we seem to be always building. You play your best players available regardless of age

A lot of talk about losing certain stalwarts and experience and yes they've been brilliant servants but what have they really achieved and how will they improve themselves and the team over the next couple of years..?? They won't! too many of the likes of anton and other lads down the years trying to dictate and control dressing rooms.. I hate mickey harte with a passion but time to clear out and play lads who want to play for Offaly and listen to management. At 33 anton offers very little at that level and a phone call from management to confirm that is fine, no need to cry about it. We blooded a lot of players last year and but for a bit of bad luck could have been closer to promotion than relegation.. the TC was a write off, nor worth talking about. We build a new team as we go over the next couple of years and we should get to where we want to go.

Ah come off it, we went the route of clearing house and playing the youth last year and we put in the worst performance of an Offaly Senior football team in the history of the county.

The definition of insanity…

[private joker]

It's not the definition of insanity, especially in sport. Expecting results instantly is insanity. Sport takes time, players need time. The lads let go got more than enough time.

[Anonymous1]

It's not the definition of insanity, especially in sport. Expecting results instantly is insanity. Sport takes time, players need time. The lads let go got more than enough time.

Nobody is expecting results instantly but nobody is also expecting a 12 point trouncing against London.

[One Time]

Appears declan kelly doesn't like anyone challenging him or offering an opinion within the dressing room, anton is a huge loss to that team to not even make the panel crazy stuff. one of the best forwards in the county if not the best, I know he is 33 so what if your good enough your good enough regardless of age.

I don't buy into this building nonsense we seem to be always building. You play your best players available regardless of age

A lot of talk about losing certain stalwarts and experience and yes they've been brilliant servants but what have they really achieved and how will they improve themselves and the team over the next couple of years..?? They won't! too many of the likes of anton and other lads down the years trying to dictate and control dressing rooms.. I hate mickey harte with a passion but time to clear out and play lads who want to play for Offaly and listen to management. At 33 anton offers very little at that level and a phone call from management to confirm that is fine, no need to cry about it. We blooded a lot of players last year and but for a bit of bad luck could have been closer to promotion than relegation.. the TC was a write off, nor worth talking about. We build a new team as we go over the next couple of years and we should get to where we want to go.

Ah come off it, we went the route of clearing house and playing the youth last year and we put in the worst performance of an Offaly Senior football team in the history of the county.

The definition of insanity…

Leave aside the tailteann cup and we were competitive in every game of the league and should have won more of them and the teams in division 3 some went on to have good championships, we easily disposed of Laois in championship who weren't beaten much in the TC final, forget about the Tailteann cup from offaly perspective, no one bothered..a bit of luck and our league campaign would have been very different after bedding in a few new players who will have hugely benefitted from that, more of the same this year and we'll get promoted.. antons game is based on pace and taking on his man, not something that's easy do as you hit 33.. can I name 12 better forwards? That's missing the point, we need players to play the game management want to play, players that will improve individually and improve the team and build for the future. I still say last year with a bit of luck would have been very different

[SearingDrive]

A lot of talk about losing certain stalwarts and experience and yes they've been brilliant servants but what have they really achieved and how will they improve themselves and the team over the next couple of years..?? They won't! too many of the likes of anton and other lads down the years trying to dictate and control dressing rooms.. I hate mickey harte with a passion but time to clear out and play lads who want to play for Offaly and listen to management. At 33 anton offers very little at that level and a phone call from management to confirm that is fine, no need to cry about it. We blooded a lot of players last year and but for a bit of bad luck could have been closer to promotion than relegation.. the TC was a write off, nor worth talking about. We build a new team as we go over the next couple of years and we should get to where we want to go.

Ah come off it, we went the route of clearing house and playing the youth last year and we put in the worst performance of an Offaly Senior football team in the history of the county.

The definition of insanity…

Leave aside the tailteann cup and we were competitive in every game of the league and should have won more of them and the teams in division 3 some went on to have good championships, we easily disposed of Laois in championship who weren't beaten much in the TC final, forget about the Tailteann cup from offaly perspective, no one bothered..a bit of luck and our league campaign would have been very different after bedding in a few new players who will have hugely benefitted from that, more of the same this year and we'll get promoted.. antons game is based on pace and taking on his man, not something that's easy do as you hit 33.. can I name 12 better forwards? That's missing the point, we need players to play the game management want to play, players that will improve individually and improve the team and build for the future. I still say last year with a bit of luck would have been very different

How do you explain Cup defeats to London and Limerick,?, Offaly should have made a serious effort in the TC, if they were committed to improving as a team.
All interest on the 2025 campaign.
Pp

[biffinbanner]

offaly 7/1 ...4th favourites for div 3

[jimbob17]

A lot of talk about losing certain stalwarts and experience and yes they've been brilliant servants but what have they really achieved and how will they improve themselves and the team over the next couple of years..?? They won't! too many of the likes of anton and other lads down the years trying to dictate and control dressing rooms.. I hate mickey harte with a passion but time to clear out and play lads who want to play for Offaly and listen to management. At 33 anton offers very little at that level and a phone call from management to confirm that is fine, no need to cry about it. We blooded a lot of players last year and but for a bit of bad luck could have been closer to promotion than relegation.. the TC was a write off, nor worth talking about. We build a new team as we go over the next couple of years and we should get to where we want to go.

Ah come off it, we went the route of clearing house and playing the youth last year and we put in the worst performance of an Offaly Senior football team in the history of the county.

The definition of insanity…

Leave aside the tailteann cup and we were competitive in every game of the league and should have won more of them and the teams in division 3 some went on to have good championships, we easily disposed of Laois in championship who weren't beaten much in the TC final, forget about the Tailteann cup from offaly perspective, no one bothered..a bit of luck and our league campaign would have been very different after bedding in a few new players who will have hugely benefitted from that, more of the same this year and we'll get promoted.. antons game is based on pace and taking on his man, not something that's easy do as you hit 33.. can I name 12 better forwards? That's missing the point, we need players to play the game management want to play, players that will improve individually and improve the team and build for the future. I still say last year with a bit of luck would have been very different

Ive never heard so much rot said One Time. It really sounds like you have a major agenda and that you want to totally ignore a hammering at home to London and ignore TC 2024 results. I just wonder why you want DK treated different to any other manager over last 20 years. Last year was simply horrific and if anyone else got those results, they would have been removed. Full Stop! They did only very OK in league but there was too much negativity and stories emanating from squad. I was at the Westmeath game last year in Rnd 1. It was embarassing we were so far off them. That squad nearly got promoted in 23 under Kearns. Panda was central to that and he was left out despite being one of our best forwards. Anton was central to that, as was Cunningham. They also had the U20s coming through in 2024 - most of them 22-23 and with 2 years senior experience behind them from 22 and 23 - and you are still only 'bedding them in'!

The major elephant in the room was that there was way too much friction and negativity in and around the squad last year. It isnt a secret that a good few players fell out with DK and a few left the squad through the year and a very senior player left early in the year calling it a toxic environment. That is not good and says a lot and that showed in the Tailteann Cup results. Now if the Tailteann Cup didnt involve the most embarassing result in the last 50 years or more - a 14 pt championship defeat to London at home, then I'd say something but thats what we are talking about here. You cant just say that the TC shouldnt be counted to suit your agenda. That matters a LOT! That is what they were training for all year - the one championship we had a chance in and our main competition to train for. You are the one missing the point!!! Even players and management said as much in the week leading into the London game in local media!

If anyone else got them results and there was that level of negativity within a camp, then they'd be removed. Ignoring that and talking about bedding in players is totally missing the point. DK had the U20s from 2018 - 2022 approx. He knew what was there. Senior is not a development team for bedding in. We are building every year since about 2007 from what I can see. That is just a bulshit excuse to try explain away below par performances. Senior is about getting your absolute best team on the pitch and staying competitive in that given year and all the signs last year showed our curve going majorly in the wrong direction. You cant just ignore the facts.

I'd only love if it all went to plan and it was a rosy in the garden but it wasn't. DK did a lot at under 20 level but did he lose the dressing room this year? Anton is definitely in the top 8 forwards in the county, no doubt about it. He'd be on my best team most days irrespective of age and id be fairly sure that he'd be among the top 10 athletes in the squad so age is not an issue and should not be an excuse. Maybe there is a personality clash and that appears to be the case - fairly sure there was an issue between them last year and maybe Kelly feels threatened by anyone who may have a bit of knowledge or more inter county senior experience than he does within the camp who is not afraid to express their thoughts. That said, it is within managements rights to select THEIR panel and if that is the way it falls, then so be it, but i'd sense it is a poor call by management and a mistake. But lets wait and see. February isnt too far away.

With the 3x3 rule in, it couldve really suited Sullivan and I think if DK was more clever, he'd have found a way, irrespective of any personality clash that may or may not have arisen. We dont have the talent to just ignore a lad with Antons ability and fitness. You wouldnt meet a more dedicated lad in fairness to him and I think we will definitely see him in a county jersey again if he wants to keep in shape for a year or so. That said, not sure it is helpful for Anton to air dirty linen in public and even if it is Verney going to him as appears to be the case, then I think it doesnt reflect so well.

I wouldnt be fully sure how long this new set-up will last and if I was a betting man, id imagine either Harte or Kelly will move on after a year or so after more mediocre results and or a better offer elsewhere for Harte, with the managers job then becoming vacant. If that were to happen, I couldnt see DK going back in on his own or be given that opportunity and it'd probably take a brand new management team then to take over - and Anton, could very easily find himself back in the frame if that were to materialise.